Eversheds spinoff firm Fairfax Solicitors has appointed a new chief operating officer with a senior hire from GE Money.

Gary Marshall joined the firm earlier in the summer from GE, where he was responsible for collections operating. He has also formerly worked at both Citibank and Diners Club.

Volume debt recovery firm Fairfax was spun out of Eversheds' unsecured recoveries business in September 2009 after a management buyout which saw 84 Leeds-based employees transfer from Eversheds to Fairfax.

At the time Eversheds said that the unsecured recoveries business did not fit in with the firm's strategy.

In November the transferring staff were joined by Eversheds' former head of commercial, Jonathan Holt, who took on the role of chairman at Fairfax.

Holt left Eversheds in October 2008 to take up the post of chief operating officer at NewLaw Solicitors, and now splits his time between the two roles.

Marshall commented: "I am delighted to be joining Fairfax Solicitors at this exciting time in their development. I have always regarded them as the leading debt recovery law firm. It will be my responsibility to ensure that we maintain that position as the business continues to grow."

Fairfax has experienced strong growth in its first year of business, and was recently appointed as one of only four suppliers to HM Revenue & Customs to recover £140m of tax debt by 2011.