Forbes Solicitors

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Kella Bowers

Kella Bowers is Head of Insurance and previously Head of Forbes’ hugely successful and nationally recognised Inquests, Social Services and Abuse Claims Team. Kella is client partner for Zurich Municipal. Kella undertook work nationally and lead a team dealing with the numerous child sexual exploitation claims in two of the country’s largest and most controversial CSE claim groups for Rotherham MBC and Rochdale MBC. Kella is also highly experienced in dealing with adult social care, human rights cases and sensitive GDPR matters. Kella has an enviable national coverage of Social Services clients and worked previously with ALARM to produce a manual for the Management of Children’s Services Claims. Kella has also been involved with the Historic Abuse Litigation Forum and is a member of the FOIL Abuse Claims Practice and Procedure Strategic Focus Group. This group has been directly involved in creating and presenting a draft Pre-Action Protocol for Abuse work to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee and engaged in responses to the MOJ and CPRC with regards to recent consultations on PAPs and Remote Medical examinations. Kella co-leads the firm’s growing inquest and regulatory teams with Ridwaan Omar, dealing with complex article 2 inquests involving children and vulnerable adults. Kella has been recognised was a Recommended Lawyer and a Leading Individual by Legal 500 for several years. Kella Bowers and Chris Booth are excellent specialists in their own particular fields and will sort out extremely complex historic matters that seemed daunting beforehand.’ Kella was also been shortlisted for the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse awards in the insurance lawyer of the year category. Kella is also a trustee of the Forbes Foundation charity.

Jenny Burke

Jenny is an experienced and exceptional Partner in the Corporate Department, leading on high value and complex transactions and with experience in the full range of corporate services, including mergers and acquisitions, internal restructures, demergers, banking work, investments and implementation of tax schemes. In the 24-25 financial year Jenny has been the lead on deals with a combined value of over £30 million. Highlights in the last 24 months for Jenny have been: \tActing on the sale of several high value and complex acquisitions and sales for both one off and acquisitive clients. \tActing for PH Care Group in its acquisition trail in the care sector and also assisting the client with strategic disposals including assisting the client with funding requirements to pursue its ambitious growth plans. \tContinuing to representing Trust Inns on its structured acquisition trail. \tActing on several high value EOT transactions and having acted on separate transactions for both Trust Company and Sellers. \tActing for banks and financial institutions on deal investments and providing structured security advice, negotiating with dual parties including on international transactions. Jenny focuses on both the technology, leisure and tourism and care sectors as well as supporting the firms core clients across the manufacturing and engineering sectors. She is very experienced on acting for both purchasers, sellers and financial institutions and has established relationships with accounting practices, banks, insolvency practices and financial advisers across the Northwest, particularly in the Greater Manchester area, an area which before Jenny’s appointment was largely untapped by the firm. Jenny regularly shares her legal expertise at networking events and seminars. She is well known and liked in the professional industry, as shown by the consistency and quality of her testimonials from clients and fellow professionals, some of which are included within this application.

Jonathan Chung

Jonathan joined Forbes Solicitors in July 2025 as a Partner and currently leads the commercial property sub-team in the firm’s Manchester City Centre office. Jonathan has over 16 years’ experience of working in the property legal sector and prior to joining Forbes, he built a successful property department with a strong reputation, providing first class experience to clients with consistent five-star reviews on Review Solicitors. Jonathan’s work was recognised in the latest Legal 500 publication with MLP Law’s commercial property department achieving a “Firm to Watch” ranking which acknowledged Jonathan’s department’s significant growth, potential and strong performance. This was the department’s first Legal 500 submission in many years and reflected Jonathan’s first year’s work at MLP Law which was a significant achievement for him. At Forbes, Jonathan has added to the firm’s growing list of clients, bringing his own clients and servicing existing ones and has good relationships with several referrers of commercial property work. Jonathan’s experience is wide ranging, encompassing advice to clients of all sizes, from large multi-national companies to individual property owners. He has considerable experience in all aspects of property work, including landlord and tenant work, secured lending work, investment property acquisitions, disposals and asset management activity and corporate property transactions. His aim is to be accessible and approachable in the way that he deals with his clients and referrers and he works hard to fully understand the needs of his client’s business and provides clients with clear, pragmatic legal advice. Jonathan is involved with Forbes’ firm-wide and Manchester office’s marketing strategy and is leading the business development in the Trafford borough of Greater Manchester. He works closely with a close network of financial advisors, accountants, surveyors and estate agents who often refer work to him and his department.

