A new generation of lawyers and accountants is making its mark in Wales. At a time when the professions are on the cusp of great changes they are part of a cohort that is bringing fresh ideas into their professions.

Both the law and accountancy will be transformed in the years to come by a technological revolution that will change they work and do business. Savvy young lawyers and accountants are ready for the change and embracing the opportunity it brings.

These 30 young professionals listed here are some of the faces to watch in the coming years. It's by no means a definitive list but gives a snapshot of the talent that is within Wales' legal and accountancy firms.

Stacey Jeffreys, 30, senior solicitor, Blake Morgan

Stacey is a senior solicitor in the commercial services division of Blake Morgan. She joined the firm in 2004, having previously worked for Acuity Legal, Shearman & Sterling LLP and Welsh Government. She is a graduate of Cardiff University. Stacey now advises clients on the drafting and negotiation of a range of commercial contracts including collaboration agreements, sale and purchase of goods and services agreements, manufacturing agreements, confidentiality agreements and on a range of IT contracts.

She already benefits from experience in advising large private-sector companies, public bodies, higher and further education clients, and charities.

Alex Butler, 30, senior solicitor, Blake Morgan

Alex joined Blake Morgan in 2014, having previously worked for Hugh James after graduating from the University of Bristol and gaining an LPC in law from Cardiff University. He is now a senior solicitor in the corporate team at Blake Morgan.

He specialises in advising on corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, disposals, management buy-outs and equity investments. He also advises clients on a variety of corporate governance matters including share buy-backs, internal compliance issues, shareholder agreements and general Companies Act compliance.

Alex acts for a wide range of regional and national clients, including public and private companies, partnerships, private individuals and internationally recognised banks.

Luke Russell, 33, senior solicitor, Blake Morgan

Luke is a senior solicitor specialising in advising customers and suppliers on a range of IT, technology and outsourcing transactions.

He joined Blake Morgan upon qualification in 2013, having completed his training contract with Walker Morris solicitors in Leeds.

Luke now has specific experience in the procurement of software and services and has negotiated and drafted software licences and software as a service agreement relating to software used in a number of different industries.

He also advises on data protection issues and has drafted data processing agreements for the transfer of personal data between public-sector organisations and private companies.

Dan Dowen, commercial and IP solicitor, Berry Smith Lawyers

Dan is a solicitor in Berry Smith’s commercial and IP team, working closely with both UK and international clients on high-level and high-value commercial contracts. He is building his reputation particularly within the diagnostics field, advising on technical IP issues, drafting bespoke commercial contracts, such as supply, distribution and licensing agreements while supervising a team of lawyers who provide ongoing advice on all forms of commercial contracts to retainer clients.

Dan’s ability to assess a client’s commercial needs, identify potential risks, act swiftly and provide pragmatic advice is evident in his loyal and growing client base.

Clare Edge, 34, senior manager in risk advisory, Deloitte

Clare specialises in internal and external audits for public-sector and third-sector organisations.

She is also an appraiser within her team, and a coach and mentor for school-leavers, graduates and managers at Deloitte in Wales and the South West.

The first-class accountancy graduate, who lives in Cardiff, was promoted to senior manager after returning from maternity leave and has been recognised on a national level as one of the firm’s charity experts.

She loves being able to add value to her clients and building strong client relationships as well as making being audited a pleasant, two-way process which can lead to positive outcomes. Looking to the future, her aim is to move through to the senior leadership team after her return from maternity leave in 2018.

Francesca Smith, associate solicitor, Eversheds Sutherland

Francesca is an associate solicitor in the human resources practice group at Eversheds Sutherland (International) based in Cardiff, specialising in all aspects of employment and immigration law.

Since qualifying in August 2013, after completing her training at Eversheds Sutherland, Francesca has advised both private and public sector clients on a wide range of issues including TUPE transfers, mergers and restructures. She has significant experience advising both national and international clients on carrying out due diligence reviews, merger related issues as well as providing practical advice to clients on contentious issues.

Francesca is one of the lead lawyers with significant experience advising clients, particularly in the higher education sector, on immigration matters including the right to work and sponsor licence issues.

This has required Francesca not only to be involved in assessing the degree of compliance within a client institution but also engaging with the appropriate regulator and where necessary challenging assessments made by the Home Office on behalf of clients facing revocation of their sponsor licence.

