Judge & Priestley LLP > Bromley, England > Firm Profile
Judge & Priestley LLP Offices

JUSTIN HOUSE
6 WEST STREET, BROMLEY, KENT
DX 117600 BROMLEY 7
BR1 1JN
England
Judge & Priestley LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Dispute resolution > Debt recovery Tier 1
With noteworthy specialism in public sector and utility debt recovery, Judge & Priestley LLP's team is praised by clients for its ‘knowledge and technical expertise’, and is well-versed in the full spectrum of pre-action work, volume debt recoveries, and judgment enforcement. Practice head Rachel Addai demonstrates is particularly knowledgeable of adult social care debts, community infrastructure levies and debts recoverable from estates of deceased individuals. Uday Patel leads the commercial litigation team, regularly representing gas and electricity supply companies. Robert Davis and Mark Younger, who lead the subrogated recoveries unit, are experts in debt recovery in the insurance sector.Practice head(s):
Rachel Addai; Robert Davis; Mark Younger; Uday Patel
Other key lawyers:
Leonie-Robyn Murtagh
Testimonials
‘Their knowledge and technical expertise in debt resolution is industry leading.’
‘Rachel Addai, is a pleasure to work with. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience which she is always happy to share. Rachel is very well respected across local authorities. She is a very grounded person, who always puts forward a well-rounded perspective to ensure clients make an informed decision.’
‘The Debt Recovery team at J&P is well organised, efficient in their practices, and always helpful. The team is dedicated to providing a top-level service to its clients. I can confidently say no matter the type of debt, it is well understood and managed by the team. The online monitoring portal is fantastic in being able to source real-time updates on all cases. I would highly recommend J&P as a suitable debt recovery agency. ’
‘Uday Patel manages the team in a way that sees a high volume of work being efficiently completed, without compromising the high standards we have become accustomed to. We have seen a marked improvement in our pre-legal debt recovery rates with J&P at the helm of our external debt recovery efforts.’
Key clients
London Borough of Southwark
Crown Commercial
Edge Recovery Limited
Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Tier 2
Led by the ‘personable and thorough’ Brian Tan and the ‘pragmatic and emotionally intelligent’ David Chandra, based Bromley and Sidcup respectively, the ‘hugely approachable and empathetic’ private client practice at Judge & Priestley LLP specialises in philanthropy issues, international estates, succession of digital assets, and EU Succession Regulation. The department spans four offices across Kent and Blackheath and has a strong estate management practice as well as expertise in private wealth disputes and a dedicated Court of Protection team.Practice head(s):
David Chandra; Brian Tan
Other key lawyers:
Peter Taylor
Testimonials
‘The team has always delivered in line with expectations, carrying out a variety of tasks. This was dealt with professionally and sensitively.’
‘Brian Tan has looked after several of my clients and they’ve all been really happy with him. Brian takes the time to understand what the clients are looking for, to guide them through the process, helping them to understand what he’s doing and what it will achieve for them. This is something they all appreciate.’
‘Hugely approachable and empathetic.’
‘Very approachable, putting what can be quite complicated issues in a simple to understand format.’
‘They are extremely professional and are always on hand to offer guidance, especially on complex matters.’
‘Brian Tan is personable and thorough. David Chandra is pragmatic and emotionally intelligent.’
‘They are knowledgeable, able to solve problems and always wiling to get the job perfectly done.’
‘It is my privilege to recommend Brian Tan. He has an excellent analytical skill, he is always available and he can formulate very effective strategy. He also has an excellent sense of humour.’
Real estate > Social housing Tier 2
Judge & Priestley LLP has in-depth expertise in the full scope of social housing litigation matters, such as nuisance cases, neighbour disputes, disrepair claims, and tenancy fraud. Leading the team in Bromley, Nitika Singh is particularly skilled at navigating sensitive matters that involve mental health concerns, and damages and possession claims. Mark Oakley is a seasoned member of the team who focuses on property litigation. The team was strengthened by the addition of Andrew Barron, who joined in August 2023, bringing his extensive in-house experience with housing provider.Practice head(s):
Nitika Singh
Other key lawyers:
Mark Oakley; Andrew Barron; James De Vere Moss; Pamela Bachu
Testimonials
‘The housing team is well organised and personable. The fee earners have a good understanding of their cases and have good relationships with the local authority clients.’
