Flint Bishop

flintbishop.co.uk

Daniel Askew is Partner and Head of Costs at Flint Bishop, specialising in costs litigation across the firm, with particular focus on high-value personal injury claims. He advises on all aspects of costs management, from initial budgeting through to detailed assessment, offering strategic guidance to both defendant and claimant matters. Daniel also provides advocacy at cost case management conferences, cost mediations, and detailed assessments, ensuring effective negotiation and maximising recoveries for clients.

Samuel works within our Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts team, advising clients on estate administration, wills, lasting powers of attorney, and deputyship orders. He assists clients through both straightforward and complex estates, ensuring that legal processes are clear and manageable. Samuel provides practical guidance at every stage, from obtaining grants of probate to settling estate liabilities, helping families navigate difficult circumstances with confidence.

Paul Bayliss handles high-value liability and quantum personal injury claims, including brain, spinal, multiple injury, chronic pain, and psychiatric cases. He oversees technical and commercial case aspects to achieve the best outcomes for insurer clients, whether through negotiation or trial. Paul ensures service quality and compliance, maintaining a strong focus on detail and accuracy throughout the claims process.

Ian Beardmore is a Partner in Flint Bishop’s Commercial Property team. He advises clients across retail, leisure, industrial, and residential property sectors, as well as schools and charities. His expertise covers site acquisitions and disposals, site assembly, joint ventures, options, funding arrangements, and development agreements. Ian leads and develops the firm’s Commercial Property team, combining strategic guidance with hands-on advice to deliver commercially focused solutions for complex property and development projects.

Martyn Brierley

Martyn Brierley is Head of the Corporate & Finance team, advising on corporate transactions for businesses ranging from owner-managed companies to international listed clients. He provides practical, commercially focused guidance on acquisitions, disposals, mergers, joint ventures, and lending and security arrangements. Martyn is known for quickly identifying key transactional issues and delivering innovative, timely solutions in often time-sensitive situations.

Richard Buckley

Richard Buckley is a Partner in the Family & Matrimonial team, specialising in divorce, financial matters, nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes, and children matters. He also acts as a mediator and collaborative lawyer, supporting clients to resolve disputes without court where possible, while providing expert advocacy when proceedings are necessary.

Christopher Burns

Chris Burns leads the Family team in our Leeds office, providing practical, empathetic, and strategically tailored advice to clients facing complex family law matters. He handles sensitive issues including financial settlements, child arrangements, relocation disputes, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and cohabitee disputes.

Anthony Carrington

Anthony Carrington leads our Insurance Litigation practice, specialising in counter-fraud strategies and bespoke approaches to large-scale organised insurance fraud. He manages a team advising insurers on litigation strategy, including defences against fundamentally dishonest claims, sanctions, and the use of evidence such as automatic number plate recognition.

Laura Clare is a Senior Associate and private client solicitor, specialising in wills, trusts, estate administration, inheritance tax planning, lasting powers of attorney, and Court of Protection matters. She takes a friendly, hands-on approach, ensuring clients have clarity on their legal requirements and tailored solutions. Laura has experience advising clients with businesses, farming interests, and high-net-worth estates.

Andrew Cochrane

Andrew Cochrane is Non-Executive Chairman of Flint Bishop and a long-standing member of the firm’s management board. He advises the Executive Board on strategy, governance, and long-term direction, drawing on over three decades of legal and leadership experience within the firm.

Karen specialised in licensing and regulatory law, advising a broad range of clients including pubs, clubs, hotels, shops, hostels, and outdoor events. She handled applications for premises licences, personal licences, variations, temporary event notices, and represented clients at hearings and licensing appeals. Karen also provided regulatory advice, including noise abatement notices and prosecutions, and maintained strong working relationships with responsible authorities across England and Wales.

Angela Davis is a specialist family lawyer with over 25 years’ experience, advising on all aspects of family law. She provides practical, tailored solutions for clients, helping them navigate complex family and financial matters. Angela seeks to resolve disputes efficiently and constructively wherever possible.

