Ailsa Tennant
Rising Star 2024
Ailsa is an Associate Solicitor in our Family Department.
Ailsa can provide advice on all aspects of separation including divorce, finances and private children matters.
Sills & Betteridge LLP
Client SatisfactionLawyers
Alison Hurton
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Alison is the Head of the Personal Injury Department and specialises in all aspects of personal injury law to include road traffic accidents, accidents at work and accidents in public places. Alison also has experience of applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and clinical negligence claims. Alison was previously the Deputy Coroner for Skegness and Spilsby.
Andrew Durkan
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Andrew offers specialist advice on all aspects of wills, trusts, probate, tax planning, lasting powers of attorney and issues involving the Court of Protection. Andrew also advises on issues relating to NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. Notable cases: Andrew acted for the family in the case of Re AD (2016, Court of Protection) successfully defending the application to rescind the deputyship order on the basis of recovery of capacity.
Anna O'Mara
Anna is a private client solicitor advising on all aspects of Wills, Trusts, Probate and Powers of Attorney.
Anna is accredited by Solicitors for the Elderly and is a Dementia Friend with the Alzheimer’s Society. She is also a member of the Scunthorpe Rotary Club and the Dying Matters group in Scunthorpe. Outside of work, Anna volunteers as a listener for the Samaritans.
Anna has worked as a solicitor in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire since qualifying in 2008. She joined Sills and Betteridge in June 2021 as a Partner. Anna splits her time between our Scunthorpe, Howden and Thorne offices and is the manager of the Thorne and Howden offices.
Anna deals with various complex cases which have recently included;
Advising clients on mitigation of Inheritance Tax through Deeds of Variation in Estates and Will drafting;
Assisting clients with their Deputyship Orders;
Dealing with care home mitigation;
Large, farming estates and Trust Settlements; and
Advising trustees of a charity and assisting them with selling their assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
Christopher Hogg
Chris is the Head of the Crime & Motoring Offences Department.
He is a Partner & Higher Court Advocate who deals with a range of complex criminal matters in the Crown and Magistrates Courts.
After training as a barrister and working as a legal adviser at Reading Magistrates Court, Chris cross qualified to become a solicitor in 2004, and Higher Court Advocate in 2010. He handles cases including murder, complex fraud, drug supply, sexual assault and offences involving serious violence. He also has a special interest in representing clients facing driving disqualifications.
Recent high-profile cases where Chris has succeeded in reducing his clients’ sentences include a cultivation and possession with intent to supply cannabis case and a knife point robbery matter, both heard at the Court of Appeal.
Chrystal Theofanous
Leading Individual 2024
A partner in the family department at Sills & Betteridge specialising in advising and acting for victims of domestic abuse, international child abduction - acting for parents whose children may have been abducted outside of the UK or retained in the UK, and all public law Children Act matters.
Deborah Linford
Next Generation Partner 2024
Associate and Head of the Immigration Department, specialising in Personal Immigration and Citizenship
Dominic Lee
Next Generation Partner 2024
Dominic is a qualified solicitor and partner in our Family Law team. He specialises in divorce and financial cases as well as private children law disputes.
Dominic has acted for a wide range of clients across the UK, including business owners, military personnel and farmers.
He has particular experience in advising company directors and helping them to navigate the additional complications that can arise where business assets are involved in relationship breakdown.
He regularly writes articles on divorce and financial matters and is on the East Midlands Resolution Committee.
Edward Sharpe
Partner and Head of the Residential Property Department specialising in property law and residential conveyancing acting for developer clients, businesses and individuals. Specialisms include new build sales and purchases; freehold and leasehold sales and purchases; transfers of equity; option agreements; trust arrangements for property ownership; and all other residential property related matters.
Ellie Jones
Ellie is a Partner and Chartered Legal Executive specialising in Family Law.
Ellie joined Sills & Betteridge in 2010 and has worked in the Matrimonial Department since September 2011.
Ellie primarily deals with divorce matters along with the finance and children issues which arise therefrom. Ellie regularly deals with complex financial matters involving significant assets including private and public sector pensions and businesses. Wherever possible, Ellie will assist her clients in reaching an amicable resolution without the need for attending at Court, however, she also has a vast experience of dealing with contested matters in the Court Arena.
Early in her career, Ellie also assisted the Department Head, Helen Derry, in the running of a DWP Funded Innovation Project, Moving Forward Lincolnshire. The project provided help and support to over 2,500 parents. Ellie’s involvement in this project allowed her to gain significant experience in dealing with the issues which arise when families separate and to be able to understand better the impact on children and offer practical advice in additional to legal advice.