Richard Clithero

Richard has been a Partner in the Commercial Property team for ten years this year and has been the Head of the team for over two years. Richard specialises in the sale, purchase and leasing of commercial property with experience in high value transactions and secured lending work. Property deal values typically range from £1 million - £5 million, though deal values continue to grow, and Richard has acted in numerous property transactions in recent years in the region of £20 million (including both individual property transactions and transactions involving property portfolios), which are not common in the Lancashire market. Richard has experience across various sectors including manufacturing and office developments. He is experienced in acting for commercial developers and homebuilders in the acquisition of development sites. Richard supports the development of junior solicitors and other staff within the team. Richard was a non-executive director of Chorley F.C. for over three years, working with the board of directors and management in matters such as commercial activities, compliance and legal matters, development of stadium facilities and community initiatives including youth football and social inclusion, and continues to assist the club with legal matters.

Joanne Dunstan

Joanna acts for landlords and tenants of retail properties in the North West and nationally, and also deals with the property aspects of corporate transactions as well as general commercial property work. Joanna has recently acted for a national fashion retailer on the sale of two high value former factory/warehouse premises, and acts, alongside our corporate team, for the purchaser of care homes. A recent client (purchaser of a vehicle repair business) commented: ‘I can’t thank you enough for the excellent support you have given us on the acquisition. It has been a long slog to the finish line. Your patience, hard work and professionalism throughout has been tremendous!’ Experience includes: \tActed for the Seller of a former country house hotel and farmhouse for £2.8 m \tActed for a national fashion retailer on the sale of two former factory/warehouse premises for £3m each; \tActing for the same fashion retailer on the sale of former office premises for £2.5m; \tActed, together with our Corporate team, for the buyer of a vehicle repair business in the South East for £2m. \tWorked, alongside a Partner, on the purchase of a retail park in Staffordshire for £10.25m; \tActed, alongside our Corporate team, for the buyer of a nursing home, for £2.525m, involving consideration of contaminated land issues; \tWorked, together with our Corporate team, for the buyer of an industrial site for £5m; \tActed for Administrators on the sale of leasehold property whereby a condition of the sale was purchase by the Administrators of escheat land. \tActed for a national bicycle retailer in connection with its leases of retail premises in central London and the South East; \tActed for a retail client taking a new 10 year underlease of former post office premises in Nottingham city centre; \tAssisted a tenant on two new 10 year leases of city centre retail premises in Derby on a turnover rent, plus related warehouse premises; \tAssisted a tenant of a new 10 year lease of retail premises in Salford Quays in Manchester; \tActed for a tenant taking a new 10 year lease of high street retail premises from Pension Trustees; Worked alongside a Partner on the purchase of substantial warehouse premises in the North West for £4.75m;Acted for the seller of a former country club and spa premises for £2.75m

Shirley Faragher

Shirley Faragher, Partner and Head of Housing Management has 15-years PQE. She has been working with Registered Providers since 2005 and has an excellent understanding of the challenges facing the sector. Shirley is a specialist advocate and has her Higher Rights qualification. As an experienced Solicitor Advocate Shirley attends trials and hearings throughout the country on behalf of Registered Providers. Shirley obtained the first without notice injunction from Preston County Court just days after Part 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 came into force. Specialising in ASB and Housing Management, Shirley advises on an array of issues including succession/ exchange, possession against trespassers, tenancy enforcement, mental health, equality and human rights. With a wealth of experience in addressing complex disability issues including lack of mental capacity and mental illness, Shirley works in partnership with her clients to find practical solutions whilst adopting a cost-effective approach. Shirley’s clients are enthusiastic advocates of the attentive service provided. Shirley regularly delivers training and has upskilled housing officers in several organisations enabling them to apply for their own without notice anti-social behaviour injunctions. This included bespoke training around preparing the applications and presenting at court. Mentoring and shadowing was provided to staff so that they felt supported through the process. Shirley has spoken at Forbes events in conjunction with partner agencies e.g. Police, Local Authorities and statutory bodies, to raise awareness around Cuckooing and County Lines. In addition, Shirley regularly provides internal training for client’s helping to upskill and empower staff

David Filmer

David is the head of the corporate team, and has seen the team continue its upward trajectory both in terms of the quality and quantity of the deals the team have acted on, as well as assuming the responsibility for the strategic direction and leadership of the corporate team, leading to the team to consistently turnover more than £1m. In addition to leading the team, David has a wealth of experience across all key areas of corporate services, but focusses on high value deals, including complex demergers and Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) buyouts, and has several acquisitive “buy and build” clients, details of which are highlighted in our submission. David has a particular expertise in acting for clients in the professional services industries. David oversees the continuation and development of referrer relationships specifically within the Preston and Fylde Coast region and is active on the business development and networking scene in the area. David is an exceptional lawyer who is noted in the region for his technical ability. He has strong working relationships both internally and externally and has established himself at Forbes over the last 5.5 years as a key member of the commercial side of the partnership, with many long-standing and repeat clients seeking him out and returning to him for advice. David is instrumental in the development and training of more junior members of the team and clearly enjoys seeing them develop and sharing knowledge.

