Two specialists have joined Brachers Law from different points of the compass.

Northerner James Bullock heads Brachers’ corporate and commercial Team, advising clients on the buying and selling of companies, management buy-outs and buy-ins, joint ventures and reorganisations.

Employment lawyer John Pritchard acts for medium to large organisations and executives.

After 15 years in corporate and banking Mr Bullock advises on private equity deals, banking and finance transactions advising banks, institutional investors, private equity firms and management teams.

He studied at the London School of Economics and qualified in 1998 in Newcastle with international firm Eversheds.

He then went to Squire Sanders (formerly Hammonds) in Leeds, and was then appointed as a partner in the corporate team of national firm Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield before coming to Kent, his wife’s home county.

It was whilst in Sheffield that he became company secretary and honorary legal advisor to the county’s Chamber of Commerce. He said: “I’m really pleased to have made the move down to Kent to be working with such a well-respected firm.”

He has three sons and lives with his family near Canterbury.

He enjoys mountain biking and is looking for some great hilly rides around Kent.

“My old stomping ground was the Peak District so I’ve got a high benchmark!”

Mr Pritchard trained at the Inns of Court School of Law, followed by pupillage at the Chambers of Rupert Jackson QC, now Lord Justice Jackson. He was called to the Bar in 1995.

He continued to practise as a barrister until 1998 when he gained dual status by becoming enrolled as a solicitor. He has practised as a solicitor ever since, working almost exclusively in employment law. He was a partner in large regional and city firms before setting up his own boutique employment law firm in 2007 with a former colleague. He sits as a part-time employment judge.

He is married with two children and two grandchildren. Mr Pritchard’s interests include music and sailing.

He said: “I am looking forward to developing my role here and working with a first-class team.”