BRACHERS - Key Persons

Abigail Brightwell

ab..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Associate / Employment

Abigail joined Brachers as a trainee in 2009 and qualified into the Employment team in September 2011. She has represented several NHS Trusts in cases covering unfair dismissal (including constructive dismissal), unlawful deduction from wages, discrimination and whistleblowing. Abigail advises on a broad range of day-to-day workplace issues, both contentious and non-contentious, and is regularly called upon to give advice on settlement agreements. She also provides training for employers, focussing on providing practical guidance for businesses. Abigail graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in history and, after working for the Court Service, went on to study the Graduate Diploma in Law at Kingston University. She completed her Legal Practice Course with distinction at the College of Law, Guildford in 2008.

Alex Cosgrove

al..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner

Alex advises corporates and lenders on a wide range of commercial transactions including project development and financing, joint venture and shareholding arrangements, direct corporate lending and Islamic finance structures.

Alexa Dowling

al..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Marketing & Business Development Manager / Marketing and Business Development

Alexa is the firm's Marketing and Business Development Manager. She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, attaining her membership in 2004. Alexa works within the Marketing & Business Development Team to provide both day-to-day and strategic marketing and business development support to lawyers with the aim of building and strengthening client relationships and to support the growth of the firm. Qualifications and Memberships:

Alexandra Gordon

al..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner

Alexandra is a Partner at the firm and advises clients in respect of tax and estate planning, the preparation of wills, trust creation, estate administration and lasting powers of attorney. Qualifying in 2010, she became the youngest Partner at Brachers, gaining Partnership aged 34. She specialises in capital tax planning and assisting clients with minimising their Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax liabilities. Internally, Alexandra leads the firm's Wills and Tax Planning and Probate sub teams and is based from our Canterbury office. Alexandra has recently been voted on to the Canterbury Business Improvement District Board. Alexandra is also a Chartered Tax Adviser and Notary Public, making her tri-qualified. She is a Full Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has undertaken her STEP Advanced Certificates in Will Preparation and UK Tax for International Clients. This broad range of knowledge and specialist skill set enable her to provide clients with truly holistic support. Her knowledge on taxation allows her to understand when other taxes could be problematic, which allows her to give first-class advice, while knowing when to bring in specialist advisers. She has also completed the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) course to better assist with Will drafting and probates when becoming contentious. Alexandra is currently named Next Generation Partner in Legal 500 2022 for the third year running and ranked in the the Chambers UK High Net Worth guide 2021 and 2022 for Private Wealth Law. In 2019, she was named as one of the eprivateclient Top 35 under 35, and also ranked in the Citywealth Top 100 Future Leaders 2019 and won bronze at the Citywealth 2019 awards for Partner of the Year (Regional). Outside of the office, Alexandra is heavily involved with the Kent Law Society and is the current President. She is also a Director of the Kent Law Society Services Limited. Further, Alex is a Trustee of the Catching Lives charity. Alexandra has also been an adviser for the award-winning Kent Law Clinic at the University of Kent since 2010, and is currently a Board Member of Canterbury BID. Alexandra specialises in: Wills Trusts Estate / tax planning Powers of attorney Administration of estates and trusts Deeds of variation Alexandra is based at our Canterbury office.

Alistair Wickham

al..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Associate

Alistair joined Brachers as a trainee in 2016 and qualified into the Corporate Team in 2018. Prior to joining Brachers, Alistair studied Law at Newcastle University and graduated in 2013 with a 2:1 qualifying law degree. He went on to study his Legal Practice Course in 2013 at the University of Law London Bloomsbury. After completion of his studies, Alistair relocated to Manchester where he worked for two firms in the Personal Injury field specialising in road traffic accident claims. Alistair has experience advising on: mergers and acquisitions private equity deals shareholder arrangements GP partnership agreements corporate re-structuring and re-organisations; and general corporate matters.

Allis Beasley

al..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner / Commercial
Property Litigation Specialist

Allis is a Partner in our Dispute Resolution Team. She has more than 25 years' experience. She trained and qualified at American-British law firm Hogan Lovells, where she practised for 15 years, before leading the Real Estate disputes team at Stevens & Bolton LLP. She joined Brachers as a Partner in 2011. Allis is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 legal directory for Real Estate Litigation in the South of England. She was also named as a ‘Leading Individual' in the South East of England in the Legal 500 2022 directory. She is a Trustee of East Malling Trust and on the Expert and Mediation Panels for the Agricultural Law Association. Allis specialises in: All manner of contentious property disputes Dilapidations, disputed overage and options, adverse possession claims, rights of light, restrictive covenant and easement disputes, development disputes, disputed lease renewals, and landlord and tenant disputes Real estate professional negligence disputes Agricultural tenancy disputes Environmental/waste operator disputes Lands tribunal disputes Beneficial interest disputes Mediations Fraudulent land registry applications Rectification of documents Contractual disputes with a property angle Party wall disputes Allis is based in our Maidstone office. Allis is a highly experienced property litigation specialist. She is a Solicitor Advocate, Accredited Mediator and a part-time Judge in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