Euan McLaughlin
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner in the Commercial Department. Specialises in commercial and private contracts, distribution/franchising and other supply chain agreements, shareholder and partnership agreements, formation of property management companies and data protection.
Helen Derry
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Helen is a partner specialising in all aspects of family law for private clients including divorce, property issues, maintenance, pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitee disputes and private children case. With over 20 years experience she has acted for many husbands and wives in divorce proceedings often involving significant pension (including Police, Ministry of Defence, company and NHS), business and farming assets. Helen appears in court on a regular basis. Helen trained as a mediator in 1999 and as a collaborative lawyer in 2007. This enables her to offer a full range of services depending on the wishes and needs of each individual client whether they require strong and tenacious representation at court or a skilled negotiator. Helen was responsible for successfully bidding against a number of national organisations for the DWP funded Moving Forward project which provided help and support for separating families. Helen thereafter designed with a leading psychologist a programme which supported over 2500 people.
Helen Fisher
Partner in the family department specialising in matrimonial work, financial remedies and child arrangements.
James Conduit
Leading Individual 2024
James is a partner in Sills & Betteridge’s commercial department, and heads the Corporate Team.
Specialising in corporate law and intellectual property, James’ clients operate in sectors as diverse as renewable energy, technology, software development, road haulage, agriculture and financial services.
Recent work includes leading the following deals:
acquisition of the business and assets of an agricultural machinery dealership
corporate demerger and sale of a retirement park business
sale of a bespoke software development business to a private equity backed international energy group
management buyout of a soft furnishings group
AD energy plant joint venture arrangement
Transaction values range from the smallest business purchase to complex multi-million pound deals, with typical work falling within the range of £500,000 to £20million. As a Legal 500 Leading Individual, James has a keen interest in intellectual property and technology transactions. James also deals with all tax aspects of corporate transactional work.
James has a masters degree in law from the University of London and a postgraduate certificate in intellectual property law.
James Proctor
Partner and Branch Manager of the firm’s Skegness office. Specialises in all areas of private client work including wills, administration of estates including those subject to inheritance tax, IHT planning, trusts, Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection and other elderly client related matters. Also provides advice to clients at Police Stations throughout Lincolnshire and has experience in advising in relation to the full range of criminal offences.
Jessica Firth-Brown
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Jessica provides advice on all aspects of separation including Divorce, Financial Matters, Children Matters, Domestic Abuse and is Trustee of Children's Links.
Jessica is passionate about supporting individuals going through relationship breakdown and ensuring they reach the best possible outcome at such a difficult time.
Jessica’s work has a focus on separating parents and supporting victims of Domestic Abuse.
Jessica provides advice and representation for clients from the first appointment through to the final hearing. Jessica has a practical and personable approach and ensures clients are kept informed and updated throughout their matter. Jessica regularly represents clients in Court and conducts advocacy in both the County Court and Magistrates Court. She is also accredited by Resolution as a specialist in Domestic Abuse and Private Law Children.
Jessica joined Sills & Betteridge in 2012 after completing her degree and the University of Bristol. Jessica undertook her training contact with the firm and has specialized in family law since qualification.
Jonathan Goodwin
Jonathan Goodwin was the Principal Solicitor at Bridge Sanderson Munro in Doncaster until the firm merged with Sills & Betteridge in October 2019. Jonathan joined the firm as a Partner.
He specialises in all aspects of Wills, Probate and Trust work and advises, in particular, on estate and inheritance tax planning. Jonathan also advises older clients about wills, powers of attorney and Court of Protection applications.
Karen Bower-Brown
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner specialising in commercial litigation with a particular specialisation in contentious probate work.
Karen Motley
Karen is a Chartered Legal Executive.
She has dealt with family law issues for over 20 years, to include separation, divorce, finances, pre/post nuptial agreements and children matters.
Karen regularly represents clients in Court and has a particular interest in Armed Forces pensions on divorce. She provides free initial advice to members of the Armed Forces or their spouses, regularly visiting RAF Coningsby, Cranwell and Digby.
Karen is a member of Resolution - a community of family justice professionals who work with families and individuals to resolve issues in a constructive way.
Karen is also a Governor of her children’s school.
Kim Overton
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Kim has over 20 years of experience dealing with a variety of personal injury claims including road traffic accidents, accidents at work, accidents in public places, assault and abuse.
She deals with claims for more complex injuries such as cumulative back injuries from poor working practices and industrial diseases such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive Strain Injuries, Upper Limb Disorders.
