Our People
FAMILY DEPARTMENT
Mark Heselton (Partner)
Mark joined the firm in 1988 having completed his articles in Local Government. As well as dealing with family cases, he specialised in Civil and Commercial Litigation disputes for 10 years before concentrating almost exclusively on family matters with the emphasis upon financial and property and children's matters. He is a member of Resolution. Mark became Head of Litigation in 1991 and has been a partner since 1996.
Karen Chapman
Karen qualified as a Legal Executive in June 1999 and became a Fellow in 2001. Karen is a member of Resolution, the British Association of Adoption and Fostering, the Enfield Domestic Violence Forum and a trained family mediator. She deals with family finance and property issues and children's matters. Karen was awarded the Joseph Jackson Memorial Prize for Matrimonial Practice in 1998 and has achieved the Resolution Accredited Specialist status.
Caroline Ford
Caroline was admitted as a solicitor in February 2003 and has worked in the field of family law since 2001. She deals with divorce and the financial aspect of the marriage, separating cohabitees' finances, domestic violence and injunctions, Inheritance Act claims and children matters.
Meryll Llewellyn-Jones
Meryll is originally from Lowestoft in Suffolk and until recently worked as a trainee Legal Executive in the Family & Civil Litigation Department at Mears, Hobbs & Durrant in her home town for six years. She has recently relocated to Enfield to join Vanderpump & Sykes and complete her studies. Meryll will continue as a trainee Legal Executive in the Family & Matrimonial Department, progressing to running her own caseload of child, family and property related matters in the future.CONVEYANCING DEPARTMENT
David Farmbrough
David Farmbrough has practised residential conveyancing for over 20 years in various parts of North and West London. He has experience in registered and unregistered land, environmental matters and leasehold enfranchisement. He has also managed a redemptions department for a large mortgage lender, and been responsible for design and introduction of conveyancing systems. He has written articles on legal issues, music, films and television and designed various web sites.
Natalie Yethman
Natalie Yethman has worked in private practice for a number of years as a conveyancer and was admitted as a solicitor in January 2006. Natalie will be handling all aspects of residential conveyancing including buying and selling of freehold and leasehold properties, transfers of equity and re-mortgages.
Janet Carse
Janet joined the firm in 2004 after working for the CHAPs department of a leading high street bank for a number of years. She is a Legal Assistant in the Conveyancing Department and is currently training as a Licensed Conveyancer.
COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT
Keith Thompson (Partner)
Keith was admitted as a solicitor in 1980. He is head of the Commercial Department. Keith was articled in Local Government and spent many years working in numerous Local Authority Legal Departments. He left Local Government to join private practice at which stage he was the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of a large District Council. Since leaving Local Government Keith has gained wide experience in commercial property construction and corporate work.
Stephen Quy (Partner)
Stephen was admitted as a Solicitor in 1976. He took articles with The Greater London Council and stayed there after qualifying, dealing with a wide range of legal issues for that Council, and the Inner London Education Authority. Subsequently, he has worked in private practice in the City as an Assistant Solicitor with Kennedys and as a Partner in North London, the West End and Hertfordshire. Stephen has a wide range of commercial experience particularly in the area of Property Law.
Patrick Mcgrath (Partner)
Patrick trained at a West End firm before working in several Legal 500 city firms for 6 years as a finance and banking lawyer. In 2002 Patrick joined Taylor Walton in Luton. He was made a Partner in the firm’s Company Commercial Department in July 2004 and head of department in 2006.
At Vanderpump & Sykes, Patrick will be advising on corporate finance transactions including: acquisitions and disposals, management bJames Porter
James qualified as a solicitor in January 2003 having trained with Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw and Cheyney Goulding, before joining the firm in July 2003.
He specialises in commercial property transactions and his experience includes acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold properties, the property aspects of corporate transactions, and landlord and tenant matters.
Ruth Muthoni
Ruth Muthoni qualified in March 2006 and has extensive experience dealing with commercial and corporate matters including: acquisition and disposal of business assets, share sales, acquisitions of inshore and offshore companies, commercial freehold and leasehold property transactions.
WILLS AND PROBATE DEPARTMENT
Clare Wills
Clare originally joined Vanderpump & Sykes in 2000 as a Trainee Legal Executive. She qualified as a member of ILEX in 2002. Clare left Vanderpump & Sykes in 2005 when she relocated to the North of England for three years. During her time away from the firm Clare qualified as a Fellow of ILEX. Clare's experience extends to covering: Wills, Administration of Estates, Administration of Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Receivership Orders and Deeds of Variation.
Maureen Want
Maureen was admitted in 1984. After a period in the Official Solicitor's Department dealing with Receivership and Trust issues she entered into private practice in St Albans and then Enfield. At Vanderpump & Sykes she currently deals with Wills, Probate, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection cases.
Shona Perkins
Shona qualified in December 2006, having become a fully accredited police station representitive whilst on her training contract. She joined Vanderpump & Sykes Wills and Probate Department in February 2007 and is about to embark on the course leading to membership of the professional body of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She currently deals with Name changes, Wills, Probate, Inheritance Tax issues, Severances of joint tenancies, Transfers of ownership of Land and Enduring Powers of Attorney. She is also on the committee for the West London Law Society Young Solicitors Group.
LITIGATION DEPARTMENT
Richard Stephens (Partner)
Richard was admitted in 1992 and after
4 years in practice in North West London
joined the firm in December 1996 as an
assistant solicitor in the Litigation
department before progressing to Associate level.
Richard has recently become a Partner and will continue to head the Litigation department specialising in Employment law and acting for corporate clients in Commercial disputes. Richard is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Andrew Barrett
Andrew was admitted as a solicitor in 1999. Prior to qualifying, he ran the litigation department of a large Legal Expenses Insurer for a number of years.
After qualifying he worked for a large firm of solicitors specialising in personal injury claims. He joined Vanderpump and Sykes in July 2001 and was appointed to run the Personal Injury Department in October 2001. He has successfully dealt with a wide variety of injury claims, ranging in value from £1000 to £1.5m.
He also deals with Alcohol Licensing and general litigation matters.
Jenny Howe
Jenny joined the firm's Litigation department upon qualification as a solicitor in August 2004, having trained at a firm in Essex. She undertakes a comprehensive range of contentious landlord and tenant matters alongside a varied practice of civil and commercial litigation. Jenny acts for individuals, small businesses and companies; as well as advising on consumer related matters including consumer rights, consumer credit issues, fitness for purpose disputes, guarantees and distance selling.
PRACTICE MANAGER
Philip Lancaster
Philip is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and a qualified business coach.
He joined the firm in 2004 after a successful career of over 30 years with a major High Street Bank, where he enjoyed several senior management positions.
Philip has overall responsibility for the Accounts and Administration Departments, including HR, IT and Marketing.
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