MKB SOLICITORS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Employment Lawyers Association
Ben is a graduate of the University of Hull where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws LLB (Honours) degree before going on to achieve a postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice from BBP Law School in Leeds.
Ben is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Industrial Law Society.
Ben is a Senior Partner and our Head of Employment. He is a specialist Employment lawyer recognised by the Legal 500 as an expert in the field of Employment Law and Human Resources. Ben has over 10 years' experience in employment work, working solely in this area since he qualified and has helped hundreds of businesses and individuals on employment matters.
He began his legal career in 2006 and joined MKB Solicitors in April 2010 upon qualification from a large commercial legal practice in Hull.
Ben undertakes work acting on behalf of both employers and employees, but particularly specialises in the commercial aspects of Employment Law. Ben deals regularly with executive disputes, TUPE issues, redundancy and restructuring and contractual/policy matters. Ben has also carved out a niche as an expert in data protection matters, consulting the business community on this developing area of law following the implementation of GDPR.
In 2017, Ben was highlighted by the Legal 500, a prestigious legal directory, as a "Next Generation Lawyer", one of only 8 lawyers across the entire Yorkshire region in his field. He demonstrated through excellent feedback from his strong commercial client following that he is part of the next generation of Yorkshire's leading lawyers.
Ben's reputation was then enhanced further when he was nominated for the Rising Star award by the Yorkshire Legal Awards in 2019.
Ben has substantial experience in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious Employment Law including:
Charlea joined MKB in 2017 as an Apprentice within our General Office function after leaving school.
After successfully completing a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Business Administration, Charlea joined the Litigation department in 2019 as a Legal Secretary and gained experience in Employment Law and Dispute Resolution.
Charlea's ambitious nature led to her enrolling with CILEx in 2020 to pursue a career in law, and has undertaken legal training since that time. Charlea has achieved a CILEx Certificate in Law and Practice (Employment Practice) and has successfully completed her studies in Contract Law, Property & Private Client and the Law of Tort. Charlea is currently undertaking training in Dispute Resolution. She remains committed to her training towards qualifying as a CILEx Lawyer.
Charlea is now working as a Trainee CILEx Lawyer for MKB working under the guidance of Senior Partner Ben McFeely within the Employment Department and Helen Thompson within the Dispute Resolution Department.
Charles joined MKB in March 2020 and is a solicitor in our Family Department. Charles qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and has worked in both the public and private sector. He specialises in cases involving children and has spent most of his professional life working in South Yorkshire.
Charles has considerable experience in all matters involving disputes about children, including proceedings bought by the Local Authority and disputes between parents around contact and where a child should live. He has particular expertise in cases where Social Services are involved. Charles strongly believes that children are best brought up in their own family where it is safe to do so. He frequently represents Grandparents and other family members.
Charles is known for his conscientious approach and for his tenacious representation of his clients. He strives to provide straightforward, honest, and clear advice to clients and to ensure that they fully understand the legal process that they are involved in.
Charles undertakes the vast majority of his own advocacy, as he prefers to attend Court in person with his clients and to be there with them, throughout the whole process.
Prior to becoming a solicitor, Charles worked at the European Parliament and as the Assistant to the Leader of a Local Authority. Charles has also worked as a volunteer for VSO and is a conversational Mandarin speaker.
Chloe joined MKB in January 2024 as a Family Law Paralegal.
Chloe started her legal journey as a Business Administration Apprentice in 2017 shortly after finishing her A Levels at Thomas Rotherham College before she was promoted to a Legal Assistant role. She built experience as a Legal Assistant over a period of 6 years, particularly within the Public Law sector. Chloe is now seeking to widen her knowledge base at MKB, both within Public Law but also in Private Family Law.
Chloe is an aspiring Lawyer and has plans to commence training within the CILEX qualification in the near future with the aim as qualifying as a Lawyer in due course.
Harjit joined the firm in February of 2022 as a Partner in the Commercial Department. Harjit started his legal career in 2011 as a paralegal...
Helen is an Associate Solicitor in our Dispute Resolution Department.
Helen qualified as a Solicitor in 2002 after attending Lancaster University, where she obtained a Law Degree at 2:1 level. She attended the College of Law in York to obtain her LPC qualification, where she received a Distinction, and completing her training contract with a firm in Darlington. Helen then moved to Yorkshire where she has lived and worked ever since.
