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The beginning of 2020 brought new horizons for clients at Manthorpe Law Offices (MLO) and Richards Buell Sutton LLP (RBS). The firms merged on January 1, expanding RBS's wide range of legal services to the Lower Mainland and extending a broader range of services to MLO clients. The Surrey office will operate under the leadership of Angela Spanjers, who was appointed managing partner of RBS Surrey, and Rosalyn D. Manthorpe, founder of MLO, will stay on to practise as Associate Counsel. MLO staff will remain as part of the merger, with legal operations and services conducted under the firm name Richards Buell Sutton LLP. Spanjers was born and raised in Surrey and lives in Langley. She is committed to the Fraser Valley and to making the merger a success for clients of both firms. "Angela will excel because of her commitment and breadth of experience," Manthorpe says. "She deals with estate planning at levels more sophisticated than I can and she will bring that into the practice as existing MLO clients continue to grow their wealth." Manthorpe has been practising law for 40 years, most of those for clients in the Surrey- Delta-Langley area. She, too, is committed to clients in the region and felt these aligned interests were the perfect fit for the merger. "One of the great advantages for MLO exist- ing clients is access to RBS's tremendous skill and reputation for the areas of law we did not cover," Manthorpe says. "MLO dealt only with business law, real estate, and estate planning and administration matters, whereas RBS also provides the ability to handle litigation, employ- ment and human rights, intellectual property and other specialized legal matters." RBS lawyers have appeared on behalf of clients in matters at all levels of court in BC, conducted mediations, navigated arbitra- tions and negotiated settlements. The firm is proud to represent all organizations, ranging from start-ups to multinational companies. "We're proud of our almost 150 years of his- tory," Spanjers says. "Being part of our clients' growth has been truly rewarding. Our lawyers and staff in wealth preservation and family law are compassionate and skilled. Their sensitivity is matched with their fierceness in representing our clients and protecting their rights." RBS has some relationships that extend back a century, and both firms have estab- lished relationships with individual and busi- ness clients across decades and generations. "MLO has succeeded by using a plain lan- guage, common sense, and practical approach with clients," Manthorpe says. "This aligns with what RBS will offer our clients." ■ Learn more about Richards Buell Sutton LLP at www.rbs.ca A merger between Richards Buell Sutton LLP and Manthorpe Law Offices of Surrey will bring clients continued service across a broader range of legal areas JOINING FORCES PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARDS BUELL SUTTON LLP C R E AT E D BY BCBusiness I N PA RT N E RS H I P W IT H RICHARDS BUELL SUTTON LLP Below left to right: Angela Spanjers, managing partner, RBS Surrey and Rosalyn Manthorpe, founder of MLO.