Birketts appoints Barbara Hamilton-Bruce as COO

29 Apr 2026Appointments

UK top 50 law firm Birketts has appointed Barbara Hamilton-Bruce as its new Chief Operating Officer to enhance leadership during a significant growth phase

Birketts, a prominent UK top 50 law firm, has officially welcomed Barbara Hamilton-Bruce as its new Chief Operating Officer, a move designed to bolster its senior leadership team as the firm prepares for further development. With a strong background in legal operations, Barbara joins Birketts after a period of consistent growth and investment. In her role, she will oversee various teams including Risk and Compliance, Finance, IT, Operations, Data, and Change Management, with the aim of aligning these functions with the firm's long-term strategic goals and commitment to client service excellence.

Previously, Barbara served as a Partner and Legal Operations Director at Simmons & Simmons, where she cultivated over 30 years of experience in leading organisational transformations within highly regulated environments. Her career highlights include driving significant change initiatives and implementing technology-driven solutions to create client-centric operating models. A passionate advocate for inclusion and professional development, she has been a dedicated CILEX champion and has featured on the Global Top 100 HERoes Women Executive Role Model list for the last two years, underscoring her efforts in promoting women's inclusion in the workplace.

Commenting on her appointment, Jonathan Agar, the Chief Executive of Birketts, expressed his excitement: “I’m delighted to welcome Barbara to Birketts this week, as Chief Operating Officer. She succeeds Tim Sarson, who retires after 18 years of leadership during a period of sustained growth and success. Barbara is the perfect addition to our leadership team, bringing deep expertise in legal operations and transformation, and her appointment reflects our ambition and confidence as we look ahead to the next stage of Birketts’ development.”

In response, Barbara noted, “I’m pleased to be joining Birketts at such an important point in the firm’s journey. With a strong history of sustained growth and ambition, I look forward to playing a role in shaping a firm that is fit for the future. Birketts has an impressive depth and diversity of capability and, building on Tim’s legacy, I am keen to work with colleagues to harness that experience, identify new opportunities, and continue enhancing both the client and employee experience.”

Barbara's appointment aligns with Birketts’ transition to a C-suite leadership structure, joining Shaun Savory, Chief People Officer, and Laura Shumiloff, Chief Marketing Officer, to ensure a strategic approach towards people, client development, and legal operations

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