George Domleo is a Senior Associate and Acting Head of Licensing at Flint Bishop. He leads the operations of the Licensing team and advises clients across England, Wales, and Scotland on all aspects of alcohol, entertainment, betting, and gaming licensing law. He works with a wide range of clients, from individual operators to national multi-site businesses, managing applications for new premises licences, variations, reviews, and regulatory compliance issues. George has particular expertise in complex matters within cumulative impact areas and highly regulated sectors, delivering practical, commercially focused solutions.

Chairman, finance director and consultant member. Kevin joined Lupton Fawcett in 1977 as an Articled Clerk. He trained as a non-contentious lawyer, qualifying in 1979, eventually specialising in corporate finance and is now a director in the corporate finance department as well as finance director and chairman. Kevin has experience of all types of commercial law but has principally dealt with sales and purchases of the whole (or parts) of businesses, re-structuring, and fund raising (largely for owner managed businesses in Yorkshire). Recent activities have included some public company and M&A work for Renew Holdings plc (a Leeds based AIM listed company), corporate advice for Seabrook Crisps (a local privately owned business), and corporate and commercial advice for Hubwise Holdings (a recent start up financial services support business). In addition, over the years, Kevin has developed a speciality for advising charitable entities on their corporate and governance structures, including Hollybank Trust, the National Day Nurseries Association, Scarborough College and, recently, PSL which is responsible for the new Tetleys building in Leeds.

Richard Etherington

Richard Etherington is a Senior Associate and Higher Courts Advocate in the Regulatory & Corporate Defence team. He represents clients across the full spectrum of criminal and regulatory matters, providing clear guidance and continuity of representation from police station interviews to Crown Court trials. He also defends military personnel at Courts Martial and university students in misconduct proceedings, particularly where allegations of sexual misconduct are involved.

Qamer Ghafoor is Chief Executive Officer at Flint Bishop Limited, a national law firm with over 400 employees and a turnover exceeding £30m. He leads the firm’s ambitious growth and transformation strategy, overseeing all practice areas, senior hires, technology adoption, and expansion of flagship offices. He also maintains an active role as a commercial litigator, specialising in complex commercial and property litigation, leading the firm’s litigation teams and managing major client relationships at a senior level.

Jonathan Gilbert

Jonathan Gilbert is a Partner in Flint Bishop’s Large Loss team, specialising in defending complex and high-value pre-litigation and litigated insurance claims. He focuses on catastrophic personal injury matters, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopaedic injuries, and somatoform disorder claims. Jonathan provides strategic advice to insurer clients on claims management, risk mitigation, and product development, including drafting technical aspects of policy wordings. He also manages and mentors three specialist large loss lawyers, ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality, commercially-focused legal services.

Niall Gilhooley

Niall Gilhooley leads Flint Bishop’s Debt Services division, driving operational excellence and the delivery of high-performance debt recovery solutions. He is responsible for developing the operating model, embedding resilience, and pioneering new services to meet evolving client needs.

Angela Gorton leads the Employment team in our Leeds office, providing clear, practical, and commercially focused advice on all aspects of employment law. She works closely with senior leaders and HR professionals to resolve complex HR issues efficiently, including recruitment, termination, and related executive matters.

William Harper is a Partner in our Private Client team, specialising in advising individuals on estate, trust, and later-life planning. He works with a broad spectrum of clients, from high-net-worth families to those with complex or sensitive circumstances, delivering tailored and practical solutions. William also handles the administration of estates and trusts, often including business and agricultural property relief claims, and supports clients in structuring their assets efficiently.

Glenn Jaques is a Partner in our Employment team, advising businesses, directors, senior executives, and individuals across the full spectrum of employment law. He provides pragmatic, commercially-focused advice while minimising risk, supporting clients on matters including TUPE, corporate restructuring, complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims, Employment Tribunal litigation, restrictive covenants, springboard injunctions, and appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal.

Jon Jefferies is a Partner in Flint Bishop’s Dispute Resolution team. He advises clients on complex commercial litigation, employment, and insolvency matters, representing corporate entities, manufacturers, landowners, and other high-value commercial clients. Jon provides strategic guidance on director and shareholder disputes, SPA disputes, partnership and LLP disputes, and a wide range of property-related matters, including boundary, rights of way, easement, rights of light, and mineral ownership disputes.