Helen joined us in March 2022. She advises on a wide range of litigation matters including, but not limited to:-
Jane is a Solicitor in our Family department. She joined the firm in October 2023. Jane is from Barnsley and has practiced Family Law in the Barnsley area since she qualified as a Solicitor in 1994. She specialises in all areas of Family Law including:
Divorce and separation
Resolving financial settlements including property, pensions and companies/businesses
Separation Agreements and Living Together Agreements
Disputes between unmarried couples
Domestic abuse and injunctions
Children issues including parental responsibility and Special Guardianship
Jane holds the Law Society Advanced Family Law Accreditation.
Leigh began her legal career in 2007 in Residential Conveyancing and has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in every aspect of the conveyancing process in that time.
Leigh has a thirst for learning and expanding her skill set. In 2015, Leigh achieved a CILEx Certificate in Law & Practice (Conveyancing) and is now continuing her studies to qualify as a Licensed Conveyancer.
Leigh joined the MKB Residential Conveyancing team in 2019 where she carries out a variety of transactions including Freehold and Leasehold sale and purchases, new build purchases, re-mortgages, transfers of equity, Right to Buy purchases and dealings with unregistered land.
Leigh is friendly and approachable and prides herself on providing a high level of client care and a professional service.
Outside of work, Leigh is a mum of 2 and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Luke joined our team following his successful development of 2 firms litigation departments in the Wakefield area. He has over 10 years' experience in dispute resolution, you can therefore be rest assured he will understand your legal issue and find a timely and cost-effective resolution for you. His areas of practice predominantly cover (but are not limited to):
Landlord and tenant matters (commercial and residential)
Contract and Lease disputes
Personal Injury (Road Traffic, Employers & Public Liability)
Debt recovery
Property disputes involving rights of way, easements, neighbours, boundaries etc
Inheritance Act 1975 and Contentious Probate claims
Contentious matters regarding Deputyship and the Court of Protection
Professional negligence - claims against surveyors, solicitors etc
Claims brought under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TLATA claims)
In his spare time Luke enjoys spending time with his family and friends out in the countryside or trying to improve his golf handicap (which isn't going too well).
Luke has previously chaired the charity committees in his previous firms and looks forward to furthering our charitable works in the local community, he was previously a Trustee for Wakefield Trinity Community Trust in 2020. Luke is currently in his final year of training as a solicitor and is due to qualify at the start of 2024 with a view to further qualifying as a Solicitor Advocate.
Job Titles:
- Senior Partner, Head of the Family Department and Solicitor
Lynn is a Senior Partner, Head of the Family Department and Solicitor Advocate, she qualified as a solicitor in 1989, since which time she has specialised in cases involving children. Lynn has been a Partner at MKB Solicitors since the 2001 merger with Hinchliffe Baker. Lynn is committed to helping MKB Solicitors be the best possible Solicitors practice in the area - providing a friendly, trustworthy and efficient service for local people.
She has been a member of the Law Society's Childcare Law Panel since 1999 and deals with all aspects of children law representing both children and parents in care proceedings brought by the Local Authority and private law proceedings where the parents are in dispute about what should happen to their children. She represents grandparents and Special Guardians in cases where children cannot live with their parents.
Lynn receives referrals from CAFCASS, and childcare solicitors to deal with cases involving children including highly complicated and complex cases often involving a number of expert witnesses of wide ranging specialisms. She is qualified as a solicitor advocate and enjoys specialising in very complex Court cases, particularly where Social Services are involved, she acts for children through their guardians, children independently of their Guardians if they are of sufficient age and understanding, parents, grandparents and other parties with whom children are going to live and/or spend time with.
Lynn is dedicated and passionate about her job and feels that assisting clients at the most vulnerable times in their lives is why she became a solicitor. Lynn has helped thousands of families and individuals.
Lynn particularly enjoys advocacy in Court and appears daily in the Family Courts, she likes to attend Court in person wherever possible with her clients to make them feel secure in the knowledge that she is there with them, for the whole process, from start to finish.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Team at MKB
Matthew qualified as a solicitor in April 2010 and joined the firm in January 2012.
Matthew advises in relation to all aspects of Private Client law including:
Wills
Tax Planning
Estate Administration
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney
Applications to the Court of Protection
Assisting and advising Attorneys and Court of Protection appointed Deputies
Creation and Administration of Trusts
Matthew has been working in this area since he qualified and has helped thousands of families and individuals. Matthew has completed several professional development courses in Wills and estate administration.
Job Titles:
- Head of Private Client Department
- Head of the Private Client Department
Steven is the Head of Private Client Department and also a Senior Partner.
Steven has over twenty years of experience in Private Client advice. Steven joined MKB when he qualified as a solicitor in September 2001 after attending Sheffield Hallam University where he obtained a Law Degree at 2:1 level. He then attended the College of Law (York) where he received a Commendation, before carrying out his training contract with a firm on the East coast. Steven then joined MKB upon qualification in 2001. Since then Steven has advised thousands of families in relation to their ongoing legal needs.
