In brief: Blandy & Blandy recruits two partners

Thames Valley 11-partner firm Blandy & Blandy has recruited two private client solicitors from City firms who are both mothers and who will both work partly from home. Family law partner Sian Blore joins from Farrer & Co, and tax and financial planning lawyer Jackie Watson joins from the Paris office of Simmons & Simmons. Watson said: "There is an army of women out there who, unfortunately, are faced with an all-or-nothing decision to continue to work as lawyers or give up entirely. It seems an extraordinary waste of talent and experience." Blore said it was often more important to her clients to see her out-of-hours than that she was at the office desk from nine to five all week.