Sukhy leads the Residential Conveyancing team, providing expert advice to clients on all aspects of property transactions. She works closely with leading estate agents, simplifying and clearly explaining each stage of the conveyancing process to reduce stress and ensure a smooth experience. Sukhy also develops strategic partnerships with regional estate agents to provide a streamlined, cost-effective service for clients.

Marc King is a Senior Associate specialising in estate planning, trusts, and estate administration, with a particular focus on inheritance tax, business succession planning, and cross-border taxation matters. He advises clients on complex estates, including business owners and those with overseas assets, ensuring practical, cost-effective solutions tailored to their individual circumstances. Marc works closely with clients’ existing advisers to provide coherent, strategic guidance across tax, business, and family considerations.

Natalie Lloyd-Nash

Natalie supervises multiple teams within the firm’s debt recovery practice, managing workflow, reporting, and client communication for several of Flint Bishop’s largest clients. She ensures teams are aligned to project objectives and provides day-to-day guidance on complex cases, acting as the primary contact for clients and embedding efficient, commercially-minded processes across the department.

Mzwandile Mabhena

Mzwandile leads a team focused on high-volume and contested debt recovery matters. He oversees case assessment, client communication, and strategy development, ensuring recoveries are achieved efficiently and commercially. Mzwandile works closely with his team to provide tailored solutions for each client, balancing commercial objectives with the practical realities of debt recovery.

Becky Madden is a senior associate in Flint Bishop’s Employment team and Training Manager. She advises employers on employment law matters including restructures, redundancies, TUPE transfers, and terms and conditions of employment. She also oversees the design and delivery of employment law seminars, e-learning modules, and bespoke training sessions.

Catherine Marksman

Catherine Marksman is Partner and Debt Recovery Manager at Flint Bishop, supervising multiple teams and handling the firm’s largest and most complex client matters. She advises on litigated and high-value debt recovery issues across sectors including household brands, government agencies, and energy.

Stephen McCarthy

Stephen advises clients on a wide range of property matters, with a focus on commercial leases, landlord and tenant estate management, and complex property transactions. He manages clients’ property portfolios, handling lease agreements, rent reviews, licences, dilapidations, renewals, and dispute resolution. Stephen provides practical, commercially-focused advice to ensure property issues are resolved efficiently and effectively.

Briony McDermott

Briony McDermott advises businesses on both contentious and non-contentious employment matters. She provides practical, tailored advice to help clients manage legal and HR challenges, and delivers training sessions, legal updates, and HR forums to keep clients informed.

Jo Milward is a Senior Associate specialising in property litigation at Flint Bishop. She advises landlords and tenants on commercial and residential property matters, including lease forfeiture, possession, contractual disputes, arrears recovery, and non-contentious estate management such as subletting, assignments, surrenders, and new leases. Jo also provides injunctions in the High Court to prevent breaches of lease covenants, with a strong record of success in securing injunctions and recovering associated costs. She offers commercially minded, cost-effective advice and training to clients, helping them manage estates efficiently and reduce the need for litigation.

Nigel Partridge

Nigel Partridge leads our Large Loss team, managing a multi-track caseload of high-value motor, casualty, and property claims, with a particular focus on catastrophic losses. He oversees complex liability-disputed claims, including spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, psychiatric disorders, and chronic pain, routinely handling cases with reserves exceeding £1m. Nigel combines technical expertise with a collaborative approach, ensuring clients receive strategic, commercially-minded solutions.

Ben Pickup is a partner in Flint Bishop’s Real Estate team, specialising in complex property transactions and development projects. He advises clients across the property lifecycle, from site promotion and acquisition through financing, lettings, and ultimate investment disposal. He has particular expertise in retail and residential developments and works with investors, developers, and family wealth clients.

