A YORK firmof solicitors is bidding farewell to a partner is who retiring after more than 30 years with the business.

Ware & Kay, incorporating Sykes Lee & Brydson, held a celebratory evening at its offices in Peasholme Green in honour of retiring partner David Liddell.

Mr Liddell, who was joined by family, friends, colleagues, clients and former clients,was a litigation and dispute resolution lawyer with particular expertise in personal injury.

Having qualified in 1980, Mr Liddel joined Ware & Kay as an assistant solicitor in 1983.

After running the branch office in Acomb for three years he returned to York and became a partner of the firm and remained at Ware & Kay for the whole of his working career.

Mr Liddel, who is a well-known member of The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and was assistant deputy Coroner for York, said: "It is with a mixture of excitement, gratitude, disbelief and just a touch of sadness that I arrive at the end of 30- years-plus as a solicitor with Ware & Kay and start on a new chapter.

"I'm excited about, I hope, now having the opportunity to do a lot of the things which work commitments have not left enough time for, such as spending more time with my wife Val and our family and friends, travelling, hiking, cycling, attending concerts and the cinema and improving my guitar-playing.

"I'd like to express my gratitude to my family and friends, clients, business partners and colleagues who have supported me throughout.

"There's also an element of disbelief at the prospect of never again having to account to anyone but myself, and, perhapsVal, for my time or to try to keep up with the ever-changing laws, rules and regulations under which solicitors operate.

"The touch of sadness is at knowing that I will never again have the satisfaction of contributing towards a good resolution of a client’s dispute and in losing the day to day contact with clients and colleagues which makes the hard work of being a litigation lawyer so worthwhile."

Steven Partridge will succeed Mr Liddel as Head of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team.