Freeths LLP

Freeths LLP

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Leon Arnold

Leon Arnold

Leon is head of the corporate team and has over 20 years’ experience of advising the corporate sector. Recent projects include: Advising the selling shareholders of Two Circles Limited on their disposal to WPP group; advising the Würth Group on its UK acquisitions and disposals; advising the selling shareholders of JGA Limited in its sale to Jensen Hughes, Inc; advising the selling shareholders on the sale of Moo Ltd (trading as Preloved) to the Hut Group PLC; advising the management team in the buy-out of the Bath printing business of Communisis PLC and subsequent acquisitions for the newly formed Integrity Print Limited; advising exiting shareholders on the sale of Sleek to Walgreens Boots Alliance; and advising on the acquisition by Santova Limited (South Africa) of Tradeway North West Limited and Tradeway (Shipping) Limited.
Catherine Bell

Catherine Bell

Catherine is a Director and solicitor-advocate specialising in clinical negligence, with particular expertise in complex neurological claims. She represents both children and adults who have suffered brain damage as a result of medical treatment, including children with cerebral palsy. Catherine also handles a broad range of clinical negligence claims including obstetric and gynaecological injuries, spinal injuries, visual impairment, amputations and fatal claims. Catherine has a proven track record of securing good results in complex high value cases, particularly those involving life changing injuries. She is a strong negotiator who has been praised for her confidence and conviction in fighting for the best outcome. She is recognised for ability to resolve complex issues and to successfully conclude challenging cases, including those considered too difficult by other firms. Catherine is recommended for the way she guides people through the complicated and technical legal process. She helps to secure answers and obtain the compensation to fund care and equipment that can help rebuild their lives. She is praised for her “patience and positivity” and for her supportive, empathetic approach – helping reduce the stress of litigation during what can be a difficult and emotional time. Catherine is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and recognised as a Rising Star in The Legal 500 (2024 edition), meaning she makes a material difference to the firm’s offering. Catherine is accredited as a legal panel member by AvMA, the specialist charity dealing with medical accidents, and also as a senior litigator by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). Catherine is also ranked as a Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners (2024).
Adam Boyd

Adam Boyd

Adam Boyd acts on a full range of contentious real estate matters on behalf of landlords and tenants alike in relation to all aspects of commercial property. This includes managing landlord and tenant disputes, opposed and unopposed lease renewal proceedings, dilapidations claims, rights of way, party wall claims, right to light issues, rent reviews, disputed break notices, applications to assign/underlet, insolvencies, disclaimer, forfeiture and repossession, recovery of rent arrears and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Adam is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 (2024 edition) in Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate.
Tom Burgess

Tom Burgess

Tom specialises in family law and his focus is on helping you to reach an amicable agreement quickly, constructively and cost-effectively. He does this by working with you to find the best approach – whether it’s advising as you seek to reach an agreement yourself; or by going through mediation, or negotiating on your behalf.When going to court is the only option, Tom has extensive experience of contested court proceedings. Tom is a family lawyer primarily based in our Oxford office, but also works from our Milton Keynes office and is able to meet with clients there.Tom is a member of Resolution, a family law professionals’ group committed to resolving family disputes in a constructive, non-confrontational way that puts the best interests of the children first.
Shashi Chambers

Shashi Chambers

Specialist Real Estate Partner with particular focus on development and development finance work.  Many years’ experience of high value commercial transactions, often involving complex issues.  Has acted for developers and funders on mixed use developments.  Currently focussing on the aviation and logistics sectors where recent work includes: Acting on the development and lease of a brand new distribution centre in Swindon for a national logistics client. Advising a major UK airport on a variety of real estate and commercial contracts, many worth millions of pounds. Acting on the development of a new 135,000 sq ft logistics warehouse hub. Advising airports on concessions, tenders and commercial arrangements including contracts specific to airport operators. Acting for a national logistics giant on various projects involving their UK portfolio.
Iain Davis