A Practitioner Member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, Kim also undertakes claims for recent or historic sexual, emotional and physical abuse made by application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme or against Local Authorities, Foster Carers, Schools, Religious Organisations, Family Members.
Kim handles claims for clients at all of our offices.
Kirsty Baxter
Having been born and raised in Lincolnshire, Kirsty is extremely pleased to be practising in her home town of Spilsby. Kirsty specialises in advising clients on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection matters and in the administration of estates.
Kirsty also runs a drop in clinic once a month at RAF Coningsby for RAF personnel and their families.
Kirsty qualified as a solicitor in 2014 having undertaken her training contract with us at both the Skegness and Spilsby offices. Prior to commencing her training contract, Kirsty worked as a paralegal at our Boston office. Kirsty is also the Branch Manager of our Spilsby office.
Louise Bush
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner and Head of Medical Negligence Team and able to assist adults and children, specialising in birth injury and cerebral palsy; brain and spinal injury; gynaecology; misdiagnosis and late diagnosis; cosmetic surgery; orthopaedics and surgical errors as well as negligence by GP’s, Dentists and Opticians. Also able to offer assistance with Inquest representation and liaising with HM Coroner Service.
Malachy McGill
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Malachy specialises in Commercial Property and advises investors, developers, business owners and both commercial landlords and tenants on a wide range of Commercial Property matters of all sizes and types.
These include sales and purchases, leases, landlord and tenant issues, financing/re-financing, options, overage, environmental considerations, design and build projects, planning obligations and even licensing issues. Malachy also assists the Commercial Department of Sills & Betteridge in substantial corporate sales and acquisitions providing property advice.
In respect of leasehold matters, Malachy acts for both landlords and tenants and can advise on such matters as rent reviews, security of tenure, alienation, terminations, renewals and dilapidations.
Martin Walsh
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner corporate department, advising on a wide range of corporate transactions, including M&A, private equity and listed companies. Martin worked for more than 20 years in the City of London where he was a partner in leading English and American international law firms. Martin has concluded transactions across a wide range of industrial sectors, including telecommunications – acting for OTE (the main Greek telecom provider), engineering, renewables and property in various jurisdictions, including; USA, Middle East, Western and Eastern Europe and the Philippines. He recently completed the merger of Burst Corporation, the US AIM listed client with Blinkx plc, a UK AIM listed company, which is the world’s largest video search engine company in a $30m deal. Martin’s clients are frequently involved in M&A transactions with listed companies where his experience of listed company work proves invaluable.
Maz Dudley
Maz is a Partner in the Wills Trusts & Probate department.
Maz deals with all matters relating to later life planning including Wills, Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection, Probate and Administration, Trusts, Assets Protection and IHT planning.
She is based at Aquis House, Lincoln.
Melissa Kirk
Recommended Lawyer 2024
A solicitor since 2008 and a partner in the Lincoln Commercial team, Melissa deals with all areas of Commercial Property for a wide variety of business, commercial, landlord, tenant and developer clients including:
Sales and purchases, option agreements, overage agreements, planning agreements and financing
for commercial and business clients
Landlord and tenant matters including new leases, assignments, surrenders and deeds of variation - Melissa has acted for a number of landlords with large property portfolios and in doing so provide general ongoing support in respect of tenant matters.
Melissa also enjoys working closely with the Commercial team assisting with the property elements of corporate acquisitions and sales.
Mo Hayes
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner in the family department with specialism in children’s law. This includes representation of parents within private law disputes concerning the child’s living and contact arrangements and care proceedings concerning issues of child protection. Experienced member of the Law Society’s Child Panel and accredited to represent children both directly where they have capacity and through a children’s guardian in private and public law proceedings.
Nick Flatt
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Nick qualified as a Solicitor in 2006 and practices exclusively in Family Law.
He has a particular specialism dealing with cases in which children have suffered serious injuries and death and has successfully represented his clients in all tiers of the Family Court. This includes a number of cases which have set legal precedents or led to a wealth of High Court and Court of Appeal decisions.
Raj Blackburn
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner in the commercial property department specialising in non-contentious commercial property matters. Raj has a varied workload and is experienced in providing advice in the buying and selling of commercial property/land; acting for both landlord and tenant in lease transactions including assignments, variations and surrenders. Raj acts for property developers in both commercial and residential areas providing advice in the initial site acquisition to site set up and onward sale/lease(s) of plots/units/houses. Raj has experience and advising upon property matters specific to enterprise/industrial parks. Raj is able to advise and prepare conditional contracts, options agreements, overage agreements and planning agreements. Raj acts for a variety of clients from local businesses/individuals, property developers and landed agents.