Daniel Fletcher

Daniel is a Senior Associate, specialising in intellectual property matters. Daniel continues to act for a varied client base, comprising manufacturers, retailers and high-growth technology companies. Daniel acts for many of his clients on a retainer basis, operating as their commercial and IP inhouse counsel. Daniel continues to spearhead the IP team, which continues to grow steadily (both in stature and revenue) each year. Daniel is responsible for managing a sub team which comprises a solicitor, Adam Estell, and an IP paralegal. This sub-team focuses on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Daniel is being instructed on more complex matters, acting against other established IP firms. He acts for clients in contentious proceedings in the High Court, Intellectual Property Office and Company Names Tribunal. An increasing number of Daniel’s clients have been acquired through cross-referral relationships that he has built with other firms and third parties, including internationally across LawPact (an international association of lawyers that the firm is part of). In the last 12 months, Daniel has acted on matters across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. Daniel is well-liked and respected by his clients, who praise him as being responsive and commercial. Daniel takes a keen interest in each of his client’s businesses, and is known for being “on their side” on matters he deals with. This has led to him having an enviable client retention rate. Daniel’s specialism for IP matters is continually growing and he is becoming more prominent across Lancashire and the wider North West region as a specialist in this area. Daniel’s increasing presence in the North West is also demonstrated by his attendance on behalf of the firm at The Business Network, Lancashire’s largest recurring networking event. He also hosts a recurring technology and digital networking event for business leaders across the North West in conjunction with Silicone Lancashire. Daniel has attended a number of IP roundtables over the past 12 months. He has also been involved with the sponsorship of Prolific North’s Lancashire GRAFT Week, which featured a week of thought leadership content focused on Lancashire’s tech and digital growth and how to drive development across the region. In addition, they supported Prolific North’s annual Technology and Digital Awards ceremony, as well as a Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce event. Alongside his busy day-to-day practise, Daniel continues to study towards a Post Graduate Diploma in Commercial Intellectual Property Law at Nottingham Trent University. Daniel has a good relationship with a number of publications, often commenting on recent topical IP caselaw and providing advice to start-up businesses.

Jo Handler

Jo is a Partner within the Commercial Employment Team with over 20 years’ experience. Her work covers a range of sectors including Manufacturing and Engineering, Hospitality, Food & Drink Production, Technology and Care. She is the primary contact for some of the Team’s biggest clients, which include James Places, Motiva Implants UK Limited, Northcoders Limited and Salt Separation. Jo has great technical knowledge and an ability to grasp complex legal issues which she is then able to break down to provide commercial, pragmatic advice to her clients. A key strength for Jo is her significant contribution to employment law training and business development initiatives which help train and support clients, raise the profile of the Forbes’ Commercial team and also help educate the North West business and legal community on employment and HR matters. She is a Council Member for the Manchester Law Society and co-chairs its Employment Law Forum. This includes working closely with employment lawyers across the North West, arranging quarterly meetings, responding to Government consultations linked to the Employment Rights Bill (now Act). In this role, she arranges the Forum’s Annual Employment Law Conference with exceptional speakers which in 2025 included the Regional Employment Judge for the North West and leading experts on National Minimum Wage laws and Trade Union/Industrial relations. She also regularly trains our key clients including Boohoo/Debenham’s Group and James Places, Nordex and writes and delivers interactive external training events in collaboration with Hays Recruitment and East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce including mock disciplinaries, workplace mediations and Tribunals. She sits on the advisory Board of Grit Studios, a CIC, to provide employment and Governance advice.

Tom Howcroft

Tom is a Partner in the Contentious Trusts and Probate team at Forbes LLP and has been integral to the team’s significant growth since joining in 2018. Tom exclusively specialises in contentious trusts and probate and became an Associate member of ACTAPS in 2021, demonstrating his dedication to professional development and expertise in this field. Tom plays a crucial role in mentoring and supervising team members, ensuring consistent quality of service and professional development within the department. His focus on process improvements has enhanced efficiency and profitability, contributing to the team’s rapid growth. Tom is known for his ability to build strong rapport with clients during what is often a challenging and emotional time. His meticulous attention to detail and ability to explain complex legal issues in a clear, client-friendly manner allow clients to make informed decisions about their cases. \tThrough robust negotiation and mediation, Tom has successfully resolved numerous high-value and complex cases, including: \tClaims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 \tValidity challenges \tAdministration disputes His ability to navigate contentious matters effectively has earned him a strong reputation among clients and peers alike. Tom works closely with a range of specialist barristers to ensure clients receive the highest standard of representation tailored to their needs and case complexity. In situations where clients face funding constraints, Tom has acted as their advocate, achieving successful outcomes, including at Financial Dispute Resolution hearings and in Inheritance Act claims.

