Wilkin Chapman LLP

Andrew Burnett

An experienced litigator who has handled a variety of civil and commercial matters including commercial litigation, debt recovery, construction adjudication, and neighbour disputes. However his particular expertise is in personal injury litigation, in which he has a wealth of experience across a broad range of RTA, EL, PL, CICA matters, conducting many high value claims involving fatal accidents, amputations, brain and spinal injuries.  He has also dealt with some more unusual claims involving issues such as nervous shock of secondary victims, Legionnaires disease and anaphylactic shock.

Caroline Neadley

Associate, Hull specialising in employment law in particular discrimination, unfair dismissal, TUPE, employment tribunal claims, settlement agreements, contracts of employment and senior executive service agreements.

Chris Grocock

Partner and Head of Recoveries

Craig McKay

All forms of dispute /civil litigation. He has over 32 years' of varied litigation experience and has handled claims ranging in value from £1,000 to £1.2 million, as well as PI claims to over £1m. Craig has special interest in will and probate disputes, property ownership disputes, and injury claims. He also has considerable experience in employment law, and healthcare management. He is always keen to explore sensible economic resolutions for clients.

Elizabeth Gilliatt

Partner in the recoveries department of Wilkin Chapman LLP, who have nine offices across Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire. Heads up the dispute resolution team of the recoveries department, specialising in debt focused commercial litigation. The dispute resolution team consists of Elizabeth, three solicitors, a Chartered Legal Executive and three trainee legal executives, handling contested county court claims/applications, as well as any other particularly complex debt claims. The work is predominantly claimant focused, although defendant work is also undertaken. Significant specialist experience in dealing with utilities debts, handling debt claims for two of the big six energy companies. Also acts for various other companies nationwide. The recoveries department as a whole can handle claims of any value from beginning to end, including enforcement and insolvency.

Flora Bennett

Partner in Agricultural Department, specialising in agricultural property. Work includes sales, purchases, mortgages, tenancies, partnership deeds and dissolutions, first registrations of complex/large areas, trusts, exploration agreements, development options, and overage agreements. Examples of recent high value work: partition of farm worth over £9m leading to registration of 47 separate parcels of land; and sale of farm with cottages for £4.4m. Also head of Tourism and Leisure Sector at Wilkin Chapman.

Ian Sherburn

Ian is an Equity partner in the corporate and commercial department at Wilkin Chapman LLP and advises on sales and acquisitions, MBO’s, MBI’s and all aspects of corporate law. Ian acts for a wide range of companies from PLCs and multi nationals to SMEs and OMBs. He advises on re-financing and restructuring of companies and groups of companies and has recently completed the UK aspects of a global restructuring of a large group of companies in the manufacturing sector. Deal values for M and A work typically range from £5 to £150m and in the last 12 months Ian has advised on transactions worth in excess of £250m. Ian also advises on all aspects of commercial law, including advice on constitutional issues, shareholder agreements and trading agreements. Ian is known for his no nonsense approach to transactions and to ‘getting the deal done’.

Jane Eatock

Partner in the employment law team, with 25 years’ experience as a specialist employment lawyer, acting for a wide range of employer clients, ranging from SMEs to plcs and substantial group companies, including a major oil refinery. A large proportion of Jane’s work is now focussed on the public sector, particularly in the fields of education and health. I act for a number of local authorities, NHS Trusts, social enterprises and community interest companies, further education colleges, academies, police authorities, charities and third sector clients operating in the public sector. She has particular expertise in major TUPE transfers, involving complex negotiations and consultation and in public sector restructuring and change programmes. Has been very involved in the employment implications of major outsourcing projects, particularly in collaborations between local authorities and NHS bodies, creating social enterprises and Teckell companies. Is a regular speaker at major national conferences for LGG and IHM and delivers numerous employment law seminars to a wide range of employer clients and specialist sectors which are always rated as excellent. Jane enjoys running training programmes for in-house management teams, particularly in the local authority, health care and education fields, giving clear guidance and practical workplace solutions. Is a very experienced advocate in the Employment Tribunal and also have judicial experience, as assistant coroner for Grimsby and North Lincolnshire since 2008.

Jim Judge

Extensive experience in this area of law and able to advise clients when making their wills, planning their estates and administering the estates of deceased persons. Has dealt with estates containing high-net-worth assets such as business property and private company shares and agricultural property and farms. Able to advise on inheritance tax in respect of lifetime giving and deceased persons estates. I also deal with the creation and administration of trusts for inheritance tax planning. Acts as a Court of Protection appointed Deputy for clients and makes applications on behalf of clients for lasting powers of attorney, Court of Protection orders and statutory wills. Also acts as a notary public for clients who have overseas legal documents to be validated.