Francesca’s capabilities in this area, together with her colleague Nerys Ireland, has resulted in both being recommended in Legal 500 as being ‘responsive and accessible’ for her work on immigration matters in the education sector.

Shelley Evans, senior associate, Eversheds Sutherland

Shelley is a senior associate in the corporate team in Eversheds Sutherland’s Cardiff office. Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland, she graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in modern languages and worked with a market-leading investment funds practice in London.

Shelley advises a range of clients in the private and public sectors, in the UK and internationally, on all aspects of company law, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and investments.

Her recent experience includes advising fintech company Oodle Finance on its partnership with Cardiff-based car search engine company Carsnip, as well as advising Castle Trust PLC on its acquisition of Omni Capital Retail Finance. She also advises on a variety of disposals and acquisitions of solar and onshore wind projects.

Philip Barratt, senior associate, Eversheds Sutherland

Philip is a senior associate in the corporate practice. He is one of Wales’ top up-and- coming M&A/private equity lawyers, with particular expertise in the financial services sector, including fintechs and start-ups.

Very good technically, Philip is committed to understanding clients’ commercial issues and building strong relationships. He has lead several significant transactions in the last 12 months, with an aggregate value of more than £85m.

Clients have commended Philip for his “positive, commercial approach”, being “a trusted advisor”, “getting deals done” and working “all hours to ensure we completed on time”.

Harriet Mearns-Thomas, executive, Thompsons Solicitors

Originally from Northamptonshire, Harriett began her career at Thompsons Solicitors 10 years ago. Initially employed in a part-time administrative role, by the age of 20 she had been promoted to a full-time case handler. After continued progression over the last nine years, she now specialises in running fast-track and multi-track personal injury claims and has particular expertise in civil assault claims.

Having begun her career in law at the age of 18 without a university education, she is eager to qualify and is completing her CILEX qualifications at the same time as progressing in her career with Thompsons.

As an enthusiastic supporter of the trade union movement and a long-standing member of the Labour Party, Thompsons has been an ideal fit for her, and she continue to be inspired by the work that the firm has done over the last 96 years. Going forwards, she hopes to remain in the personal injury field, working in tandem with the trade unions to secure justice for working people.

Rhiannon Drew-Edwards, litigation assistant, Thompsons Solicitors

Rhiannon got into the law by chance through the accounts department of a different law firm. She started her career with Thompsons as a secretary in the asbestos litigation department.

Soon after she took up a role to work as a Criminal Injury Compensation Authority (CICA) administrator, submitting and handling claims, which gave her a taste of having her own clients. Still eager for more experience and responsibility, she jumped at the chance to work as a litigation assistant when it arose.

Supported by Thompsons, she is returning to education at the University of South Wales to study law, continuing to work while she qualifies.

Her ambition is to excel; to go as far as she can and inspire the next generation of women by example. She is confident that she will be able to progress and break the glass ceiling that is so often evident in the law.

Lauren Watkins, 34, senior associate, HardingEvans

Lauren, from Usk, was recently promoted to senior associate in the clinical negligence department at Newport-based HardingEvans.

She joined HardingEvans 11 years ago after completing her LPC at the University of West of England in Bristol.

She undertook paralegal work within the firm first before moving into and developing her specialism within the clinical negligence department, where she manages a varied and complex caseload for a number of clients.

After completing her training contract within the firm, she went on to secure a newly qualified position within the clinical negligence team and has progressed within her role to associate and now her most recent promotion to senior associate.

Sara Uren, 33, senior associate, HardingEvans

Fluent Welsh speaker Sara, originally from Port Talbot, joined the practice 10 years ago on completion of her LPC at Cardiff University.

Like Lauren, she undertook paralegal work before developing her specialism in clinical negligence, managing a varied and complex caseload for several clients.

Following her training contract she gained a position as a qualified lawyer in the clinical negligence team, progressing to become an associate and, following her recent promotion, senior associate.

Darren Bishop, 30, associate, HardingEvans

Darren is a highly competent criminal defence lawyer who has recently been promoted to associate in the crime team at HardingEvans. While completing his training contract he also attained his higher rights of audience, police station accreditation and is duty solicitor accredited, too.