Matthew Jones

Matthew leads a specialist sub-team within the Commercial Property department, advising on a broad range of commercial property matters for clients including landowners, developers, multinational businesses, SMEs, owner-occupiers and investors. He heads the firm’s Commercial Property focussed Construction and Development offering, working closely with developers across Lancashire and beyond to provide end-to-end support on residential, commercial and mixed-use schemes, from site acquisition and structuring through to plot sales and disposal strategies. His experience includes acting for SME companies on multiple development projects, including residential and light industrial schemes in Preston, the Ribble Valley and North Yorkshire. Matthew regularly advises development partners when dealing with Register providers, bringing a strong understanding of affordable housing delivery and stakeholder requirements. He has particular expertise in facilitating partnerships between developers and Housing Associations, including complex back-to-back land transactions. His wider practice encompasses option and overage agreements, pre-planning arrangements, secured lending and landlord and tenant matters. He also works closely with the firm’s corporate team on property elements of share sales and asset acquisitions, providing joined-up advice on transactional matters. Clients value Matthew’s calm, pragmatic approach and his ability to navigate technically complex transactions while maintaining commercial momentum.

Nick Jones

Employment law partner. Former international law firm partner with over 20 years’ experience of advising businesses and senior executives across the range of employment law issues. Part of a unique team of talented and like-minded employment lawyers, providing effective solutions through a high-quality, high-value, boutique employment law firm. Member of Employment Lawyers’ Association and highly rated by the legal journals for many years. Works with leading domestic and international businesses and regularly acts for chief executives and management, reflecting deep insight into what clients really value from their lawyers. Best known for advice on the strategic and sensitive aspects of corporate life, equally at home representing a corporate client or a chief executive, always identifying and delivering employment-related solutions, often in challenging circumstances. Particular strengths include negotiation, dispute resolution, executive severance and restrictive covenant work. Longstanding track-record of working within the higher echelons of the business community. Together with colleagues, approach is to listen and understand first, focusing on the right outcome for the client and working together, in partnership, to agree and implement an effective course (see www.e3employmentlaw.co.uk for further details).

Catherine Kennedy

Catherine Kennedy is a Partner and Head of Housing Property with 37-years experience. She has extensive experience in development and commercial lease matters with commercial property transactions of all types, from Social Housing and Urban Regeneration to NHS estate reconfiguration, public private partnerships, funding/development scheme. Catherine’s acted for institutional investors, NHS, local authorities, charities, public bodies, registered providers, educational bodies, residential/ commercial developers on acquisitions, disposals and relating funding, planning, environmental and construction matters. Catherine specialises in complex redevelopment site assembly and disposals with related suites of development documents. She finds innovative solutions to complex site and title issues, unlocking sites for regeneration and development. She has worked closely with public sector clients to regenerate and rationalise their estates. Catherine’s worked with local authorities in connection with their redevelopment brief, devising streamlined procedures. Catherine is leading the team through substantial growth to achieve their ongoing development and commercial objectives . Catherine has overall responsibility for Property services and supports team members in dealing with complex transactions. She has extensive rationalisation experience devising efficient ways to undertake bulk transactions ensuring correct teams are put together to steer matters to conclusion in a timely manner.

Georgina Kenny

Georgina specialises in all aspects of contentious property advice including business lease renewals, rent reviews, restrictive covenant issues, rights of occupation, landlord’s consents, dilapidations, and service charge disputes. Georgina is widely recognised (even by her peers at other firms who regularly recommend their clients to use Georgina when conflicted as) for having extensive experience specifically in complex and high value real estate disputes. Client feedback confirms that Georgina is “approachable”, “she provides clear, concise and practical advice that can be explained at board level easily”. She is widely regarded in the North West for combining technical excellence with a pragmatic approach and clients consistently describe this as invaluable. Georgina’s experience of acting for national commercial clients as well as private landlords has been an asset to the management and marketing of the team. She is always mindful of her client’s end goal ensuring an eye is always kept on managing client’s expectations and costs. Georgina has expertise in advising, resolving, and litigating in the following areas: - \tLease rectifications \tRights of way / boundaries / adverse possession/party wall disputes \tContested lease renewals under the 1954 Landlord and Tenant Act \tDilapidations \tBreak notice disputes \tLandlord’s options in relation to tenant’s breach (commercial) \tResidential landlord and tenant – from service of notices to eviction \tRestrictive covenants \tTelecoms Leases \tLicences to Assign/Vary \tDeeds of Surrender/Settlement/Variation \tProceedings in the First Tier Property Tribunal Georgina heads up the day to day running of the property litigation and now the Debt Collect team and supervises all work carried out by junior members of staff. Within three years at the firm, she has built fantastic relationships with clients and colleagues alike., the firm entrusting her to build the debt collect team as she has property litigation.

