Newbury: Gardner Leader promotes award-winning solicitor

Judith Rountree, solicitor in the dispute resolution team at leading Newbury-based law firm Gardner Leader, has been promoted to associate following a highly successful legal career since joining the firm in 2009.

Her five years' post-qualification experience – together with a track record for winning complex litigation cases and excellent business development skills – saw her crowned Young Lawyer of the Year last year at the LawNet awards, a national organisation which has been supporting independent law firms for 20 years.

Since joining the firm, Rountree has worked with the team to develop a new fixed-fee programme for landlords and tenants involved in property litigation, while the work she has done with the charity sector has attracted and retained a number of well-known charity clients.

In the contested probate sphere she successfully defended a £1.1 million claim on behalf of two defendants in the High Court of Justice which challenged the deceased’s lack of testamentary capacity as a result of vascular dementia.

Derek Rodgers, managing partner, commented: "Judith has an excellent rapport with her clients and has proven to be highly skilled in areas of litigation including contested probate, commercial and property litigation. I look forward to her continued success as she embarks on her career as one of our associates."

Rountree's promotion comes at a time when Gardner Leader also welcomes a number of new recruits into the firm to support continuous business growth.  Two paralegals, Becky Reilly and Cate Beavis, have joined to support the commercial and conveyancing team while  Steph Cummings, Ellie Clifford and Claire Andrews start their training contracts this month as part of their final stage to qualifying as solicitors.