Press Releases

New equity partners at kemp little Llp

december 2005

Kemp Little LLP, the leading UK technology firm, today announced the appointment of two further equity partners, Calum Murray and Siobhan McElhinney.

Calum Murray joined the firm in 1998 and became a fixed share partner in 2001. He becomes group head of the firm's highly rated commercial technology practice. Managing Partner Richard Kemp commented: "Calum has made an enormous contribution to the practice. He has a proven track record of building strong relationships with our biggest clients. I am delighted he will be leading our core commercial technology group into our next stage of growth."

Calum Murray said: "This is a great opportunity to take on a leadership role at the UK's premier specialist technology practice. The group has great clients, great work and outstanding people. The opportunity to develop this potential is genuinely exciting."

Corporate lawyer Siobhan McElhinney joined in 1999 and became a fixed share partner in 2001. Corporate group head Lucy Vernall commented: "Siobhan has the skills clients value most - commercial flair, deal creativity and the ability to get the job done. Her appointment reflects her huge contribution to developing the corporate practice at Kemp Little."

Siobhan McElhinney said: "Kemp Little is well positioned to grow and develop the provision of corporate legal services to the technology sector. The firm allows me to do this in a genuinely entrepreneurial and dynamic environment."

Sharperning the Firm's Technology Focus

Hand in hand with the new equity appointments, Kemp Little has also been working on its strategy with top law firm consultant Alan Hodgart. "We wanted to make sure we're doing the right things now to position ourselves as a technology practice of choice for clients" said Kemp. "Technology is coming back but the market doesn't stand still. Clients are increasingly demanding. They are also increasingly knowledgeable about what individual firms can offer. We must constantly demonstrate we really understand what clients want; and that we provide the extra depth and specialist skills they need. This means sharpening our focus."

"In commercial" said Murray "we'll continue to provide both supplier and acquirer clients with top flight generalist technology expertise. But we're also sharpening our focus for four key areas where demand is growing fast and where we can demonstrate sector leadership:

business-critical IT and telecoms implementations
software and services
business process outsourcing
digital commerce."

"In the corporate group" said Vernall "we're also focusing on what we're best at:

UK M&A for larger UK and overseas technology companies;
Financings, M&A and AIM listings for entrepreneurial technology businesses; and
UK technology company financings for private equity and venture capital providers."

Sarah Porter, employment group head, said: "Our employment group is now recognized as a leading provider of employment advice in the City, and we will continue to provide our technology supplier and user clients, with;

specialist HR advice, to both management and HR teams at larger and smaller businesses;
transactional support for acquisitions and outsourcings; and
effective dispute resolution services

as well as continuing to provide all the added value seminars and publications we are well known for."

Appointment of Financial Controller

The firm also today announced the appointment of chartered accountant Chris Hawley, currently Financial Planning Controller at Lovells, as its first Financial Controller.

"Chris Hawley is an experienced law firm finance professional. We're delighted he's coming on board in what is a particularly important role in the next stage of the firm's development" said Siobhan McElhinney who in addition to her role as corporate group equity partner will be taking on responsibilities for managing operations within the practice.

Concluded Kemp: "Each of these developments - Siobhan's and Calum's equity appointments, sharpening the firm's technology focus and Chris Hawley's appointment as financial controller - serve one purpose: to constantly improve our service to clients in our desire to become their technology practice of choice."

- ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

Kemp Little LLP
Richard Kemp (020) 7710 1610
email: richard.kemp@kemplittle.com

Kemp Little LLP is a law firm dedicated to commercial, corporate and employment legal work for businesses and technology clients.

The firm's core attributes are:

transparency in service delivery: the firm launched the first client WIP (work in progress) extranet to enable clients to see real time 'what's on the clock'
innovation in legal services: Kemp Little is the first UK law firm LLP
technical excellence: Kemp Little was named 'Technology Team of the Year' at the prestigious Legal Business awards in 2002 and commercial assistant Jim Leason was named 'Assistant Solicitor of the Year' at the Lawyer awards in 2005
an entrepreneurial approach: the practice is the only law firm to be named in Real Business' survey of promising younger businesses, '50 to watch'.

Kemp Little works with private and public sector organizations of all sizes. With larger organizations, the firm frequently works with corporate counsel as an outside extension of the in house team. With smaller businesses, the practice emphasises its entrepreneurial approach.