Gordons recruits partner to head private client team

Wednesday 7th October 2015

One of the region’s prominent personal lawyers has joined Yorkshire law firm Gordons to lead its private client team.

Diana Smart moves to the firm as partner and head of private client after 12 years with Sheffield law firm Taylor & Emmet where she was head of the wills and probate department.

At Gordons, Diana will lead a team of 15 people focused on advising high net worth individuals, families and business owners in relation to their wills and tax and succession planning.

Diana is also a chartered tax advisor and has been a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners for 20 years. She is recognised by key sector directory The Legal 500 as having ‘particular expertise in trusts’.

Commenting on her appointment, Diana said: “I am really pleased and excited to be joining Gordons. It is a modern, forward thinking firm focused on providing a high quality and personal client service, which has always been important to me.

“The private client team here has a broad range of skills combined with a great deal of enthusiasm, and I will use my expertise and experience to work with them to grow the department further.”

Gordons’ private client team also specialises in probate and has experience of complex estates, often with international elements. In addition, members of the team can act as executors, trustees and attorneys and can advise on all aspects of power of attorney and Court of Protection matters.

Welcoming Diana to the firm, Gordons partner and operations director, Victoria Davey, said: “Diana has a reputation for providing clients with practical advice and delivering it with the highest standards of care, which is exactly the way we operate at Gordons.

“She is a proven leader with a great deal of energy and ambition, making her the ideal person to direct our private client offer. We are very pleased that she has joined the firm and look forward to her further developing our private client team.”