Jonathan Stork

Commercial litigation of a broad nature, including: – contentious probate and disputed trusts: acting for both claimants and defendants in Inheritance Act, will invalidity, constructive and resulting trust and proprietary estoppel claims, frequently of high value. Removal of executors and trustees applications. Applications for trustee disclosure. Proceedings within the Court of Protection. Contentious Insolvency: claims for wrongful trading, preferences and under personal guarantees and defence of insolvency proceedings in both the County and High Court. Professional negligence: acting against solicitors, agronomists and financial advisers. Regulated investments: claims for recovery of regulated investments from a principal following bankruptcy of a financial agent under the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000. Intellectual property: defence and enforcement of trade marks and UK and community design rights. Commercial litigation including shareholder and partnership disputes, warranty and unfair prejudice claims, enforcement of insurance contracts and contractual disputes of all kinds. Common law: claims for nuisance arising out of odour and flooding and termination of shooting rights. Property and land disputes: claims under TOLATA, rights of way (private and public), adverse possession, boundary disputes, recovering possession of both commercial and residential premises and dilapidation claims. Land Registry and Traffic Commissioner proceedings: including defence of road hauliers in proceedings for revocation of goods vehicles operator’s licence. Consumer: matters including misrepresentation, sale of goods and consumer credit. Complex and high value personal injury: predominantly claims against the Ministry of Defence for non-freezing cold injuries and hand-arm vibration syndrome, and also claims involving complex causation and arguments relating to fraud and chronic pain syndromes. Miscellaneous: actions arising from defamation, breach of data protection and breach of confidence. Enforcement: by way of charging order, order for sale, warrants, third party debt orders etc.

Jonathan West

Head the property litigation team of five fee-earners based at the Grimsby office, which links with the commercial property teams based in Grimsby and Lincoln. Jonathan’s practice includes advising registered providers of social housing on tenancy enforcement and anti-social behaviour prevention; enfranchisement and lease extensions of local property and substantial London flats; working with managing agents and landlords to evict troublesome tenants; evicting squatters and trespassers all over the country using interim possession orders; assisting freehold owners with the recovery of service charges (including major works under s20 consultation) in the court and First Tier Tribunal; contested lease extensions under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Clients include landlords with portfolios in excess of 8,000 properties and London Borough Councils

Jonathan Goolden

Experienced specialist public sector lawyer, working for local authorities and NHS bodies across England and Wales. Has particular expertise in public sector investigations. Has conducted several hundred investigations of alleged misconduct of elected and employed public officials, from high profile national figures to code of conduct breaches by local councillors and staff disciplinary cases. The team has a unique mix of police investigative experience and knowledge of local government and the NHS. It carries out investigations of sensitive and politically high profile matters in a timely, focused and proportionate manner. Was one of the core drafting team for the modular constitution for English councils and advises on the governance of local authorities, their powers and duties and on the spin out of local government and NHS staff into public sector mutual (PSMs).Has been a governor in three schools and is a director of a multi academy trust. Advises education bodies on safeguarding, information governance, exclusions and SEN. Has been an independent person in two local authorities. Regularly speaks at national conferences on a range of ethics, governance, employment and regulatory issues. Clerk to the Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby and involved in local regeneration.

Katie Davies

Partner and Employment/HR specialist with extensive experience in both litigious and non-litigious employment issues. Katie’s client portfolio covers sole traders, partnerships, small businesses and plcs, advising on all aspects of employment issues including acting as a support to HR. Has a vast amount of experience in drafting contracts, including contractual and policy documentation reviews as well as being experienced in handling tribunal claims including drafting documents and tribunal representation. Her client portfolio includes a substantial number of colleges, stand-alone academies and several large scale multi academy trusts.Also an experienced speaker having held numerous training sessions and seminars.

Lisa Boileau

Lisa, partner and head of the family department has over 25 years' experience in dealing with all areas of family law specialising in complex financial matters and private children proceedings. She has dealt with a number of divorces involving substantial farming assets and business/trust assets. She has experience in dealing with military divorces for senior members of HM Armed Forces. In February 2012 Lisa was one of the first family law solicitors in England and Wales to train and qualify as an arbitrator and now offers parties a bespoke arbitration service as an alternative to contested court proceedings.

