Victoria Aldgate started answering phones and filing documents in 2018. On 23rd March, she joined BRM’s residential property team as a qualified solicitor.
Hers is one of two appointments announced by the Sheffield and Chesterfield firm this week.
Joe Creasor, who qualified in September 2024, has moved from another Sheffield practice to join BRM’s corporate and commercial department. The double hire follows February’s appointment of Rob Johnson as director within the contentious probate team—three new faces in six weeks for a regional firm operating across North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.
For BRM, the recruitment push reflects expansion ambitions in a competitive market. Sheffield hosts dozens of legal practices, from high-street firms to regional heavyweights, all competing for both talent and clients.
Creasor brings experience in mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, and intellectual property matters. His previous role gave him exposure to business law issues that BRM’s corporate team handles daily—sales, group reorganisations, IP disputes.
“I was excited to join BRM as I knew it would allow me the opportunity to be part of a growing team with big ambitions,” Creasor said. “I hope to complement the corporate and commercial department and further develop my professional skills working alongside the experienced team and wider firm.”
Sarah Rowland, executive director and head of corporate, noted his track record. “We are delighted to welcome Joe to the team at a time of continued growth at BRM. His experience across a range of commercial and corporate matters further strengthens the support we provide to our clients.”
She added: “Joe’s enthusiasm and commitment to developing strong client relationships align perfectly with our approach. We look forward to seeing him develop his expertise and play an important role in the team’s ongoing success.”
Aldgate’s route into the profession followed the training contract path—years of legal secretary work before formal qualification in 2023. Her focus sits squarely on freehold transactions and land registration, the bread-and-butter work of residential conveyancing that keeps property sales moving.
The process mystifies many buyers and sellers. Aldgate acknowledged that reality.
“The firm has such a good reputation for looking after its clients and that is something I want to give to my clients,” she explained. “It’s about being a friendly face that is happy to go over any questions with clients and explain the process, as it can be mystifying to those who aren’t sure.”
Residential property transactions generate steady revenue for regional firms, though the work involves managing client anxiety as much as legal complexity. Sales fall through. Chains collapse. Completion dates shift.
Stuart Taphouse, director and head of residential property, emphasised the client service angle. “We are very excited about Victoria joining the department. This change will allow us to continue providing a very hands on experience for our clients and give us time to devote to them to ensure they feel supported during the moving process, which can often be quite stressful.”
He praised her approach: “As a qualified solicitor, Victoria’s calm demeanour and conveyancing knowledge will help us to take the stress out of the legal process for our clients and her commitment to providing a quality customer service aligns with BRM’s objectives.”
The firm now fields strengthened teams across three key areas—corporate, residential property, and contentious probate. Whether that translates into increased market share across Yorkshire and Derbyshire will depend on how effectively the expanded roster converts enquiries into instructions.
For Aldgate, the progression from secretary to solicitor spans nearly eight years. That timeline reflects the realities of legal training: costly, time-consuming, demanding. Her qualification in 2023 came after completing her training contract, a required step that combines practical experience with supervised learning.
Creasor’s lateral move between Sheffield firms suggests confidence in BRM’s trajectory. Solicitors rarely switch practices without assurances about workload, client base, and career development. His decision to leave an established corporate team implies BRM offered something his previous employer couldn’t match.
Rowland’s corporate department handles the full spectrum of business law—from startup advice to complex M&A transactions. Adding another qualified solicitor expands capacity, allowing the team to take on larger matters or juggle multiple deals simultaneously.
The residential property team faces different pressures. Conveyancing volumes fluctuate with housing market conditions, interest rates, and economic confidence. A larger team provides resilience when transaction volumes spike, but also means more solicitors competing for files during quieter periods.
Taphouse’s emphasis on client support reflects a common differentiator for regional firms competing against larger, more process-driven competitors. Personal service matters when clients feel overwhelmed by legal jargon and procedural requirements.
BRM’s three hires since February signal deliberate growth rather than replacement recruitment. Johnson’s directorship in contentious probate added senior expertise to a niche but lucrative practice area. Probate disputes often involve substantial estates and emotionally charged family dynamics.
The firm operates from offices in Sheffield and Chesterfield, serving clients across the surrounding region. That geographic footprint positions BRM between purely local high-street practices and the larger regional outfits with multiple offices across Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Whether the expansion continues depends on client demand and revenue growth. Legal practices typically hire when fee income justifies additional salary costs. Three appointments in six weeks suggests BRM’s partners see sustainable demand across their core practice areas.
For now, both new solicitors face the challenge of building client relationships and establishing themselves within their respective teams. Creasor must prove his corporate experience translates effectively to BRM’s client base. Aldgate needs to demonstrate that her conveyancing knowledge and client service instincts justify her promotion from secretary to fee-earner.
The firm’s reputation, according to Aldgate, rests on client care. That intangible quality—how solicitors communicate, respond to queries, manage expectations—often determines whether clients return for future work or recommend the practice to others.
In a crowded legal market, reputation matters as much as technical competence.