Angela Jarvis

an..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Trust Manager

Angela is a valuable member of the Trust team and assists with the day-to-day administration of the trusts. Angela joined Brachers in 2011 as a Legal Secretary in the Private Client team. In 2012, she joined the Trust team as a Trust Administrator to assist with the day to day administration of trusts under our management. Angela has over 27 years of experience in the legal profession and has covered all aspects of Private Client work. This includes the administration of estates, managing the affairs of the elderly and vulnerable, wills and powers of attorney. Angela specialises in: Management of trusts Charitable settlements Personal injury trusts Trust compliance

Angela Pelosi

an..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Trainee Solicitor / Commercial Property

Angela joined Brachers in September 2020 in the role of Litigation Executive. She became a Trainee Solicitor in October 2021 and is now in the Commercial Property team, with her previous seat in Commercial Litigation. Prior to joining, Angela graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2019 with a degree in Law. Following her graduation, Angela completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Masters with a Distinction at the University of Law, Birmingham in 2020. Angela has gained a substantial amount of legal work experience by volunteering for both high street family law practices and City firms specialising in private client and commercial property. She has also worked for the Criminal Appeals Unit and volunteered for pro bono legal work around her university, which led to her securing an internship at a criminal defence firm. Whilst studying for her LPC, Angela represented herself in a small claims court against her landlord, successfully conducting her own litigation. Angela is based at our Maidstone office. Qualifications and Memberships:

Ash Jilani

as..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner, Commercial Property

Ash advises commercial landlords and tenants, and specialises in primary care property, including GP premises and care homes. Ash is a Partner in our Commercial Property team and leads our Primary Care sector team. He has more than 20 years' experience in commercial property and joined Brachers in 2002 after working at leading city firms Lawrence Graham, Decherts and Speechly Bircham. He became a partner in 2007. Ash is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 legal directory for Real Estate in the South of England. He was named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer' in the Legal 500 2022 directory. Ash specialises in: Development of new GP premises Leases, sales and disposals of healthcare and care homes property Commercial landlord and tenant law Acquisition and disposals for tenants of business premises Corporate support and secured lending He is the lead partner in the team for corporate support, acting on the property aspects of significant mergers, acquisitions, MBOs and corporate restructuring. He also advises on the formation of GP Federations and acts for many of Kent's NHS Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups. He is a member of the Primary Care Premises Forum. Ash is based at our Maidstone office.

Bill Butler

bi..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner, Commercial Property

Bill advises clients on all types of commercial property, particularly in the banking, education, agriculture, business/industry and healthcare sectors. Bill is a Partner in our Commercial Property team. He has more than 20 years' experience in commercial property law. Before joining Brachers in 2006, Bill trained at and worked for Nabarro Nathanson in London, one of the UK's leading commercial property firms. He was named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer' in the Legal 500 2022 directory. Bill specialises in: Secured lending, including for property development, property investment and property portfolios School land and buildings and academies conversions Sales and purchases Property development and property investment Options and overage Landlord and tenant Public sector including NHS and education Business, industrial and agricultural sectors Bill is based at our Maidstone office.

Catherine Daw

ca..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner, Employment

Catherine is a Partner and head of our Employment and HR team. She has more than 20 years' experience in employment law and joined Brachers on qualification in 1999. She became a Partner in 2003. Catherine is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 legal directory for Employment Law in the South of England. She was named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer' in the Legal 500 2022 directory. Catherine specialises in: Employment law and HR advice Employment tribunal claims, particularly high-value discrimination complaints Advice on restructuring and redundancy Collective issues including trade union matters and issues for health providers, including NHS Trusts Complex disciplinary issues Discrimination issues Employment contracts TUPE law Working with large organisations in managing change programmes Supporting the development of clients' HR teams Catherine has a reputation for providing clear, practical and client-focused advice. She has maintained long-standing client relationships and works closely with clients to meet their strategic aims. She is also an engaging speaker, who regularly hosts webinars and provides training on all aspects of employment law, as well as strategic and decision-making models. Catherine is based in our Maidstone office.

