TWO solicitors have returned to their native Cumbria to join one of the county's leading law firms.

Anna Lovett and Debra Robinson are new members of the employment and HR team at Burnetts, which has offices in Carlisle, Penrith, Cockermouth and Newcastle.

Ms Lovett, 26, joins from a niche employment law firm in Gateshead where she completed her solicitor training.

She went to Trinity School in Carlisle before completing a Masters in Law at Northumbria University where she was a prizewinning student. During her training, she spent time working on secondment to Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and also spent six months working in immigration law in Newcastle Law Centre (now North East Law Centre).

She qualified as a solicitor in February 2016.

Ms Robinson, 30, has just completed her training contract with Staffordshire North and Stoke on Trent Citizens Advice Bureau.

Originally from Brough, she attended Kirkby Stephen Grammar School and Ullswater Community College before completing her law degree at Newcastle University and her Legal Practice Course at Leeds Metropolitan University.

She qualified as a solicitor in January 2017 and also has an interest in immigration law.

Both lawyers will be based at Burnetts’ Carlisle office but will work with clients throughout the region.

Joanne Stronach, joint head of employment and HR said: “The recruitment of Anna and Debra makes us the largest team of Employment & HR advisers in Cumbria and sets us on course to expand our client-base even further.

"Their shared interest in immigration law gives clients the added benefit of a new area of expertise which will be particularly relevant to employers in the context of Brexit. We now have a fully integrated team of solicitors and HR consultants working together - employers with people problems need only make one call.”

The team is now seven-strong and includes a helpline on a rota basis to ensure that there is always someone available to deal with new queries.