Daniel King

Daniel is the Head of the Business and Financial Crime, Proceeds of Crime and Asset Recovery team. He is widely recognised as a leading criminal practitioner in these fields. Recently involved in many serious and complex cases brought by Police, SFO, HMRC, FCA and other agencies both as Case Supervisor and Advocate, including MTIC Fraud, Money Laundering, Investment Fraud, Insider Trading, Fraud by Abuse of position, Banking and Mortgage Frauds, and Large-Scale Asset Recovery Cases. He is also dealing with investigations and forfeiture proceedings in cases involving allegations of fraudulent claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and other Covid-related schemes, and investigations of Misconduct in Public Office. Daniel is currently dealing with cases involving a £75m pension fraud, insider trading. Daniel deals with cases from initial investigation through all stages of criminal proceedings and is an Approved Fraud Case Supervisor with extensive VHCC experience, currently supervising 2 VHCC’s at Southwark Crown Court.

Daniellle Leeming

Danielle joined Forbes in June 2025 and is a Senior Associate Solicitor in the Commercial Property department. Danielle has over 10 years’ experience working with a wide range of clients from Pension Funds, startups, SME’s and Charities. Danielle has a particular specialism in asset management and landlord and tenant matters; dealing with Landlord’s looking to let multiple units on an estate, to assisting client’s looking to take their first lease of a premises or take a lease of a larger building in order to grow their business. Her expertise includes dealing with agreements for lease, long and short-term leases, new leases, renewal leases along with agreements for consent (assignment, underletting, variations to the terms of the lease and licences for alterations). Danielle prides herself on having a commercial approach and enjoys getting involved with clients at an early stage to understand the client’s specific needs and tailor her advice to the client’s requirements. In addition to landlord and tenant matters, Danielle assists clients with purchasing, selling and refinancing their commercial properties and has assisted the corporate team with share and asset disposals and acquisitions.

Craig Liversidge

Craig is the Head of the Crown Court department and the Serious and Complex Crime team. He has extensive experience of all types of Crown Court work representing those charged with serious and complex organised crime, with a particular focus on large scale drugs conspiracies and financial crime. He has significant experience of international drugs trafficking conspiracies, complex gangland cases involving serious violence, human trafficking, and cyber-crime. Over the last 12 months, Craig has represented clients in complex murder cases, importations and supply of class A and B drugs, many different fraud cases, and numerous money laundering prosecutions. He is currently instructed by numerous defendants in a significant VAT fraud, a £260m money laundering case, a misconduct in public office case, a number of murder cases, and many conspiracies to import/ supply drugs all over the Country. Craig heads up the firm’s specialist crime division and is approved by the Legal Aid Agency as a fraud supervisor for the purposes of VHCC cases. He is currently supervising 4 VHCC cases. He operates out of both our Salford and Preston offices.

Helen Marsh

Helen was highlighted as an inspirational woman in business by ‘We are the City’. Helen is a longstanding member of the Manchester Law Society Commercial Property Committee which hosts professional development and social events and is an ambassador of Pro-Manchester – a well-established business developer in the Greater Manchester Business Community. As an ambassador for ‘Women in the Law UK’, Helen supports the next generation of leaders in law and encourages career progression and social mobility. Specialising in retail, with a credible reputation, Helen chaired a Manchester independent retailers’ forum which attracted coverage in Drapers trade magazine and the Manchester Evening News, gaining the interest of the British Independent Retailers Association. Helen was published in Drapers for her views on landlord/tenant collaboration in the retail sector - specifically since the Covid lockdowns. Helen was shortlisted for the SME Growth category of the Women in Business Awards for the Northwest, Wales, Ireland and Isle of Man region recognising her contribution to the growth of her previous firm, HRC Law. Helen has taken the lead in promoting Forbes’ commercial property services in Greater Manchester and nationwide for the retail and hospitality sector and leads a sub-team focussing on landlord and tenant work and corporate property transactions.

