W. DAVIES SOLICITORS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director
- Head of Department
- Solicitor
- Director, Head of Department ( Administration Only ) & Solicitor
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Elizabeth Maurice / Solicitor
Job Titles:
- Director
- Head of Department
- Solicitor
Freddie graduated from Newcastle University in 1992 with an Honours degree in Combined Studies, focusing on history and politics. After attending the College of Law, Guildford, he trained at Richards Butler (now part of Reed Smith LLP) qualifying as a Solicitor in February 1998.
He joined W Davies in March 1998 and became a Partner in 2001. When the firm changed its status in 2014 from partnership to limited liability company, Freddie became Managing Director.
In addition, he holds positions in the firm as: Money Laundering Reporting Office ("MLRO"), Compliance Officer for Legal Practice ("COLP") and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration ("COFA"). Freddie is a Solicitor Advocate (Civil) and an accredited Mediator.
Freddie's areas of practice include:
Commercial litigation in both High Court and County Court, including: shareholder and business/partnership disputes; breach of contract and tortious claims; and restrictive covenant issues and debt collection.
Employment matters, including: disputes between employee and employer; unfair dismissal; discrimination; breach of contract; wrongful dismissal; statutory rights; and termination of senior executives' contracts.
Job Titles:
- Trainee Solicitor ( SQE )
Katie completed her undergraduate degree in History at Durham University where she graduated in 2020. She then went on to achieve a Distinction in her Master of Arts in Law at the University of Law in Guildford.
In September 2021, Katie joined W Davies and she is gaining experience working across the Residential Conveyancing, Commercial Property and Litigation teams where she works closely to assist solicitors in the departments.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor
- Member of the Association of Contentious Trust & Probate Specialists
Mark read law at what is now known as Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex and was awarded LLB (Hons). After a gap year working in Germany and working in various solicitors' practices, he completed his Law Society Finals at The College of Law, Chester. He then became an articled clerk at Drysdales & Janes, Southend on Sea. He qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and later a partner at that practice, specialising in civil litigation. In 2000, he moved to Colemans-Ctts (as it later became known) to work as a civil litigation solicitor.
He joined W. Davies in 2009 as a commercial litigation solicitor. In a career of over 25 years, he has gained extensive experience in most areas of commercial and general civil litigation. Currently, however, his practice focuses on: contentious probate, professional negligence, building disputes, land disputes, commercial and individual debt and insolvency.
Mark is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust & Probate Specialists ("ACTAPS").
Mary qualified as a solicitor in 1999 after attending the University of Lancaster and the College of Law. She was working in conveyancing prior to qualifying as a solicitor. After qualifying, she worked in the area of property litigation for a number of years, at various firms. She returned to conveyancing prior to joining W Davies in 2016.
During her career, she has gained experience in most areas of conveyancing including; residential sales and purchases of both freehold and leasehold properties, re-mortgages, transfers of equity, equity release, lease extensions. Her work also includes sales and transfers of Probate property, boundary disputes and claims for adverse possession of land.
Job Titles:
- Head of Department & Consultant Solicitor
After obtaining a law degree in Manchester, Maureen qualified as a solicitor in 1976. Maureen trained at Kuit Steinart Levy, at the time a leading commercial practice in Manchester. When she got married and moved to Surrey, she joined Stilgoes, who had offices in London and Haslemere. She then moved to Crossman Block and Keith, becoming a partner in 1984; on the merger of Crossman Block with Withers, she became Head of the Trust section of the Private Client Department. In 1988, in order to spend more time with her family, Maureen moved out of London and joined Rawlison and Butler in Horsham, as head of their Private Client Department.
In 1990 Maureen joined W Davies and assumed responsibility for the Private Client Department. In addition, she has responsibility for many aspects of the firm's management. She remained Head of that Department until 2002. In 2002 Maureen became and remains a Consultant to W Davies' Private Client Department (even during the 11 years she lived in Hereford, before her return to Surrey in 2017). With more than 40 years' experience working as a private client lawyer, she is able to cover all aspects of probate, wills, tax and trusts. Regarding the latter, in particular, she has extensive expertise - being involved not only in their creation and termination, but also in their management and administration.
Maureen's intention is to retire fully one day - but she enjoys her work and the firm is pleased to call on her expertise when required, so she continues to make a valuable contribution.
Simon began his Law career in 1960 by taking Articles at W Davies and has remained here ever since. He trained at the Lancaster Gate Law School in London, then at Guildford's College of Law, passing his final examination with distinctions in five subjects.
Commencing as an Articled Clerk with W Davies, Simon qualified as a Solicitor in 1965, continued as an Assistant Solicitor, was admitted as a Partner in 1969 and became Senior Partner in 2001. He held this last position until retirement in 2013, when he became an independent Consultant.
In a 60-year career, Simon has been involved in most practice areas. Initially, he was involved in Property work, Wills, Probate and Magistrates Court Advocacy. During the 1970s he increased his practice in Company Law (he assisted one company to Stock Exchange listing on one of its secondary markets and subsequently acted to take it to full listing). From 1978 onwards, Simon focused on Commercial Property, with some work for companies, charities and residential property developers. He has also acted for a major insurance company and pension fund - engaging in high-level Commercial Property transactions including Forward Funding Agreements and acquisition of significant investment properties. He has acted for a group of companies known and recognised throughout the World; for many years, he did most of their Commercial Property work, including leases of retail units in Oxford Street and in numerous, major shopping malls throughout the UK. He still acts in a personal capacity for the Principals of this group. For many years, he has acted for two major charities, dealing with their property and company work.
Simon's areas of practice include:
Commercial Property dealings
High-level leasing
Commercial Property work for the local authority Residential development
Company work.