Richard Bussell
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner Richard provides advice on trusts, capital tax planning and succession planning to owner managers of businesses and other high net worth individuals and their families. He has a strong following in the agricultural sector where he advises farmers and other land owners.
Robert Pearson
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Robert joined Sills & Betteridge in 2015 and was appointed as a Partner in 2019. He acts for both businesses and individuals in relation to a wide range of disputes.
In relation to Robert’s business clients, he regularly deals with:
Contract disputes including issues relating to the sale of goods and supply of services, business sales and construction disputes;
Property litigation including dilapidation claims and disputes regarding easement; construction disputes and enforcement of restrictive covenants.
In relation to Robert’s work for individual clients, he has particular expertise in the following areas:
Property disputes such as commercial and residential landlord and tenant claims, dilapidations, possession cases and neighbour disputes;
Wills and inheritance disputes, including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and claims relating to the removal of trustees and executors;
Professional negligence claims including disputes with solicitors and other professionals;
Disputes between unmarried co-owners of properties under the Trusts of Land and Appointments of Trustees Act 1996.
Robert is regularly instructed by a wide range of small and medium sized businesses, as well as local authorities, charities and individuals. Robert has Higher Rights of Audience in Civil Proceedings, which means that he can represent clients in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court if necessary. He also has substantial experience of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Sally Jahangir
Sally is a Partner in the Wills, Trusts & Probate team at Sleaford.
She deals with all aspects of estate planning, including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Trusts, as well as the administration of estates.
Sally deals with tax issues and high value probate work.
Samantha Barrett
Sam is a Partner and Chartered Legal Executive Advocate with over 20 years experience.
Sam advises clients in the Gainsborough and Scunthorpe areas on all aspects of family and children law including the financial and child arrangements arising out of relationship breakdown, child care proceedings, and other cases where children's services are involved.
Sam undertook extensive advocacy training in order to become a Chartered Legal Executive Advocate and has since been involved in a number of complex care cases in the High Court involving serious sexual abuse, catastrophic injuries and child fatalities. Her role involves regularly representing clients at hearings in all family courts.
Professional memberships include The Law Society’s Family Law Accreditation Scheme and Resolution - an organisation which promotes constructive, non-confrontational handling of family disputes.
Sarah Steel
Sarah is a private client solicitor advising on all aspects of wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney, deputyships and statutory wills.
She deals with tax and succession planning for high net worth individuals and farmers, and with probate applications, deeds of variation and estate administration, with particular expertise in complex and high value estates, and those containing agricultural or business assets.
She is popular with clients for her practical advice and pragmatic approach to assisting them with their affairs, as well as her approachable and friendly manner.
Sarah Rowe
Sarah regularly represents individuals who are in the most distressing of circumstances, for example survivors of domestic abuse, or where there are disputes between parents regarding where their children shall live and with whom they shall spend their time and also advising parents when Social Services are involved with their children. Sarah is also instructed on Forced Marriage Protection Orders.
Sarah works very closely with domestic abuse support services in the local areas to ensure clients receive swift advice and the protection of the Court.
Regularly involved in complex cases, Sarah has experience of barring orders and the instruction of experts within Court proceedings.
Sarah undertakes a lot of her own advocacy to represent her clients before different levels of the judiciary. She will represent her clients to the best of her ability and take the necessary action to appeal any decisions which may be wrong in law.
Simon Breeden
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Simon is a very experienced Personal Injury lawyer and handles compensation claims arising out of accidents at work, road traffic accidents, accidents in public places, defective or dangerous products, stress at work and air, rail and sea related accidents.
He also handles industrial disease work and serious and complex injury claims.
Simon has achieved for many clients, settlements worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
He is a practitioner member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
Simon regularly presents on different types of accident and injury matters at seminars and workshops. He is also the firm’s Training Partner overseeing the various training routes and programmes offered by the firm. The role also involves going into schools, colleges and universities to promote the legal profession to students who wish to explore routes into law.
Siobhan Thompson
Next Generation Partner 2024
Siobhan is a Partner in our Family Law Department based at Northampton. She practices all areas of family law but is currently dedicated to public law proceedings in respect of children.
Siobhan acts for both children and parents and has a significant level of experience and expertise in complex cases involving non accidental injury, death of children, sexual abuse, complex medical issues, serious abuse, international issues, competent children, human rights issues and very vulnerable adults.
Siobhan has been mentioned personally in Judgments by Judges impressed with her work and in one case for her “tenacity without which the right decision would not have been reached”. She acted for a mother in care proceedings in Northampton in which she pursued a claim for damages for human rights breaches by the Local Authority which we won. The client received a lump sum by way of damages and the Local Authority was ordered to pay the costs of the care proceedings.