Rebecca McCann

Rebecca is a Senior Associate in the Corporate team with extensive experience advising on a wide range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, company restructures, demergers, investments, and joint ventures – across a variety of sectors including, construction, tech and manufacturing. Rebecca is seen as trusted advisor for many clients, which can be seen in the number of repeat instructions she has received from clients over the years. Rebecca has a large number of clients who she has worked with for many years on a regular basis including Acero Construction Limited, Investasurge Limited and J C Walsh & Sons , in relation to all corporate aspects of their businesses from incorporation of new companies, advice on group restructures and supporting on acquisitions and disposals. Rebecca also works with a number of high net-worth investors on a regular basis advising them on a wide range of investments and acquisitions and general corporate matters. Rebecca is known for her client care and level of service which she provides to her clients, which can be seen in the reviews and testimonials including the 5* Review received from a client in relation to a Family Investment Company. Rebecca has developed great referrer relationships with accountants, corporate finance advisors and other professional who also regularly send work to her, which over the years has generated significant fees for the Corporate team and wider Firm, through cross referrals to other teams at Forbes. Rebecca is known for her exceptional organisational and presentational skills, and is comfortable handling work far above many of her peers and takes pride in the level of commitment and client service she brings to each and every transaction on which she works. Rebecca manages multiple large transactions at any one time and typically takes the project management lead on these matters. As part of this role Rebecca works closely with other teams within the Firm to complete extensive due diligence and disclosure exercises, as well as dealing with the other corporate elements of the transaction and negotiating the transactional documents with the other parties. Rebecca has acted on a number of high value deals which include: \tAdvising on the sale of a multimillion pound sale of a Property Investment company, with a value of circa £6m and working closely with the Commercial Property with regards to the due diligence and disclosures required; \tAdvising on the acquisition of an electrical supplier, with a value of £3m, which involved the exercise of an EMI Scheme pre-Completion to multiple employees; \tAdvising one of the principal retail banks in the UK on a multimillion pound facility to a customer, in relation to an acquisition of a caravan site and refinance of existing borrowings, with a total loan value of £8m. The transaction included a variety of security including multiple debentures, cross company guarantees, personal guarantees and legal charges \tAdvising the acquiring company in relation to an Employee Ownership Trust valued at £8m including reviewing and advising on the SPA, EOT Trust Deed and articles of association of the EOT company. The combination of Rebecca’s role in the Corporate team, reputation with clients and referrers, and workload has resulted in Rebecca exceeding her financial targets year upon year whilst also brining in significant fees for the wider Firm. Rebecca was highlighted in the 2025 Lancashire Business View Sub36 for her leadership within the Corporate team and her contribution to developing people, driving growth and delivering more than legal expertise. In addition to her role in the Corporate team, Rebecca is also the secretary of the Forbes Foundation, which is a registered charity providing support to children in England. Rebecca organises various charitable fundraising events in support of the charity alongside the Firm.

Claire Opacic

Claire is a partner in the casualty team and deals with a mixture of employers' liability and public liability claims. She also handles claims with issues under the New Roads and Street Works Act and has experience with product liability claims under the Consumer Protection Act and Sales of Goods Act, acting for both manufacturers and suppliers.

Simon Ost

Employment law partner. Former international law firm partner with over 14 years’ experience advising blue-chip corporates on all aspects of employment law. Highly rated by the legal journals for many years. Works with some of the world’s biggest corporate brands. Part of a unique team of talented employment partners who have moved out of large traditional law firms and who now provide equally effective solutions through a more efficient, boutique employment law firm. Advises on all aspects of employment law and industrial relations issues. Best known for resolving highly sensitive employment problems, advising on the strategy and implementation of change programmes (whether large-scale redundancies, restructuring or relocations) and dealing with difficult industrial relations issues. Particular strengths include tactical foresight, legal clarity and commercial commonsense; so that, no matter how complex or difficult the issue, clients have a solution that works both legally and practically. Like each of his talented colleagues at e3, focus is always on achieving the client’s goal and, just as importantly, doing so in the way that the client wants to achieve it (see www.e3employmentlaw.co.uk for further details).

Katy Parkinson

Katy is a Partner in the Commercial Employment team based in our Lancashire office. Katy takes a proactive and pragmatic approach to advising commercial clients on contentious and non-contentious aspects of the employment lifecycle. She prioritises developing relationships with her clients, taking time to get to know their business and understanding their objectives and the challenges they face. Katy has extensive experience of working closely with clients and providing strategic advice on complex projects such as company restructuring, collective redundancy processes, outsourcing and TUPE. Katy also represents clients when disputes arise, dealing with settlement agreements, ACAS Early Conciliation and Employment Tribunal proceedings. She enjoys working collaboratively with our other commercial teams, providing advice and support to clients on relevant employment law considerations. She works with the Corporate team on transactions, the Insolvency team where they are advising distressed businesses and the Dispute Resolution team on director/shareholder disputes, negotiating senior exits and enforcing restrictive covenants. Katy regularly provides training to clients on a broad range of topics, as well as presenting to the business community at both internal and external events. She prides herself on her Lancashire roots and feels privileged to advise and support SMEs in her local area, although she also regularly advises companies further afield, both nationally and internationally. Clients value her personalised approach coupled with her technical expertise and commercial awareness, and they consistently return to take Katy’s advice.

