IP Lawyer Alex Newman Crowned King Of The Dance Floor
Six leading lawyers from Irwin Mitchell’s Business Legal Services in Leeds showcased their best dance moves in a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ style Christmas event last week which so far has generated thousands of pounds for charity.
The evening was attended by over 100 people from the Leeds’ business community and has so far contributed £10,000 in support of Yorkshire Dance.
Established over 30 years ago, Yorkshire Dance champions the development of dance across the region by raising standards, increasing knowledge and understanding and fostering creativity and innovation.
Money raised from the Irwin Mitchell event will support Yorkshire Dance’s youth dance programme, which is targeted at providing life changing experiences to young people in Leeds who have no access to dance. Donations will pay for dance classes, transportation and mentoring sessions with professional dancers.
Professional dancers from Yorkshire Dance trained with the six Irwin Mitchell Partners during the three week run up to the event - putting them through their paces and preparing them all for a 13 minute show-stopping performance which included five different routines.
Following the fiercely contested dance off, the judging panel, which included independent dance artist and choreographer Gary Clarke, Hannah Robertshaw, Youth and Community Dance Director at Yorkshire Dance, and Jane Horton, Partner in Irwin Mitchell’s serious injury team, awarded the top prize to Intellectual Property (IP) Partner, Alex Newman.
The five other Partners that took part were IP Partner, Joanne Bone, who picked up the prize for most improved dancer, Insolvency and Restructuring specialist Andrew Walker, Employment lawyer Glenn Hayes, Paul Johnson from the firm’s Corporate team and Real Estate expert John Flathers.
Commenting on his win, Alex Newman said: “I’m extremely honoured to have been crowned champion in this hotly contested competition. I’m now retiring from my competitive dance career, and going back to dancing like Bez.”
Andrew Walker, Head of Business Legal Services at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds, said:
Expert Opinion
We were keen to host a Christmas party with a twist and wanted something that was a bit of fun but more importantly, enabled us to raise money for a very worthwhile local charity. It was a great event and we hope our guests enjoyed it as much as we did.” Andrew Walker - Partner