KEELYS SOLICITORS - Key Persons


Barry Doherty

Job Titles:
  • Corporate and Commercial Consultant

Becky Hewitt

Job Titles:
  • Executive

Catherine Elliott

Job Titles:
  • Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate Department
Interests Away from work Helen enjoys cooking, travelling, walking and spending time with her family. Interests When not at work Helen enjoys singing, and attending musical events and theatre. She also enjoys swimming, walking, bike riding, and spending time with her family.

Daniel Keane

Job Titles:
  • Corporate and Commercial Senior Partner / Experience

Darren Walkeden - CIO

Job Titles:
  • Coach
  • Director of IT
Experience Darren has over 18 years' experience working in the IT industry, joining Keelys in 2007. He has experience in many aspects of IT including desktop/infrastructure support, training, web design and development, data analysis and management information reporting, solution design/management and implementation, and cyber security. Interests Outside of work Darren is a qualified football coach, avid gym-goer, keen fisherman and enjoys mountain biking, walking and baking.

Emma Faunch

Job Titles:
  • Solicitor
  • Real Estate Solicitor / Experience
Emma joined Keelys as a solicitor in 2021. She has over 8 years of experience in Commercial Property work, having worked for local Staffordshire firms since qualifying.

Hitesh Punjani

Job Titles:
  • Corporate and Commercial Head of Department Partner / Experience
  • Head of Corporate and Commercial Department
Hitesh qualified as a solicitor with the firm in 2003 and became Partner in 2014. He has over 18 years experience of Corporate and Commercial law both for SME's and large and multi nationals and PLC's. Hitesh's work includes private equity transactions, acquisitions and disposals, corporate re-organisations, share option schemes, finance, banking and succession planning. He also undertakes Commercial work including supply agreements, distribution agreements, terms and conditions, and outsourcing agreements. Interests Hobbies and interests include cooking, cycling and walking, when the family permits. Interests In her free time Si n enjoys yoga, baking and photography.

Ian Pettifer

Job Titles:
  • Employment Services Associate Partner
  • Member of Local Branches of the Chartered Institute of Personnel
Ian joined Keelys in 2020. He has been a qualified solicitor for over 20 years, and is a Chartered Member of the CIPD. Interests Ian has been a committee member of local branches of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development for the last decade. He is a devoted husband and father of three sons, and enjoys camping, swimming, and watching rugby (but not playing, as he can't catch the ball).

James Chisholm

Job Titles:
  • Head of Real Estate Department
  • Real Estate Head of Department Partner / Experience
James is a Partner and is head of the Real Estate Department. He has over 20 years experience of Commercial Property work.

Jasdeep Virk

Job Titles:
  • Real Estate Associate Partner / Experience
Jas trained and qualified in the Magic Circle law firm, Clifford Chance, before moving to the West Midlands where she continued her career in national firms Harvey Ingram (now part of Shakespeare Martineau) and Freeths. Jas joined Keelys in September 2014.

Joanne Davies

Job Titles:
  • Solicitor
  • Partner and Head of the Litigation
Joanne is a Partner and Head of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. Joanne is a solicitor with over 20 years' experience in litigation matters. Having trained and qualified in 1994 at Wragge & Co, she also spent several years at Martineau Johnson, as well as having experience of working as in-house Counsel in the finance leasing industry.

Julie Slater-Williams

Job Titles:
  • Law Head of Department Associate Partner
Julie qualified as a Solicitor in 2005. She has specialised in Family Law all through her career, throughout Staffordshire and Cheshire. In 2015, she joined Keelys LLP. Julie is an Associate Partner and Head of Department. Practice Area Julie specialises in divorce, co-habitation, financial settlements, and has a particular focus on Children proceedings, having extensive experience in this area. Qualifications Solicitor Interests Julie is a keen reader, traveller and enjoys spending time with her children doing fun things. Phone:01543 420011 Email:jslater-williams@keelys.co.uk

Kate Palmer

Job Titles:
  • Real Estate Partner
Experience Kate is a Partner at Keelys. She qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and has specialised in Commercial Property work since then. Kate joined Keelys in April 2015, coming from international law firm Pinsent Masons where she trained and qualified.

Kerri Pearce

Job Titles:
  • Solicitor
Kerri is a solicitor having qualified in 2001 and has over ten years' experience in handling litigation matters. Prior to taking a break to raise her children in 2013, the vast majority of her legal career was spent at a large Birmingham city centre firm in the litigation team where she acted on behalf of some major insurance companies.

Lisa Bourbonneux

Job Titles:
  • Solicitor
Lisa is a solicitor and has over 15 years experience in Residential Conveyancing. Lisa was a Paralegal for four years before qualifying in 2007. Lisa joined Keelys in January 2014 bringing with her a broad range of experience.

Loretta Hales

Job Titles:
  • Residential Conveyancing Department Team Leader
Interests In her spare time Lisa practices yoga and enjoys travelling. Interests In her free time Becky enjoys both having both cosy days at home and also visiting places of interest too with her young family.

Marie Bell

Marie joined Keelys' in December 2013. She has over 18 years experience of working within a family law department. Marie became an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (now known as CILEX Member - Paralegal) on the 1 st September 2009 and she obtained her certificate in family law in August 2011. Marie is currently working towards her Level 6 Professional Higher Diploma in Law to become an Advanced Paralegal, with a view to completing the full qualification in due course.

Patrick Farrington

Job Titles:
  • Associate
Patrick is an Associate with over 30 years' experience in a broad range of matters, but particularly focusing on dispute resolution and company and commercial work. He has spent all of his career in Staffordshire qualifying as a solicitor in 1990. Patrick became an authorized High Court Enforcement Officer in 2004 and has particular knowledge in the enforcement industry, making him one of only a handful of people in England and Wales to be both a practicing solicitor and HCEO. He was the Managing Partner at his previous firm in Stafford before joining Keelys.

Paul Roberts

Job Titles:
  • Head
  • Head of Employment Services Department
Paul joined the firm in 2006 as Head of the Employment department. He has over 20 years' experience of employment law, originally at city law firms.

Ravinder Sandhu

Job Titles:
  • Trainee Solicitor
  • Employment Services Partner
Experience Ravinder joined Keelys as a trainee solicitor in 2001 and qualified into the Employment Team in 2003. She was promoted to Associate Partner in 2008 and in 2011, promoted to Partner.

Sharon Lawrence - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Managing Partner
Experience Sharon qualified as a solicitor in 1989 at Keelys having joined the firm two years earlier as a trainee. Sharon specialised in Property matters and has over 30 years experience primarily dealing with with Commercial Property but also Residential Conveyancing.

Si n Peverill

Job Titles:
  • Corporate and Commercial Solicitor

Tom Parkes

Job Titles:
  • Trainee Solicitor
  • Employment Services Partner
Experience Tom joined Keelys as a trainee solicitor in 2005 and joined the Employment Team soon after qualification in 2007. He was promoted to Associate Partner in 2012 and in 2016, promoted to Partner.