Lisa-Jane Howes

Partner and head of department for the firm’s (six offices throughout Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire) probate tax and trusts teams. The first lawyer in the firm to gain the STEP qualification. The firm now has 10 full STEP members and two qualifying for membership. Lisa-Jane’s team consists of 12 qualified lawyers, which include specialists in agricultural and business property relief, Mental Capacity Act 2005, personal injury trusts, foreign estate probates and trust issues, Care Act 2014 and regulatory advice. Personal specialism is in high value complex trust and estate work, inheritance tax advice involving agricultural and business property relief, matters including non-UK domiciled probates, with foreign trust elements. Top Ranked (Band 1) in Chambers 2018, ‘consistently cheerful and helpful ... communicating with her is always easy’. In The Legal500, ‘sharp and to the point’. Lisa-Jane has grown the firm’s probate tax and trusts teams, over the past fifteen years. In consequence, the department has increased its specialism in all areas of private client work and has a breadth of experience enabling it to cater for the firm’s private client needs. Close relationships and working practices have also been developed with other teams, particularly the agricultural, matrimonial, litigation, property, corporate commercial and employment departments to ensure a whole service is provided to the client and advice and assistance sought when required. The team continues to grow, adapt to continuing external pressures, including other entrants into its area of work, expand and strengthen for the future.

Mark Robinson

Head of personal injury department. Partner in charge of Complaints and Claims. Cases of note Wilkinson v City of York Council, 2011; Lila v First Tier Tribunal and T.A.S, 2014, both Court of Appeal cases.

Mark Taylor

Partner

Mark Carlton

Mark is a senior partner of Wilkin Chapman LLP. He is a family Law specialist with over 35 years’ experience. With specialisms in matrimonial finance and children issues, Mark is an experienced collaborative lawyer, mediation lawyer and family arbitrator (MCIQr6).

Mat Dix

Partner and specialist in legal debt recovery and insolvency, with over 12 years' experience. Focussed on quality service, and advising on bespoke recovery solutions. Significant experience of providing practical IT solutions in the recoveries field. Represents significant clients in various sectors, including local authority, utility and commercial. Cases: Successfully acted for Nottingham City Council as appellant in: Nottingham City Council v Pennant [2009] EWHC 2437 (Ch).

Michael Squirrell

Partner

Rachael Perry

An experienced non-contentious commercial property lawyer and have particular expertise in commercial and residential development. Specialises in house builder and social housing development work. Having previously worked both in a specialist house builder practice working for national house builder plc clients, and in-house at The Guinness Partnership (national registered provider), has acquired an in depth knowledge of both sectors. Her role at The Guinness Partnership focused upon strategic development work, securitisation, governance projects and property rationalisation. In acting for national and large regional house builders, she undertakes strategic acquisitions and land assembly, large scale disposals together with infrastructure and planning agreements. Rachael undertakes acquisition and securitisation work for registered providers. She has been able to use her sector knowledge to advise clients on ancillary governance and regulatory issues, ensuring the transaction can be facilitated in a proactive and efficient way. This has resulted in a number of new clients seeking registered provider status instructing the firm. As part of added service value Rachael has devised initiatives to ensure social housing acquisitions can be seamlessly and efficiently prepared for securitisation and sale exercises ensuring a quicker draw down of funds or onward transmission. She also acts for retail and investment clients in acquisitions, disposals, funding arrangements and property management issues. She is a board member and vice-chair of Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association. Key clients include the Linden Homes Group (Linden Limited and Galliford Try Affordable Housing Team) together Acis Group Limited and Shoreline Housing Partnership.

Rupert Houltby

Property partner dealing with commercial property, agricultural and residential property

Ruth Brewin

Ruth is a Partner and Head of the Wilkin Chapman commercial property team. Her specialist area of practice is development work particularly residential development .She acts for one of the county's largest regional house builders, and for many other residential and commercial developers. Ruth's experience includes acting on conditional contracts, complex phased options, overage deals, promotion agreements, complex planning agreements etc.

Sarah Adams

Associate, Hull specialising in private capital matters including estate and succession planning, preparation of wills, creation of trusts and care home fee planning, administration of estates, powers of attorney and Court of Protection applications.

Steven Hennegan

Partner

Tean Butcher

Tean’s practice as a partner chiefly involves conducting substantial military personal injury claims for service personal. Also have responsibility for the practices clinical negligence department; which holds a legal aid franchise in this discipline, is another area of professional interest. Presently chairman of ‘Forces Law’ a national legal charity committed to bringing best legal advice to service personnel.

Teresa Thomas

Specialising in employment law and head of the team of eight employment and HR specialists. Teresa predominantly acts for employers in the private sector and has a large following of food, logistics, warehousing and packaging clients throughout the UK.