Cecilia Dent

ce..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Risk and Compliance Manager

Cecilia has worked in the legal sector since 2000 and joined Brachers in October 2016 as the firm's Risk & Compliance Manager. Cecilia has responsibility for developing, implementing and coordinating the firm's risk management strategy, business continuity plans and supporting and auditing the relevant quality assurance systems across the firm. Cecilia specialises in: SRA and FCA regulation compliance Risk Management strategy Implementation of ISO 9001 / 14001 standards Internal audit function Business continuity planning

Chantal Muniandy

ch..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

in 2022 As a Solicitor
Solicitor / Residential

Chantal joined Brachers in 2022 as a solicitor, having worked in local firms since 2003 and qualifying in 2006. Chantal specialises in: Sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold property Remortgages Transfers of Equity Purchasing of new-build property Transactions involving shared ownership Transactions involving unregistered property Chantal joined Brachers in 2022, having worked in local firms since 2003 and qualifying as a solicitor in 2006.

Chloe Croft

ch..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Member of the Private Client Team Assisting With Wills
Paralegal

Chloe is a paralegal in our private client team, having joined Brachers in 2017 as a legal secretary. She is currently studying and undertaking the CILEx Level 3 Professional Diploma in Law and Practice. Chloe is based at both our Maidstone and Canterbury offices. Chloe is a member of the private client team assisting with Wills, Estate Planning and Estate Administration.

Christopher Eriksson-Lee

ch..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner
Director of Brachers Trust Corporation Ltd

Christopher is a Partner at the firm and head of the Private Client team. He advises a diverse range of clients including business owners and those with landed estates on succession planning, the preparation of wills, estate and tax planning, trust creation, powers of attorney and the administration of trusts and estates. Christopher is also a director of Brachers Trust Corporation Ltd, which provides the firm's professional executor/trustee/attorney and deputy service.

Claire Tingley

cl..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Paralegal / Commercial

Claire joined Brachers in 1993 and works as a paralegal in our commercial litigation department. Claire joined Brachers in 1993. She has worked in a variety of roles over that period of time, joining initially as a secretary but has also worked within our in-house IT department together with paralegal positions. When not being a member of our administration team, Claire has always worked within our commercial litigation department. Since 2020, Claire has worked in the general debt recovery branch of the commercial litigation department. Claire's clients range from individuals, sole traders, small business to multinational companies. Her cases include everything from large to small debts and from undisputed to disputed matters. Claire is based in our Maidstone office.

Claire Williams

cl..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner

Claire is a Partner in our Corporate & Commercial team. She has more than 25 years' experience in corporate law, including for City and international firms, advising a range of clients including large corporates, high street names and individual shareholders. Claire is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 legal directory for Corporate M&A in the South of England. She was named as a ‘Leading Individual' in the Legal 500 2022 directory. She was shortlisted for Corporate Lawyer of the Year at the South East Dealmakers Awards 2021. Her team was also shortlisted for Corporate Law Firm of the Year, Deal of the Year and Private Equity/Venture Capital Deal of the Year. Claire specialises in: Insurance Mergers and acquisitions Management buyouts Asset swaps Restructurings and demergers Joint ventures Advising owner-managers on succession and exit strategies Banking and finance She has developed a following of clients throughout Kent and the South East and established excellent relationships with a number of corporate finance boutiques, accounting firms and banks. Claire is based at our Maidstone office.

Clare Waters

cl..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Senior Paralegal Completions Executive, Residential Property

Clare Waters Senior Paralegal Completions Executive, Residential Property Clare is a Paralegal and Executive of the Completions Team in the Residential Property team. Get in touch Clare has been with Brachers for 11 years and for the last six has worked in the Residential Property Team at Brachers providing full post exchange support.

Cliona Fletcher

cl..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Paralegal / Commercial

Cliona joined Brachers in December 2020 as a paralegal, following completion of her undergraduate Law degree in 2019. Cliona completed a postgraduate Masters degree in Law in 2021 and has previous experience working as a probate secretary. Cliona is based in our Maidstone office.

Colin Smith

co..@brachers.co.uk

Job Titles:

Partner, Employment

Colin is committed to finding solutions for his clients. Whether that may be a tricky workplace grievance or disciplinary all the way through to large scale collective redundancies, TUPE transfer or tribunal claims. Colin provides advice to clients to get them where they need to be as a business in a commercial and cost effective way. His focus is on early intervention and prevention, dealing with issues at an early stage before they escalate. His tribunal experience spans a range of claims from half-day hearing wages claims through to 1 to 3 day unfair dismissal claims and up to multiple day discrimination cases and multi-claimant TUPE and collective redundancy claims. Colin is dedicated in finding the right solution for each client and acts mainly for larger corporate clients in the construction, manufacturing, logistics and healthcare spheres as well as assisting senior executives in times of need. Colin qualified in 2001 and has specialised in employment law for over 15 years becoming Partner at Brachers in 2012. Colin is ranked in the Chambers UK 2022 legal directory for Employment Law in the South of England. He was also named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer' in the Legal 500 2022 directory. Colin specialises in: Reorganisations, redundancy and restructuring TUPE (transfer of undertakings) Settlement and compromise agreements Tribunal claims Finding solutions.