Iain Davis

Iain specialises in agricultural and rural work, acting for farmers, landowners and landed estates. He is the head of the property department as well as the agricultural and land team. Iain’s work ranges from the acquisition, development and disposal of landed estates, farms and bare agricultural land, to advice on agricultural tenancies, farm business tenancies, and environmental matters. He specialises in the drafting and negotiation of strategic land option and promotion agreements. Recent/significant transactions include: option agreement for over 195 acres of farmland to a national house builder; promotion agreement over 215 acres of farm land on the edge of Thame; hybrid agreement for an Oxford College for over 400 dwellings; option agreements for 85 and 69 acres in relation to a proposed urban extension to a major settlement; sale of greenfield site with the benefit of a residential planning permission for £5.5m; the acquisition of the Kiddington Estate for a sum in excess of £23m; acquisition of a complex and diverse 480 acre unregistered landed estate in Wales, contracts were exchanged within one month of instructions being received; sale of land in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for development of a Centre Parcs style holiday village; purchase of brownfield site for development of a 27 unit commercial business park; sale of greenfield site for development by major landed estate client with complex uplift provisions, the sale was by way of contract race with exchange of contracts taking place within 24 hours of issue of papers; grants of options and leases of wind farm and solar parks.
Charlotte Digby

Charlotte Digby

Charlotte is an Associate in the private client team. She deals with the administration of all types of estates, and has experience of dealing with larger and more complex estates including charitable estates. Charlotte advises on the preparation of Wills, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the preparation of Declaration of Trusts. Charlotte joined the firm as a Solicitor in March 2015. She is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and is currently studying for the examination in Advanced Will Preparation. Charlotte is a member of the Freeths Oxford Initiate team and a member of the Oxford Young Professionals Society. Charlotte has been an active member of the firm’s Charity & Social committee, raising money for Freeths’ chosen charities.
Lynne Foster

Lynne Foster

Lynne is a lawyer who has specialised in clinical negligence for over 14 years. She deals with all types of medical cases but particularly specialises in cardiology, neurology, orthopaedics and general surgery. Lynne has a special interest in fatal claims involving both children and adults. She is accredited by the Law Society as a clinical negligence specialist.Lynne often represents the interests of bereaved families at inquests, particularly where the deceased died in hospital or following medical treatment/surgery. She covers a variety of Coroner’s Courts around the country. Lynne has often assisted the families to recover compensation following the inquest.
Sarah Foster

Sarah Foster

Sarah is the managing partner of the Oxford office of Freeths. She has twenty five years of managing disputes for her clients, with a particular emphasis on inheritance and trust disputes and professional indemnity claims. She heads the private client litigation team in Oxford and deals with a wide range of cases, including issues surrounding the validity of a will; claims against estates for financial provision; disputed trusts; and the removal of executors and trustees. She also acts for private individuals in disputed Court of Protection applications/proceedings during a person’s lifetime. Sarah also has many years’ experience of dealing with claims made against professionals including legal, construction and financial professionals. She specialises particularly in legal or financial claims with a trust or probate background. She also advises on coverage disputes between insurers and insured. Sarah is well known and has been praised by clients for her no nonsense, efficient and diligent approach. She is a fierce advocate of mediation, recognizing that in family disputes particularly, it can be an extremely useful tool to bring about early closure of disputes and at reduced cost.
Sally Goodger

Sally Goodger

Sally works in our firm’s contentious trust and probate team. She acts for individuals and charity clients to resolve disputes arising out of challenges to wills, claims against estates and disputed trusts. Sally’s clients include executors, beneficiaries and trustees. Recognising that costs are often an issue when dealing with disputes, Sally provides clear and regular guidance as to the costs position to keep her clients informed.Building close working relationships with her clients, Sally is able to deliver clear and jargon-free advice to help her clients work through the steps required to achieve a resolution. Disputes over wills/trusts and claims against estates arise at a time when families have lost a loved one, and Sally gains the trust of her clients by dealing sensitively with the issues that arise.
Jemini Gova

Jemini Gova

Jemini has worked as a property solicitor for the past seven years, dealing with a variety of transactions, including refinancing, company purchases, auctions, acting for lenders and acting on behalf of management companies, together with sales, remortgages and transfer of equity matters. Jemini also has a proven track record in fostering strong professional networks within the property sector, effectively connecting with clients and colleagues to facilitate successful outcomes and build enduring relationships. Keeping up to date with knowledge of conveyancing practice, risks management processes and regulations is of upmost importance to Jemini, given the work she carries out acting on behalf of clients.
Philip Gray

