Having formed almost 200 years ago, Tilly, Bailey & Irvine has since expanded across the region with offices in Hartlepool, Wynyard, Barnard Castle, and Stockton.

Now six staff – who have well over a century of shared experience within the award-winning firm – have been promoted into more senior positions.

“We are delighted about the promotions here at Tilly, Bailey & Irvine,” said Kirstey Maloney, Partner and Head of Family Law.

“Each of our staff members shows commitment and hard work every year, and each one of them plays a part in the success of the firm.”

Among them are Wendy Beacom and Jackie Blackwell, who both started their careers as secretaries. They’ve respectively been promoted to equity partner and family executive.

Another new family executive, Christine Smith, joined the company over 40 years ago and has over 30 years of experience within family law.

Additionally, Sara Garnett started at the firm’s Hartlepool office as a trainee almost a quarter of a century ago and has since risen through the ranks to become an equity partner along with Andrew Beattie, who possesses over 20 years of commercial property experience.

Criminal defence solicitor Georgia Wilkinson has been promoted to associate solicitor and stated that she was “excited” with the new role, adding: “It is nice to see hard work paying off.”

Shamin Ali, an award-winning solicitor who has been made a salaried partner in the firm’s Private Family division said the news came as a “lovely surprise”, adding: “I really enjoy working for the company – it is an amazing company to work for and I have a great team.”

With five of the six promotions being awarded to women, it continues the progressive firm’s approach to a diverse workforce, which started a century ago when it became one of the first legal firms in the area to appoint a female solicitor.