Larking Gowen announces the appointment of two new partners

Lee Green, Director of Insolvency and Recovery, and Bruce Masson, Director in the firm’s long-established Farm and Rural Business team, are to become partners, with effect from 1 April.

“We are delighted to announce the appointment of two new partners at the firm,” says Jon Woolston, Managing Partner.

“Lee joined us after sixth-form, he came third overall in the country in his Joint Insolvency Board examinations, and first for students from firms with smaller insolvency teams. Bruce joined Larking Gowen 12 months ago as Director of our widely respected 46-strong Farm and Rural Business team,” Jon Woolston continues, “bringing his invaluable perspective to this core part of our business.”

“Larking Gowen has the largest Farm and Rural Business team in this region, and one of the largest in the country,” says new partner Bruce Masson, “it is a privilege to guide clients, to help manage assets and succession against a background of constant change in regulation, technology and land prices, as well as future uncertainty, for example in the area of government support.”

Bruce trained as a Chartered Accountant with Saffery Champness in London and Bristol, then moved to the entrepreneurial business department at Kingston Smith LLP, before relocating to Suffolk in 2012 to join another large accountancy firm as Director in their Accounting and Business Advisory department, specialising in agriculture, estates and private clients, joining Larking Gowen in 2018.

“Larking Gowen is a welcoming and friendly work environment, with a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing,” Bruce Masson continues, “becoming a partner demonstrates a long-term commitment to the industry and the firm. I look forward to contributing to the future direction of the business in this new role.”

Director of Insolvency and Recovery, Lee Green, has been with Larking Gowen since leaving sixth-form. “Becoming a partner at Larking Gowen was an ambition from my first day with the firm as office junior, in 2003,” says Lee, who qualified as a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner in 2014, “Insolvency and Recovery is a niche area, winding down businesses or working on behalf of creditors where our work is often investigative. As a partner I will broaden my experience, looking at the business as a whole, and contributing to the firm’s drive and direction,” Lee explains.

“In my work, the first port of call is to avoid insolvency,” says Lee Green, who believes reputation is key to the continuing expansion of the firm, “we recommend business owners and individuals come to us for free, confidential advice as soon as financial concerns start. The earlier we can put a plan of action in place, the more options we have to manage what can be a stressful time,” he concludes.

“Lee and Bruce are articulate advocates in their respective fields, their expertise is an asset to the business,” says Managing Partner, Jon Woolston, “the partners and I look forward to working with them, as we continue to expand our work across East Anglia,” he concludes.