Steven became the Head of the Private Client Department in 2006. He became a Partner in 2008 and a Senior Partner in 2015. Steven specializes in all areas of Private Client work including the administration of estates, preparation of Wills, tax planning and trusts, Court of Protection, Public Guardianship Office matters and powers of attorney.
Steven prides himself on providing advice in a straight forward, ‘no nonsense' way, and is incredibly proud of the team he works with in the Private Client Department. Planning for later life, or dealing with matters after the death of a family member is never nice - our aim is to make it as simple and trouble free as possible. Steven aims to forge lasting relationships with families in the hope that we can assist with events at every stage of a persons life. Be it amending Wills following marriage or the birth a child, through advice with helping parents financially supporting grown up children, right through to later life, and ultimately helping families who have just lost someone. Steven believes the role of a good Private Client lawyer is to be here at every stage, to provide the best advice for whatever may occur.
Steven is past President of the Sheffield District Law Society (2014/15), a 150 year old independent organization representing Solicitors firms across South Yorkshire.
Steven is also heavily involved in the management of MKB on an ongoing basis.
Job Titles:
- Member of Resolution
- Senior Family Law Solicitor
Rachael is a Senior Family Law Solicitor in our Family Department and has been with us since March 2019. In August 2023 Rachel became a Partner in the firm. She has practiced in South Yorkshire since she qualified as a Solicitor in 2006.
Rachael specialises in all aspects of matrimonial law including:
Children issues;
Social Services involvement;
Divorce/separation;
Domestic abuse/injunctions;
Financial and property settlements;
Pensions;
Separation agreements;
Unmarried couple disputes;
Child arrangement orders;
Parental responsibility;
Special guardianship.
Rachael holds The Law Society Family Law Accreditation and has done so since 2013.
Rachael is also a member of Resolution, which promotes dealing with family law issues in a constructive way and focusing upon the needs of any children involved.
Out of work, Rachael is a keen runner and in 2018 undertook the Yorkshire Marathon Challenge and completed the Sheffield and Leeds Half Marathons and Yorkshire full Marathon, raising money for Neurocare. Rachael also enjoys spending time with her family and is a mum to two daughters.
Rebecca joined the firm in September 2022 as a Partner and solicitor in the Commercial Department. She qualified as a solicitor in 2003 after obtaining a degree in Law from the University of Leeds and a distinction in the Legal Practice Course from the College of Law in York. She has been a specialist Commercial Property solicitor ever since. Rebecca has an excellent knowledge of the area and strong links with other local professionals, having been a Partner with another well-known local firm until recently.
Rebecca acts for a wide range of private and corporate clients, investors, developers, builders, charities, pension funds and Local Authorities in all areas of Commercial Property and business related work. She has particular expertise with large, complex and high value transactions. Her areas of specialisation include:
Acquisitions and disposals of investment properties
Landlord & tenant matters including leases, licences, assignments and estate management
Business sales and purchases
Auction sales and purchases
Development including the acquisition and disposal of land, plot sales and new build transactions
Adverse possession claims
Lending and finance
Overage, options and conditional contracts
Agricultural property
Residential conveyancing
Rebecca enjoys working with her clients to create long lasting relationships and is regularly re-instructed by clients. She aims to take a practical and sensible approach to transactions in order to achieve the best possible outcomes in a timely manner.
Rebecca qualified as a Solicitor in 2019 after completing her LLB Law with Business Degree at Sheffield Hallam University and the Legal Practice Course with Masters in Legal Practice at the University of Sheffield.
Rebecca joined MKB's Private Client department in March 2021 and can assist clients with a wide range of matters including:
Preparation of Wills
Administration of Estates
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Court of Protection applications
Trusts
Planning for a time when we are no longer here or dealing with the loss of a loved can be very difficult. Being able to assist clients and provide guidance at such a time is something which is very important to Rebecca.
Sara joined MKB in 2002 as an apprentice in the General Office after leaving school where she gained valuable experience in how a busy Solicitors Office operated.
In 2004 Sara joined the Conveyancing department gaining valuable experience in all aspects of Residential Conveyancing and made the decision to pursue her studies to become a Licensed Conveyancer and qualified January 2021.
After working in Residential Conveyancing for the last 16 years Sara has gained valuable experience in all aspects of Residential Conveyancing.
Sara is fully aware how stressful buying a home can be and strives to make the whole process and experience as painless as possible for Clients.
Outside of work Sara enjoys spending time with her family undertaking outdoor activities from camping, fishing, walking.