A law firm has expanded its team with the addition of an experienced conveyancer.
Wragg Mark-Bell, based in Carlisle, has appointed licensed conveyancer Gemma Duncan, who joins after 22 years with another legal practice.
Paralegal Katie Chappelhow made the move alongside her.
Nick Kennon, senior director of Wragg Mark-Bell, said: "We’re delighted to welcome Gemma and Katie to the firm.
"Gemma is a very experienced licensed conveyancer with a depth of knowledge of all types of property transaction.
"Her expertise will be an asset to the firm, ensuring our clients get the best possible service when they move home.
"Katie has worked very closely with Gemma, so it’s a real bonus to be able to recruit them both."
Gemma, 43, has lived in Carlisle since she was a teenager.
A former pupil of Trinity School, she studied criminology, sociology, and social anthropology at Keele University before deciding on a legal career.
She embarked on an ILEX legal executive diploma, then decided to specialise in conveyancing, qualifying as a licensed conveyancer in 2014.
She said: "I realised that conveyancing was a good fit for me.
"I understood the process and developed my knowledge relatively quickly.
"The thing that I enjoy the most is that you’re assisting people with something that’s really important in their lives.
"I like the fact that it’s personal, helping someone to buy a home where they can settle and perhaps start a family."
Ms Duncan chose to move on after her former employer was taken over.
She wasn't short of options, but Wragg Mark-Bell was the 'clear frontrunner'.
She said: "I had a few offers from other law firms but I liked the fact that Wragg Mark-Bell is in the centre of Carlisle where clients can pop in and see us.
"It feels part of the community, more integrated.
"I also found it to be a very approachable firm and very professional as well."
She is looking forward to drawing on her years of experience as a licensed conveyancer to assist Wragg Mark-Bell’s clients.
Ms Duncan said: "I’ve always had quite a mixed caseload and I have a varied and in-depth knowledge of a lot of the detail.
"I like to think that I’m an approachable person and that I deal with things in a calm way.
"The feedback that I get from clients is that I put their mind at ease.
"I explain things in a way they can digest without making it over-complicated."
Wragg Mark-Bell Solicitors is a law firm operating from a Grade II listed building at 21 Castle Street in Carlisle’s historic quarter.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here