John Pickervance

John is a Partner heading up the Commercial department and continues to oversee significant growth in the department. This has resulted in the further expansion of the team’s personnel and the subsuming of the ‘Governance, Procurement and Information’ department into the Commercial team. The growth of the department has made it recognised as the region’s most specialist Commercial offering outside of the cities and resulted in work towards the implementation of sub-teams. John is the Head of Forbes’ Manufacturing & Engineering sector group and takes an active role in Forbes’ Construction sector group and wider business development, particularly with regards the firm’s sponsorship of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce’s International Trade Club and its membership of LawPact. With regards LawPact, John maintains his role on the board of directors and is the firm’s lead representative for this network, coordinating referrals in and out. John’s work within the Commercial team relates predominantly to contractual, intellectual property and construction-related matters and he regularly assists clients with trading on a domestic and international basis. John’s ability to retain clients and reignite those who have become ‘dormant’ makes him a key player in managing Forbes’s SME client book and successfully nurturing those clients ready for large transactions.

Ruth Rule-Mullen

Ruth has been our Head of the Public Sector Employment sine 2018 having specialised in employment law for over 25 She delivers sound strategic advice from a position of knowledge and experience, with an impressive understanding of the sector and the specific challenges public sector clients face. She is adept at identifying issues early and providing pragmatic advice to clients tailored to their desired outcomes whilst also offering support and reassurance as to the way forward. She advises on the more complex matters where experience is needed in managing clients’ teams; their trade union relations; their reputational risks; and has a sound understanding of the need for value in line with public sector principles and how clients utilise public money. During 2025-26, she is proud to have led a talented and hard working team who put clients at the forefront of their advice and support. Ruth has played an integral role in supporting, mentoring and developing the team by providing supervision and commercial strategic overview; supporting delegation of work and allocating clients to align with the right team members for them and their work. Ruth is recognised for her key role in securing new clients and managing client relationships; having worked via tender process and seizing opportunities within the sector; whilst still being available to clients to provide complex and technical advice. She works hard to engage with potential new clients; referrers and contacts at an early stage to understand their specific needs and explore ways of working that present quality and value in achieving desired objectives. This allows her to lead the team bringing niche ways of working and new ideas for development of markets where there is sufficient demand whilst sustaining long standing relationships. Ruth is frequently recognised by clients and contacts within the education and public sectors as someone who is a more than able communicator; direct, decisive, and pragmatic and is sought out by clients for her approachability and her ability to work with them to provide solutions. She is sought out regularly due to her reputation in the sector and is able to ably signpost clients to other colleagues in the relevant sectors. Ruth has a particular eye for detail, and has a strong client care ethic with willingness to listen and address the issues clients face which is demonstrated by her long standing relationships with clients. ‎ She is a Trustee for a multi academy trust which gives her another perspective on the issues her clients experience. She has represented both employees and employers at Employment Tribunal, including conducting her own advocacy on multi-day cases. Ruth is also highly experienced in negotiating complex settlements and exits for her clients, and is a skilled investigator. Ruth has carried out several complex and high-profile investigations on behalf of clients and provides strategic advice around complex redundancy and restructures, TUPE and complex discrimination cases. She has recently supported clients to work with colleagues who advise on exclusions and SEND issues arising from complaints received by clients in the education sector. Ruth is a trusted advisor to many clients and colleagues and is recognised as a regular and knowledgeable speaker at events. She has hosted regular Q&As for the Education sector on a variety of topics bringing different areas of law to the sector. She presents webinars and bespoke training sessions to clients including most recently sexual harassment; Employment Rights Act and pay negotiations – collective bargaining, the impact of AI on education. She leads on building profile and presence for the team working in partnership with the Key; ISBL; and LASBM in the education sector. Ruth was involved in speaking at a Panel session at the ISBL national conference in 2025 addressing business leaders in education and following her address was complemented for her understanding of the challenges faced in the sector. She is also a regular contributor on social media and in the press; having been quoted a number of times on press pieces in the education sector and updating the sector; being ahead of the curve on dealing with the real issues in education. She and the team have recently hosted Mock Employment Tribunals; frequent Q&A sessions and Mock Disciplinary cases to provide both paid training and added value for some existing clients and potential new clients. She also recognises the significant contribution of her immediate team and the wider Forbes Education and Housing team; who work together to support the growth and presence in the sectors.

