Leading law firm Muckle LLP has made several key promotions, marking an exciting period of growth and succession and underlining its continued commitment to developing people.
The firm has built a reputation as one of the region’s leading employers, recognised through its Investors in People Platinum and B Corp accreditations. The firm was named ‘Best Place to Work – Tyne and Wear’ at the North East Business Awards 2025.
Three senior promotions
Real estate specialists Carolyn McKay and Claire Naughten have been promoted to partner. Charity law expert Alison Jones has been promoted to partner and also head of the sports team.
Carolyn has extensive experience in dealing with leases, acting mostly for retail companies, charities and housing associations. Her work focuses on agreeing and managing commercial leases and dealing with estate management, alongside portfolio acquisitions, disposals and property finance work.
An experienced real estate lawyer, Claire Naughten specialises in the real estate aspects of financial and corporate transactions and works with many leading financial institutions, with a particular specialism in development finance.
Alison Jones is hugely experienced in the charity and sports sectors. Alison advises a number of leading organisations in those sectors on a wide range of governance, constitutional, data and commercial matters. She also sits on various boards, including the board of the British Museum.
Promoting talent from within
A further seven promotions have also been made, reflecting the strength and depth of talent across the firm. Kate Rickett has been promoted to senior associate in the real estate team, where she advises repeat acquirers, banks, investors, landlords and tenants, as well as supports wider corporate transactions with specialist real estate expertise.
Promotions to associate include Tom Small and Lydia Stewart in real estate, both of whom work on a wide range of commercial property matters as part of a team handling everything from day-to-day transactions to complex, high-value deals, alongside Georgia Sproat in banking and finance, who is a trusted advisor to many of the region’s leading lenders and borrowers.
In dispute resolution, Kieran O’Donoghue has been recognised for his work advising businesses and public sector bodies on a range of complex claims and contentious matters, including, in particular, his experience acting for both contracting authorities and unsuccessful bidders on procurement challenges. Amy Carlton has been promoted to associate for her proactive and commercial approach to advising businesses on debt recovery actions.
Olivia Tindle has been promoted to associate within the corporate team, where she has gained a strong loyalty amongst her clients and colleagues for her excellent work with a range of acquirers, listed companies and investors.
Cultivating talent to accelerate success
Anthony Evans, managing partner at Muckle, said, “These promotions are a fantastic reflection of the talent, commitment and ambition we have across the firm. We are committed to supporting the personal and professional development of all of our people, and it is particularly heartening to watch the progress of lawyers who move up through the business to contribute to our ongoing success.
“Carolyn, Claire and Alison all bring a huge amount of experience to the table, and I’m confident that as partners, their contributions to the firm and their clients will be invaluable.
“It’s fantastic to see the promotions of Kate, Tom, Lydia, Georgia, Kieran, Olivia and Amy; it is a reflection of their hard work, ability and enthusiasm. We are immensely proud of each of them.”
Alongside internal progression, Muckle continues to recruit into key roles to support increasing client demand and expand its service offering.
To learn more about roles at Muckle, visit www.muckle-llp.com/vacancies