As an associate, Darren will continue to work on a number of criminal defence cases, as well as assisting in managing the department and helping to further grow the firm’s profile.

Danielle Howell, 29, associate, clinical negligence, HardingEvans

Danielle Howell, who has recently taken on the role of associate within the clinical negligence department, completed her LPC at Cardiff Law School in 2010 and joined HardingEvans in November 2014 as an assistant solicitor in the clinical negligence department, having joined from another law firm.

She manages a range of medical negligence claims, including dental negligence, delay in diagnosis of cancer claims, surgical errors, and avoidable deaths and fatal accidents claims.

Kristopher Morgan, 32, client manager, Morgan Hemp

Client manager and shareholder at Swansea-based chartered certified accountants Morgan Hemp, Kris is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and fellow of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

He combines diligence, assiduous attention to detail and the ability to communicate with people with warmth and with ease, which makes him someone who instils real confidence among clients.

Kris has been a member of the Morgan Hemp team for 10 years, managing a portfolio of clients, as well as preparing financial statements, management accounts, corporate and personal tax returns.

Sarah Bell, corporate solicitor, Thompson Darwin

Sarah studied economics at Swansea University and later did the conversion course to become a solicitor. She qualified into the corporate and commercial team of Oxford firm Darby’s in September 2011, and worked at Exeter firm OTB Eveling LLP and Oxford University Press before returning to live in her home town of Neath and joining Thompson Darwin in May 2016.

She is one of only three solicitors at Thompson Darwin, which means she needs to be multi-skilled and cover a wide and varied workload, including drafting commercial contracts, shareholder and partnership agreements and dealing with buying and selling companies and making investments into them.

She works closely with partner Bethan Darwin, who represents a portfolio of angel investors in start-up companies, many of them London-based. The work is fast-paced but Sarah copes with anything that is thrown at her.

Helen Rowland, 32, associate, Capital Law

Helen is an associate in Capital Law’s commercial disputes team. As well as working with clients on a wide range of commercial disputes, she has developed a niche interest in student matters and education law.

More recently she’s been involved in working closely with higher education institutions, and in the sector as a whole, to increase autism awareness. The number of autistic students going to university is soaring – growing by more than 200% in five years. Helen works to ensure these students are supported pre, during and post education to improve student welfare, retention rates and overall employability.

Helen’s thoughtful leadership pieces have been published by several trade press publications, and she also speaks at events and provides training for further and higher education institutions on this topic.

Laura Herdman, 29, associate, Capital Law

Laura joined Capital Law in August 2015 and has recently been promoted to associate, following her significant contribution to the corporate and commercial team. Her background is in corporate finance, mainly with start-ups and SMEs.

She has generated valuable new relationships for the firm, for many of whom she has become the main client contact. Over the past two years, her practice has developed and she now has a key role in many of the team’s more complex corporate and private equity transactions.

Aysha Chouhdary, 28, solicitor, Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice

Aysha qualified in 2016, after working with Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice as a paralegal and trainee solicitor since 2012. Specialising in all areas of family law, she has particular experience dealing with complex matters involving children and disputes between co-habiting couples relating to property. She is also able to advise clients on matters relating to an Islamic divorce.

Aysha graduated in law from the University of Birmingham before completing her legal practice course at the College of Law, Birmingham. Her skillset expands to languages – she can speak several languages, including Urdu, Mirpuri, Punjabi and Hindi, and is happy to communicate to clients in these languages if required.

Aysha founded the Asian Woman’s Professional Club in 2015, which is active with members across Wales, meeting in Cardiff. She keeps a strong regional link with Birmingham, regularly visiting her connections there.

Rebecca Knight, associate, Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice

Rebecca joined Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice in 2011 as a paralegal and, via a succession of promotions, she became an associate after being qualified for only two years.

Along with managing a demanding case load, she also provides assistance to more senior members of the firm with particularly high-value and complex High Court cases.

Rebecca continues to develop her reputation as an extremely skilled family law practitioner. She is regularly described as “an old head on young shoulders, with stacks of common sense”.

She graduated from Swansea University before completing her legal practice course at Cardiff Law School, gaining a commendation.

Rebecca is a co-organiser of South Wales Ladies’ Business Club, and takes great pride in managing the club. The business club members vary from small business owners to company CEOs.