Emma Rennison is an Associate in our Family team based in Leeds, supporting clients across the full spectrum of family law matters. She provides clear, practical advice and advocacy on divorce, civil partnership dissolution, financial disputes, children matters, cohabitation disputes, domestic abuse cases, and planning for the future through Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements, Cohabitation Agreements, Separation Agreements, and Declarations of Trust.

Janet Rhodes is Partner and Head of Commercial Property at Flint Bishop. She advises a wide range of clients on all aspects of commercial property, including portfolio acquisitions, funding arrangements, and complex development projects. Janet works with both local and national clients, corporates, and lenders, providing commercially focused solutions for transactions spanning care homes, pub groups, industrial estates, and other multi-site developments.

Claire Rudkin is Partner and Head of Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts at Flint Bishop, managing one of the largest private client teams in the East Midlands. She advises high-net-worth individuals and families on all aspects of estate planning, will drafting, probate administration, trusts, tax planning, deputyships, Court of Protection matters, and cross-border probate issues. Claire combines her accountancy background with extensive legal expertise to provide practical, tailored advice for complex estates and trusts, helping clients navigate both strategic planning and day-to-day administration. She also regularly provides CPD-accredited training and guidance to professional audiences across the region.

Paul Sabin advises on commercial and agricultural property transactions, covering matters such as conditional sale agreements, leases, tenancy agreements, land acquisitions and disposals, option agreements, and overage agreements. He also supports landlords and tenants with property and estate management matters, often delivering results under tight deadlines.

Sundeep is a Senior Associate in our Commercial & Civil Dispute Resolution team, specialising in will, trust, and estate disputes, contractual disputes, property and land disputes, and professional negligence claims. She manages complex litigation for a wide variety of clients, including individuals, companies, financial institutions, charities, and government departments. Sundeep is known for her practical, empathetic approach and for exploring alternative dispute resolution options where possible, while fully prepared to take cases to court to protect her clients’ interests.

Senior Associate

Jeremy Scott is a Partner and Head of Regulatory & Corporate Defence, advising companies and senior personnel on regulatory investigations and prosecutions. He provides practical, commercially-focused guidance to protect businesses and individuals from financial, reputational, and personal risk, ensuring advice is clear, robust, and tailored to each client. He is available 24/7 to support clients in emergencies, including arrests, dawn raids, and other critical incidents.

Philip Thompson

Philip Thompson specialises in insurance litigation, advising insurers and self-insured businesses on serious injury claims, including head injury, spinal injury, and chronic pain. He is skilled at identifying exaggerated or fraudulent claims and takes a legally accurate, commercially focused approach to disputing liability. Philip minimises risk and cost for clients, achieving reductions, withdrawals, or enforceable cost orders where appropriate.

Erica Wakeman is an Associate in Flint Bishop’s Family & Matrimonial team. She advises clients on divorce and separation, including financial arrangements, child contact, and related family law matters. Erica works closely with clients to provide practical guidance tailored to their circumstances, helping them navigate often highly emotional and complex situations.

Meghan Waldron is a Partner in the Regulatory & Corporate Defence team, representing directors, companies, and professionals in matters involving the Police, HSE, ICO, HMRC, Companies House, and the Environment Agency. She builds strong client rapport, guiding them through investigations or prosecutions, and focuses on achieving the best outcome through meticulous preparation and strategic advice.

Mark Wilcock is a Partner in the Corporate & Finance team, advising on acquisitions and disposals of businesses, management buy-ins and buy-outs, share buybacks, complex restructuring, and shareholder/investment agreements. He is known for his straight-talking approach and understanding of clients’ commercial and corporate needs, helping high-net-worth individuals, SMEs, and large corporates across sectors including sport, recruitment, engineering, and technology.

Haroon Younis is Partner and Head of Commercial & Data Protection at Flint Bishop. He advises businesses of all sizes—from owner-managed companies to international corporations—on commercial contracts, corporate structures, and transactions, with particular expertise in software and IT agreements. Haroon applies his legal knowledge, combined with AI and technology tools, to help clients protect or enhance their financial positions, balance sheets, and equity value. He delivers commercially focused solutions across business structuring, intellectual property, data protection, and pre-investment or pre-sale commercial consultancy.