Foot Anstey swoops for Bond Pearce FD

South West law firm Foot Anstey has hired the finance director and former business development director of Bristol-based Bond Pearce.

Peter Macklin will head the finance and IT teams, and joins the firm after six years at Bond Pearce.

Macklin said: “Foot Anstey has a clear vision for future development and I look forward to ensuring that we invest shrewdly, continuing to develop the appropriate financial and IT systems to support the firm’s ambitious growth plans.”

As first reported by The Lawyer (15 January 2007), Peter Macklin was replaced as finance director at Bond Pearce by White & Case London chief operating officer (COO) Chris Schulten.

Schulten joined the Bristol-based firm after two years at the New York-headquartered firm's London office.

Business development director Ray Chalmers joins Foot Anstey after four years in the same role at Bond Pearce, which he left in November. He will oversee marketing and business development activity across Foot Anstey’s three offices in Plymouth, Exeter and Taunton.

Bond Pearce has not yet appointed a replacement, as the firm is re-assessing the business development role.

The hires are a sign of ambition at the Foot Anstey, which as first reported by The Lawyer (22 May 2006), saw turnover shot up by 27 per cent to hit £14.1m at last financial year end.

Managing partner Jane Lister said the firm aims to be the biggest law firm in the South West outside Bristol, concentrating on Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and West Dorset.