RSM appoints new legal partner and head of academies group
RSM has appointed Rachel Khiara as a partner in the legal services department and Hannah Catchpool as national head of its academies sector group. The roles will see the new leaders focus on furthering the segments’ respective business ends as well as providing advisory services to clients.
Rachel Khiara founded Khiara Law in 2011, remaining as a Partner to focus on regulatory and advisory services to the legal services sector. A former partner at Addleshaw Goddard she also spent ten years at Allen & Overy, most recently in the role of counsel. Khiara obtained a Bachelors of Law from King's College, as well as a Legal Practice Certificate from the College of Law, London.
Her appointment as a partner in professional service firm RSM’s UK corporate legal team brings almost 20 years of legal and advisory experience to the company, as they work to support mid-market and professional practice clients in the areas of governance, financial organisation and acquisitions. Khiara has been named a specialist corporate partner, tasked with expanding the corporate division of the legal services wing.
Commenting on the appointment, Carolyn Brown, head of RSM’s legal services team, remarked that she was “delighted” to welcome Khiara to the team, adding, “A leading expert in the partnership field, Rachel will play a pivotal role in the growth of our corporate legal services division. With a total of three partners, two managers, a legal coordinator and two new specialists in our department, RSM has a flourishing law practice that continues to grow.”
Hannah Catchpool meanwhile joined RSM in 2004, working her way up over a period of eleven years from Supervisor to Director of the firm’s Audit & Advisory practice. In 2014 she was appointed a Partner at the accounting and consulting firm. Commencing her career in 1999 at the NSA Audit Services as an internal auditor, she became an associate at Big Four professional services group EY in 2002. Catchpool holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Finance from the University of Southampton, and also obtained a Diploma in Charity Accounting from the ICAEW.
Her latest appointment sees Catchpool become the new National Head of RSM’s group for academies. The creation of the post sees the firm attempt to consolidate its existing presence in the market, as RSM already works with a range of academies training future advisory and audit specialists.
Commenting her move, Catchpool said, “The strength and depth in our team allows us to support academies - from compliance work right through to high level advisory work – and to help them navigate the ever changing landscape. The move reinforces our commitment to the academies sector and I look forward to working with the 100-strong sector team to strengthen the practice and support more academies across the UK.”