Jennifer Smith

Jennifer joined the firm as a Partner in July 2021, to develop and lead on the firm’s Manchester employment strategy. In September 2024 she was promoted to the position of Head of Commercial Employment, covering both Lancashire and Manchester. Jennifer now leads on the firm’s overall commercial employment strategy, to grow and expand the employment department. A key achievement over the last 12 months, is the building of a solid international client base, which has brought significant additional revenue to the department. The commercial employment team has seen continued significant growth following Jennifer’s appointment, with impressive new client wins. Jennifer continues to work hard to establish strategic partnerships with other organisations and build the Forbes brand within Manchester and Lancashire. Forbes have a strategic relationship with Pro-Manchester and the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce. Jennifer uses her network to collaborate with other well-established businesses, to help build the Forbes brand in Manchester, including the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub. Jennifer was invited to present alongside the UK MD of Hays Recruitment at an invitation only round table event, as a result of the positive feedback regarding Jennifer’s style. Jennifer is recognised and actively sought after as a speaker in the North West on employment and HR matters, regularly speaking at events hosted by the CIPD, charities, government bodies and collaborating with commercial businesses. As a result of her professional reputation as a leading employment law expert and accessible and attentive business advisor in the Manchester business community, Jennifer continues to be an executive director of Pro-Manchester, the largest business development organisation in the North West and has been voted to be the Chair in 2027. Jennifer takes a dynamic and pragmatic approach to finding workable commercial solutions for her clients and provides the best service possible by listening to her client's goals and then being honest and realistic from the outset. Jennifer advises and assists private sector clients, from local SMEs to large multinational companies and PLCs, with particular expertise in the retail, manufacturing and recruitment industries. Jennifer deals with complex restructures and highly sensitive board disputes. She has been invited to provide training and strategy sessions to a variety of different boards of directors, on matters such as sexual harassment in the workplace and difficult restructure touch points, to try and avoid litigation flowing from the process.

Pauline Wild

Pauline took the role of Managing Partner in 2022 and prior to this she was the Head of the firm’s Corporate team overseeing the firm’s commercial strategy. Alongside the other members of the Executive Committee Pauline sets the strategic direction of the firm and plays a leading role in the delivery of that strategy and in the delivery and performance of our teams. Pauline has led on the development of the firm’s Purpose, Vision and Values and passionately believes in the difference between Forbes and other law firms and how we as a business redefine how people feel about lawyers from both an internal and external perspective. Pauline is a passionate, authentic, empathetic leader who truly cares about the development of others. Pauline has dedicated over 22 years of her career to Forbes and is exceptionally proud to be custodian of the firm in her role as Managing Partner. Pauline is a very well-respected corporate lawyer who has been consistently accredited in the Legal 500 as a leading individual in corporate work. Her impressive journey at Forbes, her understanding of the firm’s culture, its people, its clients and her deep understanding of business leaves her very well placed to lead the firm in the next phase of the firm’s journey.

Andrew Wilkinson

Andrew joined Forbes in 2019 as a paralegal in the firm’s Commercial Litigation department and after undertaking a training contract with the firm, qualified into the Commercial Property department in 2023. Andrew assists a range of clients both locally and nationally with a range of commercial property related matters, including buying and selling public houses, agricultural land and other commercial properties, leases of commercial premises and telecommunications apparatus, and secured lending matters. A recent client (tenant of offices to be used in connection with an education and training centre) commented: “I can quite honestly say, I have never worked with such a professional, supportive, understanding solicitor, until we came across Andrew. He is exceptional! He guided us through each and every aspect, his communication was exceptional. I would HIGHLY recommend Andrew and would 100% use him for all future work.” Experience includes: \tAssisting with the purchase and subsequent sale of agricultural land for £2m; \tAssisted with the sale of farm land and buildings from a private individual and a pension scheme for £550,000; \tActed for a tenant taking on a lease of offices in relation to an education and training centre for a 5 year term in the Preston area; \tAssisting on the transfer of 15 properties from one pensions scheme to another with a combined value in the region of £3.6m; \tAssisting landowners entering into a new agreement for telecommunications equipment to be installed or retained at the Property; \tAssisting a private individual in changing the Designated Premises Supervisor on a Premises Licence and assisting with changing the Premises Licence into her own name; \tAssisting a developer in obtaining development finance in the sum of £2.3m to facilitate a development in Cumbria; and Assisting a property developer in the sale of a block of flats in the region of £700,000 which involved liaising with property and letting agents and communicating the change in ownership to the tenants.