Philip Gray

Philip specialises exclusively in commercial real estate matters and has a wide range of experience of all areas of non-contentious commercial property work. He has worked extensively for both landlords and tenants on all leasehold matters (particularly for offices; retail & industrial/warehouse units); handles complex investment sales & purchases; real estate finance; and has considerable experience in advising on the property elements of corporate acquisitions and disposals.As an example of Philip’s experience in the acquisition of business property and its subsequent management, over the past 10 years Philip has acted for a particular business in growing its property portfolio from approximately 30 sites to 200 (comprising retail, warehouse and offices) across the UK. This has included leading the property team on individual and multi-site acquisitions; the leasehold management of those sites (work which involved the grant & taking assignments of leases; lease-re-gears; statutory lease renewals; property disputes; alterations and dilapidations); and their disposal. Clients say that Philip is “consistently available and responsive to all and any advice or solutions that are required either of a technical or commercial nature” and that Philip makes “it his purpose to be totally conversant with every detail of his client’s portfolio and consequently the advice he gives is bespoke to its’ business; not merely generic”
Simon Hobbs

Simon Hobbs

Partner in charge of commercial litigation and restructuring/insolvency in Milton Keynes. Rated in both disciplines in both The Legal 500 and Chambers. On the insolvency front, Simon is a ‘highly rated’ expert on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious corporate and personal insolvency matters, with some 18 years’ experience. On the Commercial Litigation front, he is described by clients as ‘hard working’ with a ‘quietly confident style’. He deals with heavyweight contractual claims for major commercial clients and local SMEs, franchising, shareholder and partnership disputes, professional negligence claims and IP matters. Simon prides himself on building up trusted advisor status with his clients.
Louise Lewis

Louise Lewis

Louise is a Partner and joint head of the Oxford Trusts, Estates and Tax Team. She is a highly regarded private client lawyer who advises on a variety of matters. Louise qualified in 2005 and joined our firm from Penningtons Manches Cooper in June 2019. Louise drafts Wills, sets up and administers trusts, administers estates and drafts and registers powers of attorney. She has expertise in the field of mental capacity and advises on disabled persons’ trusts, deputyships for children reaching adulthood and other welfare-related issues. She prepares lasting powers of attorney and Wills for clients with mental capacity issues and complex applications to the Court of Protection and High Court for mentally incapacitated people. These include applications for statutory Wills, for gifts and trusts, for removal of incapacitated trustees and for welfare decisions. Louise is the Deputy Chair of the steering committee for STEP’s mental capacity special interest group and she Chaired a session on mental capacity and welfare issues at STEP’s global congress in London in summer 2022. She regularly speaks on mental capacity topics and has presented for the Brain Injury Association and the Alzheimer’s Society among others. Louise is a Dementia Friend. In 2020, she completed an advanced STEP certificate in advising vulnerable clients, receiving a distinction. In addition, Louise is a member of the firm’s private wealth initiative and is able to provide advice to business clients on estate planning at all stages of the business cycle.  This includes tax advice and trusts for people exiting their businesses, advice on Wills and the interaction of Wills with corporate structures, advice on suitable structures for start-up owners and new partnerships and advice on trusts to hold company shares. Louise also administers business interests following death of business owners and advises on available tax reliefs for estates. Louise has considerable experience of working with international clients and advises on residence and domicile and cross border estate planning. In June 2023, Louise completed an advanced STEP certificate in UK tax for international clients, receiving a distinction.
Carolyn Lowe

Carolyn Lowe

Carolyn has 23 years’ experience of bringing clinical negligence claims. She deals with all types of medical cases, but particularly specialises in representing bereaved parents in cases which involve stillbirths and neonatal deaths. She also represents children who are brain damaged as a result of negligent care during their birth. Other areas of speciality are in relation to complex orthopaedic claims and cardiac claims. Carolyn has represented numerous families of patients who have died as a result of clinical negligence. She also advises them in relation to Inquests and Coronial law. Recent settlements: (1) £8.5m for a 29 year old man who suffered severe brain damage at birth due to negligent medical care at Luton /7 Dunstable Hospital. He has cerebral palsy and requires 24 hour care. (2) Represented a woman who suffered severe damage to her shoulder as a result of a failure to diagnose and properly treat a bone infection at Milton Keynes Hospital. A settlement of £200,000 was achieved. 3) Achieved a £750,000 settlement for a man whose claim related to negligent knee surgery. This left him with severe, permanent pain and being likely to require an amputation. (4) Settlement of £500,000 for a man who has suffered permanent damage to his heart after his GP failed to deal adequately with symptoms of endocarditis, a severe infection of the heart. (5) Settlement of £480,000 for a man and his young children who lost their wife and mother as a result of negligent care by her General Practitioner
Jane Maitland

