Holmes & Hills

THE FIRM:

Holmes & Hills Solicitors work in partnership to provide specialist legal advice and representation to individuals, businesses, and a significant number of local authorities across the South East, East Anglia and for a growing number of divisions, nationally. The legal advice provided by Holmes & Hills Solicitors’ Departments and Divisions encompasses a wide variety of service areas.  The firm is independently recognised as being a leading source of contentious and non-contentious legal advice and representation in matters concerning property, land, development, and construction. As well as these, being recognised with specialist lawyers and Departments in Family Law matters, as well as personal injury and clinical negligence claims.

Moreover, the firm undertakes the full spectrum of residential property transactions including lease extensions, new build and shared ownership purchases, sales and staircasing, equity release matters, property litigation matters, Employment Law and a broad range of private client matters including court of protection and deputyships as well as contentious probate. As well as boasting a Private Wealth Team to support high net worth individuals with their legal matters.

PRINCIPLE AREAS OF WORK:

Holmes & Hills is a leading regional supplier of legal advice to clients involved in complex matters concerning property, land, development, and construction.

Planning Law and CPO, DCO and s106 agreements - Specialist solicitors from the firm’s Planning Law Department provide strategic legal advice to clients on a wide range of complex issues and projects including strategic planning; planning appeals; s106 agreements; planning inquiries; advocacy at planning appeals, and hearings in the Magistrates, Crown and County Courts; statutory challenges and Judicial Reviews as well as compulsory purchase and development consent orders. Such is the firm’s reputation in planning and development matters that Holmes & Hills has, by request of the publishers, contributed to the Precedents issue of Planning Law: Practice and Precedents, since 2015. The firm’s Planning Law Department is notable for its ability to bridge the gap between planning law and property litigation matters, this experience being provided by Managing Partner and Partner respectively, Steven Hopkins and Michael Harman.

Land and Development, and Commercial Property - As well as expert advice on Planning Law, Holmes & Hills has a specialist Division of development and land solicitors boasting expertise and experience on the acquisition and disposal of land for development, development agreements (option, joint-venture, consortium, and promotion), and development finance. Holmes & Hills’ Commercial Property Department, led by development and land specialist, Rebecca Mason (who is also Managing Partner of Holmes & Hills), is one of the largest in the region and acts for a material number of regional developers and landowners with significant holdings advising on the negotiation and drafting of complex development agreements with a focus on methods of securing payment. Rebecca’s advice along with that of the Division is strategic in nature, ensuring delivery of the legal arrangement and agreement most appropriate given the characteristics of the land itself, as well as the client’s circumstances in terms of finances, liquidity, and desired revenue and profit timeframe. Rebecca is supported by fellow land and development specialist, Senior Associate and head of the firm’s Land and Development Division Chris Milner who ensures the Division utilises its breadth of expertise and capacity to consistently deliver results on what are often time-sensitive deals and projects.

Construction - Moreover, Holmes & Hills have crafted a unique specialism in the Construction Industry, building out a Division, that now consists of 4 construction solicitors and a permanent trainee solicitor role, all of whom specialise solely in Construction Law matters. The Division specialise in construction contracts and disputes, including adjudications as well as extra hire, loss and expense, and variation claims. Moreover, the Division support clients with contract review and drafting as well as dispute avoidance strategies providing training sessions to professionals in the industry on how to avoid disputes before they arise, guiding them on the correct processes and strategies that need to be in place. Also, the Division are the national legal partner for both the Scaffolding Association and the National Association of Shopfitters.

Family Law - Moreover, for individuals, Holmes & Hills boasts a large Department of specialist divorce solicitors who are well equipped to deal with Family Law matters from ‘starting a relationship’ agreements, divorce and separation, financial settlements and Child Law matters. Moreover, the Department specialises in complex cases and in particular, high value divorces which incorporate a broad range of assets such as wealth, equities, businesses, pensions, and international assets.

Serious Injury and Clinical Negligence - Holmes & Hills are also recommended in the field of serious injury and clinical negligence claims, the specialist personal injury and medical negligence solicitors are experienced in successfully claiming compensation for a wide spectrum of injury and negligence such as birth injuries, delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, surgical errors, negligence, as well as accidents and compensation claims for incidents such as road traffic accidents or industrial disease. The Department work regularly with clients, families and medical professionals across the South East, East Anglia and nationally to build a robust legal case for clients to secure large compensation amounts.

RECRUITMENT:                  

Holmes & Hills has grown rapidly since 2020 following opening its sixth office and new regional base in East Anglia - the A12 Commercial Hub in Marks Tey, Colchester and its seventh office in Witham in 2023.

Each year Holmes & Hills recruit approximately 5-6 trainee solicitors in their annual intake. If you are an aspiring solicitor looking to find out more about the training opportunities available at Holmes & Hills, please contact the HR main contacts listed below.

Recruitment has focused on growing of the firm’s Departments and Divisions to support the expansion of Holmes & Hills Solicitors. There are regular recruitment opportunities available at this growing and ambitious firm so if you have seen an opportunity you wish to apply for or if you are seeking to speculatively apply, please contact the HR main contacts listed below.

Holmes & Hills offers a competitive benefits package which includes 28 days holiday (plus bank holidays), dental and medical cash back schemes after the first year of service, and enhanced maternity and paternity schemes.

CLIENTS:

Holmes & Hills Solicitors are able to advise a broad range of clientele.

From individuals and high-net-worth individuals, to business owners, directors, and senior leadership teams for organisations of all sizes and across a wide range of industries, to local authorities, developers, landowners, contractors, construction professionals, planning consultants, architects, and surveyors.