MORRIS AND BATES - Key Persons
Annwen attended school in Abergynolwyn and subsequently Tywyn, before completing her law degree at Aberystwyth University and her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Chester. She completed her articles in Colwyn Bay and was subsequently employed as a Solicitor in Wrexham. She joined Morris & Bates as an Assistant Solicitor when a vacancy arose for a Litigation Solicitor, specialising mainly in matrimonial work.
Annwen is a member of Resolution and the Law Society Family Law Panel.
She specialises in matrimonial, family and child law, but also deals with conveyancing and property related litigation.
Annwen is a keen musician, playing both the piano and harp and sings with a local choir. She is a member of the National Eisteddfod ™s Gorsedd y Beirdd, having been admitted as a harpist in 1985.
Annwen is a fluent Welsh speaker.
Anthony grew up in Swansea, attending the Bishop Gore Grammar School, before attending Aberystwyth University to study law between 1968 and 1971. He then served his articles with Messrs Dilwyn Jones & Sons, Llandrindod Wells and was employed with that firm as an assistant solicitor upon qualification in 1974. Anthony then spent two years as a law lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where he co-wrote œThe System of Criminal Law , which for some time was the basic textbook for criminal law in many Australian Universities. Anthony then returned to the UK and was employed as an assistant solicitor with Messrs Thursfield and Adams, Kidderminster, before setting up Morris & Bates with Gareth Morris on 1st March 1979.
Anthony spent the early part of his career dealing with conveyancing, crime and civil litigation. For the past twenty years or so, he has specialised in larger commercial transactions and company affairs.
Anthony is former president of Aberystwyth Round Table and of Aberystwyth Law Society and was founding Chairman of Aberystwyth Business Club. He is also a farmer and Chairman of Aberystwyth Town Football Club and continues to dedicate much of his time to the club.
Anthony is married with four sons and nine grandchildren, and in his spare time enjoys family, friends, food and football.
Chris was born in Aberystwyth where he attended Plascrug Primary School and subsequently Penglais Comprehensive School. Chris completed his law degree at Swansea University before attending Cardiff University Law School where he completed the Legal Practice Course. Chris completed his training contract at Morris and Bates, qualifying as a solicitor in September 2009.
Chris specialises in residential conveyancing, wills and probate, Lasting Power of Attorney and Deputyship and also company law.
Chris is currently Secretary of the Aberystwyth Law Society and is Secretary of Llanfarian Cricket Club.
Chris is a keen traveller, having spent 10 months travelling through South Africa, Australia and New Zealand after completing his law degree.
Morris and Bates were founded by two of the existing solicitors, Gareth Morris and Anthony Bates on 1st March 1979. At that time the firm operated from premises at 29 Portland Street Aberystwyth which was formerly residential property. The firm enjoyed rapid and successful development and before moving to its present offices had expanded into three additional properties in Portland Street.
In 1986, Morris & Bates took over the established firm of Messrs W.A. Bowen & Griffiths and David Griffiths, the Principal of that firm became a consultant with Morris & Bates, an association he maintained for a number of years until his continued residence in Newcastle Emlyn and reduced connection with Aberystwyth brought the consultancy to an end.
In 1988, Messrs Roberts and Evans (the oldest established firm in the area) joined Morris and Bates and the two principals of that firm Melvin Evans and Denys Evans also became consultants.
Morris and Bates commenced practice with the two founding solicitors and one secretary/receptionist. It has now expanded to include six additional solicitors, David Hinton Jones, Annwen Jones, Richard Morris, Huw Bates, Nia Bates and Christopher Bates together with probate clerk, Steven Livingstone.
David was educated at Ardwyn Grammar School and Penglais Comprehensive School and attended university in Aberystwyth, between 1980 and 1985, where he gained a B.A in Philosophy and an Ll.B in Law. He served his articles with Messrs Dilwyn Jones & Sons in Llandrindod Wells and joined Morris & Bates as a Solicitor in October 1989. David is the firm's litigation specialist, concentrating principally on personal injury and civil litigation. He has extensive experience of advocacy in the criminal and civil courts.
David holds the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (CPI) a recognised qualification both inside and outside the insolvency profession and a rigorous test of competence in insolvency. David is in a position to advise directors of companies in respect of possible insolvency issues and advise upon potential business rescue options. He is also able to advise individuals facing financial difficulty and possible bankruptcy.
David is married with three children and is a keen football supporter, having played for Aberystwyth University, Wales Universities and Aberystwyth Town Football Club. David is Secretary of the Central Wales Football Association and a member of the Council of the Football Association of Wales.
David is now semi retired and works on a part time basis, being available by appointment only at our Aberystwyth office
Huw has lived in Aberystwyth since he was a few months old and was educated at Plascrug Primary School and subsequently Penglais Comprehensive School, where he became Head Boy in his final year. He then attended Swansea University, where he gained an LLB in Law and a Masters Degree in Criminology. After 12 months as a paralegal with Morris & Bates, Huw went on to complete his Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Chester. He then returned to Morris & Bates in 2004 to complete his training contract, and qualified as a solicitor in the summer of 2005.
Steven was born and raised in Leicestershire, and came to Aberystwyth University in 2002 to study History. Steven settled permanently in the town upon graduating from University in 2005, and joined Morris & Bates in January 2007.
Steven assists the firm's solicitor Mr Richard Morris, principally in connection with probate matters. However, he is seeking to broaden his legal knowledge and is working towards qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive (presently an Associate member).
Outside of the office Steven is very passionate about sport, and is a former director of Aberystwyth Town Football Club. Steven also enjoys reading on a wide variety of topics. Whilst at University, Steven traveled extensively across Europe and undertook charity work in Kosovo.
He now lives in Penparcau and has three children.
Richard was born in Llandrindod Wells and following the family ™s move to Aberystwyth attended local primary school and then Penglais Comprehensive School in Aberystwyth, before completing his law degree at Nottingham University and subsequently his Law Society Finals at the College of Law, Chester. He served his articles with Messrs Patchell Davies in Blackwood, Gwent, before joining Morris & Bates in January 1996.
Richard deals with non-contentious matters - probate, wills domestic and commercial conveyancing. He is Under Sheriff Bailwick of Cardiganshire.
Richard is the firm ™s IT expert and oversees all of the firm ™s IT systems. He is a keen traveller and spent some time between completing his articles and commencing at Morris & Bates travelling to the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Richard is married with two sons. He has a keen interest in sport and particularly rugby where he is a qualified referee and coach and assists with the junior rugby at Aberystwyth RFC. Richard is presently a trustee of the Aberystwyth War Memorial Fund and is former Chairman of the executive committee of a local scouts group and school governor.
Richard is a fluent Welsh speaker.
Nia was born and bred in Aberystwyth and attended Penglais Comprehensive School. She then gained an Ll.B in Law and French from Cardiff University. As part of her degree, she spent one year at the Université de Picardie Jules Verne in Amiens, France, studying French law and language. She then returned to Cardiff to study for the Legal Practice Course. Nia completed her training contract with Morris & Bates and qualified as a solicitor in September 2008.
Nia currently works part-time and is ably assisted by the rest of her team whilst she is out of the office.
Nia is a fluent Welsh speaker and has two young children.