Jane Maitland

Jane advises on wealth preservation through estate, succession and tax planning for farming, agricultural, landed and business clients through wills and trusts acting for UK-based and non-resident clients. She deals with complex estate administrations; private and charitable trusts; literary estates and Court of Protection work. Jane also acts as an independent administrator appointed by the Court in estates where there are family disputes and legal claims. Her work includes: trustee of multimillion pound trust holding a wide range of assets including commercial property, woodland, publicly and privately quoted shares; executor of a landed estate including agricultural and residential properties, agricultural land, animals, and personal chattels subject to conditional exemption from inheritance tax; advising the partners of a farming business in the exercise of an option to purchase a deceased’s partner’s share maximising the use of tax reliefs; creating, managing and dissolving trusts of shares in private limited companies; estate planning for farming partners grazing sheep and raising poultry, a farm shop, horses and holiday lets; deputy appointed by the Court of Protection to manage the affairs of clients incapable of managing their own financial affairs by reason of age infirmity or accident; managing multimillion pound clinical negligence awards on behalf of children or adults suffering brain injury; acting as independent administrator in contested estates; clerk to private charitable trust.
Gemma Nicholls-Webber

Gemma Nicholls-Webber

Gemma is a senior associate in the family team, and has specialised in financial matters and arrangements for children for over 10 years. Gemma’s work has been recognised by the Legal 500 and the high calibre of her work means she is one of their recommended ‘Next Generation’ lawyers. Her clients regularly include business owners and directors, investment property owners, academics, teachers, medical professionals, those involved in the rural sector and members of the uniformed services (such as military and police).She supports her clients with advice where they feel able to discuss matters with their former partner, either through mediation or direct conversations.Gemma believes her clients benefit from her constructive way of dealing with matters and so has been a member of Resolution (previously the Solicitors Family Law Association) since 2006. She trained at Freeths, when it was known as Henmans, both in Oxford and Woodstock, and has been with the family team in Oxford since qualification.
Will Richmond-Coggan

Will Richmond-Coggan

Will is a Partner specialising in data protection advice, both contentious and non-contentious. Will advises a range of clients from large multi-nationals looking to ensure that their UK/EU operations are compliant with the requirements of GDPR while integrating with their worldwide activities, through to start ups particularly working in the deep tech fields like AI, facial recognition and big data applications.   As a nationally recognised expert on GDPR and data protection matters, Will has established a broad practice servicing clients across the UK, as well as having considerable experience in advising clients based in the US/Canada and in the Far East. He provides strategic advice to help clients to build products and services around the concepts of data protection by design, supports clients with their transformation or compliance audit activities, and represents clients in contentious matters up to and including at Court in appropriate circumstances.   Will’s broader disputes work encompasses a range of commercial technology disputes. He has acted for national and international hardware and software companies in litigating over misuse of their information; breaches of contract and diversion of business and for smaller clients in some ground-breaking litigation around social media litigation.
Nigel Roots

Nigel Roots

Nigel has been a specialist trust and estate practitioner for over 30 years. He has experience of estate administrations of all sizes and complexities, both domestic and international. This covers tax and trust planning, trust management and modification both onshore and offshore, complex estate administrations, literary estates, heritage property, charity issues and court of protection issues. These include disputed, high value and multi asset estates. He acts as a Court appointed independent administrator and Judicial Trustee in disputed trust and probate matters. He also lectures widely on tax and trust matters Nigel is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and recognised as a Leading Individual in Charities & Not-for-profit as well as for personal tax, trusts and probate by the Legal 500 (2023 edition). The Chambers & Partners (2023 edition) listed Nigel as a Leading Individual and he’s recognised in the Chambers High Net Worth Ranking (2023 edition).
Rosalyn Shephard