Siobhan was nominated for family law solicitor of the year (Law Society awards sponsored by Jordan’s publishing 2018) by counsel at 4PB after their involvement in which she was instructed by a father who had suffered a stroke with catastrophic consequences for him including significant communication difficulties. The case involved the removal of children from their mother’s care after a police investigation uncovered brothels run by the mother which employed minors as prostitutes, and dealt in drugs.
Stephen Britton
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Stephen has practised as an employment lawyer for some 25 years. He sits as a fee-paid employment judge. He is very highly regarded amongst clients and fellow employment professionals. This high regard is reflected in Stephen's client base which includes large companies which operate across the United Kingdom. Stephen handles complex contentious and non contentious employment issues ranging from unpaid wages to multi party discrimination. When not sitting as a judge, Stephen's substantial contentious employment experience has resulted in him representing a range of companies and businesses large and small in the regional offices of the Employment Tribunals throughout England, Wales, and Scotland and in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Stephen acts as an independent adjudicator of appeals on behalf of the Department of Environment and Farming and Rural Affairs in connection with gang masters' licensing appeals. Stephen assists the firm’s corporate team in advising on various aspects of employment issues which arise from a range of corporate transactions including TUPE, purchasing business from administrators and administrative receivers, and redundancy and unfair dismissal claims. He also advises companies on the enforceability of restrictive covenants for employees, senior executive service contracts, discrimination issues including sex, race, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief and drafting of employment policies and handbooks.
Steven Dowse
Steven is a partner in the commercial property department.
Steven deals with a wide range of commercial property and agricultural transactions in particular those in the Skegness area and the wider East Lindsey district.
Whilst providing an extremely efficient service Steven is able to effectively assist with all aspects of a commercial property transaction including reporting on searches and title and negotiating contracts.
Steven specialises in sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold commercial property which have included vacant commercial property, property subject to tenancies and going concerns including shops, pubs, restaurants, guest houses, hotels, gyms, newsagents, cafes, holidays lets, tattoo parlours, mobile home parks and units on industrial sites.
Steven regularly deals with the sale and purchase of land used for agricultural purposes and bare land.
Steven also has extensive experience advising on leasehold transactions acting for both tenants and landlords on the grant of new leases, landlords, assignees and assignors on assignments of existing leases and landlords and tenants on surrenders of leases.
Steven’s varied areas of work also includes assisting on conditional contracts, overage agreements, option agreements, deeds of easement, legal charges, guarantees, grazing licences, licences to occupy and assured shorthold tenancy agreements.
Susan Thomas
Recommended Lawyer 2024
Partner dealing with all aspects of commercial property in Lincoln and Nottingham as well as residential development acquisition, set up and sales. Particular experience in planning aspects of property work including development planning agreements.
Suzanne McAuley
Suzanne completed her law degree at University of Dundee before undertaking her Certificate of Professional Legal Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast.
She qualified as a Solicitor in 2002 specialising in residential and commercial conveyancing and private client matters and worked in Belfast until early 2010 when she moved to Nottingham. Suzanne joined Sills & Betteridge in 2017 as a Partner in the Wills, Trusts and Probate Department and brings a wealth of experience to the firm.
Suzanne specialises in advising clients on Wills, Trusts, Probate and Tax Planning as well as advising on Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection matters, the mitigation of the impact of care home fees and the affairs of older clients generally. Suzanne also undertakes some residential conveyancing matters. Suzanne is a member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly). She is based at our Nottingham office.
Teagan Solari
Teagan is a Partner in the Commercial Property department.
She specialises in commercial property matters including sales and purchases, leases, landlord and tenant issues, financing/re-financing and planning issues.
Teagan is in Malachy McGill’s team and is based at Aquis House, Lincoln.
Victoria Rowson
Victoria qualified in 2013 and is an accredited member of the Law Society Children’s Panel. She specialises in public law care proceedings and represent parents in proceedings and also children through the Court appointed Children’s Guardian.
Victoria represents both parents and children, through their Court appointed Children’s Guardian in private law matters involving disputes between family members concerning the care and welfare of the children. She has been involved in matters in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
She is experienced in representing victims of domestic violence and regularly works with vulnerable clients who have been subjected to often traumatic, abusive and volatile relationships. Victoria provides tailored advice around injunctions and children matters and deals with situations when social services are involved. She has a sensible and direct approach in handling cases and ensures that her clients are fully supported, informed and guided through the process.