Less than a year after opening its fourth office in Bournemouth, Stephens Scown has made five further appointments as client demand continues to drive growth. The hires strengthen the firm’s Real Estate and Corporate capabilities while reinforcing its commitment to providing a different kind of legal service, combining local relationships with the strength and specialist expertise of a regional heavyweight firm.
Senior Associate Joanna Staples, Associate Sophie Rice, Senior Associate Christopher Parsons, Solicitor Joel Holloway and Senior Associate Henry Barker have joined the firm’s Real Estate and Corporate teams, working out of its Bournemouth office.
They join a growing team in the county that includes Partner and Executive Committee member Joy Vollans, Real Estate Partner Chris Twaits, Senior Associate Roisin Fisher and Senior Property Consultant Jo Hammersley.
Richard Baker, Managing Partner at Stephens Scown, said:
“Our growth reflects both the confidence clients are placing in us and the strength of the team we are building locally.
“Joanna, Sophie, Christopher, Joel and Henry are highly respected lawyers who share our collaborative approach and commitment to outstanding client service. Their appointments further strengthen the expertise available from Bournemouth while giving clients direct access to the breadth of specialist support available across the wider firm.”
Their arrival deepens the pool of talent available to clients who benefit from direct access to locally based lawyers who understand the South West and its opportunities, backed by more than 380 colleagues with expertise spanning a wide range of legal disciplines and sectors.
This model enables teams to provide responsive local support while drawing on specialist expertise often associated with much larger national firms. Stephens Scown advises across real estate, corporate, dispute resolution and private client matters, with sector expertise spanning healthcare, renewable energy, technology, agriculture, education and private wealth.
Joanna has extensive experience in high-value and complex residential property transactions, while Sophie specialises in leasehold and freehold residential property sales and purchases.
Christopher strengthens the firm’s Corporate team through his experience in insolvency and bankruptcy litigation and is recognised as a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500.
Joel joined Stephens Scown’s Commercial Property team in July 2026 and advises on acquisitions, disposals, leases, refinancing and landlord and tenant matters. Henry joined in August 2026 as a Senior Associate in the Real Estate team’s specialist Property Development practice, advising developers and landowners on residential and commercial development projects.
Commenting on her appointment, Joanna Staples said:
“Stephens Scown has quickly established itself in Dorset and there is real momentum behind the Bournemouth team.
“The opportunity to help shape a growing local office while being part of an ambitious, employee-owned business with a strong reputation across the South West was hugely appealing. The culture is collaborative, ambitious and focused on building long-term relationships with clients, which made it a natural fit for me.”
The appointments continue a period of sustained investment both in Dorset and in the firm’s other offices in Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall. The firm has attracted lawyers from a range of established regional and national practices, reflecting the appeal of its employee-owned structure, collaborative culture and long-term commitment to the region.
Richard Baker added:
“Clients increasingly want advisers who combine local understanding with deep sector expertise and commercial insight. That’s exactly what we’re building across all of our locations.
“Our newly expanded Bournemouth team has the agility and accessibility of a local practice, backed by the scale, specialist knowledge and resources of one of the UK’s largest employee-owned law firms.
“We’re creating something distinctive in the South West market, and that is proving attractive to both clients and talented lawyers.”