Katie O’Connell, associate, Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice

Katie is a family law specialist and has particular experience in dealing with difficult matrimonial cases and matters involving children. She qualified in 2014, having worked with the firm as a paralegal and trainee solicitor.

Graduating from Cardiff University, Katie then completed her legal practice course. She was the first person in her family to go to university and has since risen through the ranks at Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice. Her hard work and determination saw her rise to the position of associate in 2017. Katie is a member of Abergavenny Ladies Business Association and enjoys connecting with members regularly in her beloved hometown.

Catrin Griffiths, associate, Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice

Catrin is an associate and head of the wills and probate department at Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice, having joined the practice in 2016.

Her experience covers a wide range of areas including elder law and wills and probate issues, such as powers of attorney, Court of Protection cases and contentious probate issues.

Catrin also regularly provides seminars on these areas of law. She is responsible for her own caseload and supervision of junior members of her team, and she also receives numerous referrals from other professionals and charities.

Originally from Llanelli, Catrin studied law at Cardiff University. She is an associate member of the Solicitors for the Elderly and is a fluent Welsh-speaker. Her clients find her to be personable and understanding and praise her wealth of knowledge.

Elspeth Owens, 34, senior lawyer, ClientEarth

Elspeth is a senior lawyer at the pioneering environmental law charity ClientEarth.

She started her career as a commercial barrister, where she was quickly identified by the bar directories as a rising star. But, as a passionate environmentalist, Elspeth moved in-house in 2014 to set up ClientEarth’s cutting-edge strategic litigation team.

The team of not-for-profit lawyers takes groundbreaking cases to court to protect the environment, including recently winning a series of high-profile cases against the UK government on air pollution.

Originally from Anglesey, Elspeth lives near Cardiff with her young family.

Emily Pulham, 31, finance director, Vista Retail Support

Appointed as finance director in 2016, Emily is the youngest person to join the Vista Retail Support board.

She joined Vista in 2013 after graduating with a first-class honours degree from Cardiff University and qualifying as a chartered accountant with PwC.

She has played an instrumental role in the success of this market-leading technology services provider with revenue growth of 40% (to £17.5m), profitability more than doubling (>120%) and headcount to 200-plus. She was also pivotal in managing Vista’s £500,000 HQ refurbishment last year.

Emily, along with her fellow directors, won the Wales BVCA Management Team of the Year 2017 award.

Hannah Dahill, 34, associate director, Morgan La Roche

This year Hannah Dahill was appointed associate director at Swansea law firm Morgan LaRoche, where she acts for many of the employers in the Wales Top 300. She also holds a Master’s degree and a diploma in human resources. She has recently been engaged alongside a London QC in a nine-day employment tribunal valued at £500,000.

Hannah works with ACAS on their bi-annual employment law updates. She is also a guest lecturer at UWTSD, a mentor with Business Wales, leads the CIPD West Wales hub and she has also recently completed the mentoring scheme with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Carly and Ellie Allchurch, 30 and 28, co-founders, Allchurch & Co Chartered Accountants

Starting their own business was a long-held dream for Carly and Ellie Allchurch, and in February this year the siblings from Swansea realised this ambition when they set up their accountancy firm.

Their goal for Allchurch & Co Chartered Accountants is to become an established, well-known accountancy practice in south Wales, with a reputation for delivering a high-quality service with the focus on excellent client relationships.

Claire Knowles, 32, partner at Acuity Legal

Claire Knowles joined the employment law practice at Acuity Legal, which has offices in Cardiff, Swansea and London, in 2014, and has tripled its income in that time. She now runs a sustainable and growing team working with national clients, from start-ups to multinational companies.

Claire cites her passion for powerful and effective workplace solutions to lead her to branch out from a traditional advisory role. With ILM level 7 training under her belt, she mixes leadership development, executive coaching and management skills with the purely legal aspects of her work.

Lucy Cohen and Sophie Hughes, both 34, founders of Mazuma

Lifelong friends and, more recently, business partners, Lucy and Sophie are leading a revolution in accountancy practices.

Pioneering a low-cost, hassle-free, subscription-based service that’s shaking up an entire industry, their firm, Mazuma, has grown steadily and now serves companies in the UK and USA.

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