Rosalyn Shephard

Rosalyn is an associate in the Dispute Management department. She deals with a variety of disputes including agricultural, residential and commercial property, contentious probate, charities litigation, Court of Protection litigation and professional negligence. Rosalyn also advises on enforcement of judgments once obtained.Rosalyn qualified in September 2013 and has experience in handling complex high value claims in the High Court, as well as claims in the County Court and Land Registration Tribunal. She acts for private individuals, companies, trustees and administrators of estates.
Leo Skinner

Leo Skinner

Head of the firm’s drinks hospitality and leisure specialist department. The drinks hospitality and leisure department is the only completely industry sector focussed offer in the UK to our knowledge. The department acts for many of the leading names in the drinks, pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels and late night sectors as well as leisure and gaming clients. The department is supported with specialist licensing services from the firm’s Leicester office and also benefits from the full service offer including real estate, employment, IT/trade marks, commercial, corporate finance, tax, construction and planning.
Joanne Thomas

Joanne Thomas

Joanne has specialised in all aspects of Family Law since qualifying in 2012, developing a particular expertise in advising on marital agreements, divorce, cohabitation disputes and financial matters arising from the breakdown of a relationship. She regularly advises on cases involving family businesses, inherited wealth and complex legal issues.Whether advising on financial matters or disputes involving children, Joanne is dedicated to providing clear, pragmatic advice, which enables her clients to achieve the best, long-term solution.As a member of Resolution, a national organisation of professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes, Joanne advocates resolving family issues as amicably and cost-effectively as possible, particularly where children are involved. However, it is not always possible to resolve family issues without involving the Court. Where contested court proceedings are instigated, Joanne is highly experienced in advising and supporting clients through the legal process.
Patrick Whetter

Patrick Whetter

Patrick specialises in many aspects of commercial property with particular expertise in commercial landlord and tenant, freehold acquisitions and disposals, developing out sites and all aspects of property portfolio management. He deals with a variety of complex commercial transactions including conditional contracts and options, sales and leasebacks, corporate support transactions and secured lending. Patrick deals primarily with industrial/warehouse sites and office blocks and his clients include landlords and tenants, property investors and occupiers, developers, banks and pension funds. While Patrick has a very strong landlord following he also acts for tenants on some of the most prominent business and industrial parks in the UK. Patrick also acts for one of the major Oxford University institutions on its property portfolio management and acquisitions of office and warehouse accommodation. Some examples of Patrick’s recent experience are: acting for landlords on general portfolio management issues such as lease renewals, termination notices, negotiating new leases, licences to assign/alter/change use, variations, surrenders, rent deposits, rent reviews and advising on dilapidation issues. Patrick also acts for many tenants on their own property portfolios, ie acting for a tenant this year on a 10 year lease of industrial premises at an annual rental value of £1.7m conditional plus valuable landlord’s and tenant’s works; complex disposals and leasebacks for sellers requiring capital and also disposals and leasebacks involving Heritage Fund grants and SIPPs; secured lending for banks and also acting for landlords on corporate refinancing of commercial property portfolios including a recent refinance of 30 industrial units over four sites.
Melanie Williams

Melanie Williams

Melanie is appointed as a professional property and affairs deputy in the Court of Protection for those with dementia, learning disabilities and acquired brain injury. This role involves taking responsibility for the financial assets of someone who lacks the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Melanie provides advice and support to lay deputies about their ongoing responsibilities. She can advise and assist with property and affairs applications, welfare applications deputyship returns and damages award management. She frequently makes applications to the Court of Protection for a statutory will where somebody cannot make their own will; instructions are taken, often from the deputy or a family member, and a draft of a proposed will is sent to the Court of Protection for approval. Representations may be made to Court by those who will be affected by the new will. Where possible, if all parties can agree, the matter can be concluded without the need for an attended hearing at Court. Melanie also deals with the drafting and administration of personal injury trusts including High Court approved trusts for injured children. She has a special interest in NHS Continuing Healthcare matters and represents clients going through the assessment process. She recently worked with a team of professionals to secure funding for a client with an acquired brain injury, living in her own home, where a primary health need could be evidenced. Where NHS funding is not available, Melanie advises on whether an application should be made for local authority funding. She recently pursued funding for a client which resulted in Social Services agreeing to pay for a package of care worth £6,000 per month and reimbursing fees of £120,000 already paid.