‘The team consistently ensures that the barrister is familiar with the client and the case before attending court. They always prepare an excellent brief. It is a pleasure to work with them.’
‘Pamela Bachu is a senior member of the team and extremely knowledgeable about her cases and clear about the relevant legal arguments. Her leadership on a case is dynamic. She takes all aspects of a case into consideration and is extremely good to work with.’
‘The team are always easy to contact when we need urgent assistance or advice. In complex matters, the cases are allocated to the person with the relevant experience to deal with the matter appropriately.’
‘Nitika Singh, Pamela Bachu, and Andrew Barron are always on hand to give very experienced advice, knowledge, and support wherever needed.’
‘They are a very skilled team who give great legal advice.’
‘They are quick to reply to queries quickly. They are clear and concise.’
Key clients
Housing Association Legal Alliance
Eastlight Community Homes
Central Housing Investment Consortium Ltd
London Borough of Southwark
Barnet Homes
London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Lambeth
London Borough of Camden
Wandle Homes
Birmingham City Council
Open Door Homes
Devon Mansions TMO
Browning E.M.A. TMO
D’eynsford TMO
Phoenix Community Housing
Southern Housing Group
First Garden Cities Home
Tower Hamlets Community Housing
Work highlights
- Represented a local authority in possession and injunction actions against a tenant who refused to vacate temporary accommodation.
- Provided advice to a residential provider in relation to the Building Safety Act 2022.
- Represented a local authority in relation to a retrospective application for dispensation.
Dispute resolution > Debt recovery Tier 2
Judge & Priestley LLP is well known for its work in the utility supplies industry and for its assistance with all areas of local authority debts, counting several borough councils as clients. The group is divided into asset recoveries and commercial litigation work. Other key clients include several motor and property insurers. Practice head Rachel Addai often leads the group’s work on local authority debt recovery. Frances Boxall is particularly strong in advising on deceased debtor recoveries, while Mark Younger is the lawyer to call up for subrogated recoveries.Practice head(s):
Rachel Addai
Other key lawyers:
Robert Davis; Mark Younger; Frances Boxall
Testimonials
‘Very client-focussed. Strong leadership and excellent client care.’
‘Rachel Addai is a fantastic lawyer and always on-hand.’
‘They are responsive and come up with practical solutions to help us achieve our aims.’
‘The individuals dealt with me in a professional way and showed patience and understanding during my many enquiries.’
Key clients
London Borough of Southwark
Crown Commercial
Edge Recovery Limited
Private client > Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Tier 3
Judge & Priestley LLP‘s ‘standout team of family specialists' advises clients on the full range of divorce, financial remedy, and children matters, including nuptial and cohabitation agreements, an area of speciality for ‘superstar' practice head Kelly Sharman. A particular area of strength for the team is its cross-border capabilities; Maria Conesa Gonzalez is noted for her deep knowledge of international children law, and is dual qualified.Practice head(s):
Kelly Sharman
Other key lawyers:
Maria Consela Gonzalez; Angela Amponsah; Yanoulla Kakoulli
Testimonials
‘This is an exceptional team in the Kent area, with a standout team of family specialists.’
‘The head of the team, Kelly Sharman is a superstar. She is a master of her craft and the most talented and respected leader of her generation. She is the absolute go to for HNW and UHNW finance matters.’
‘The team at Judge & Priestley LLP work effortlessly to ensure high standards are met and upheld across the firm. They ensure smooth and efficient coordination between case handlers to facilitate the best outcomes for each client.’
‘They are a diverse group. Their diversity relates to the languages spoken, culture and religion followed, experience and expertise. They assist one another in bringing understanding to a wide range of individual client needs.’
‘Maria Conesa Gonzalez is a stand out partner. She makes everything looks easy and takes everything in her stride. She has an innate ability to place client’s at ease even if the most difficult of circumstances.’
‘Judge and Priestley are a long-standing and highly regarded firm for children cases. Any client could be confident of getting an excellent service from them. Within the team there is real strength in depth and they now have real expertise in international children matters, supplemented by a network of international professional links, in particular with Spanish matters.’
‘Maria Conesa Gonzalez is a careful and astute international family practitioner. She is highly knowledgeable about international children law and has fostered a network of international professionals outside of the jurisdiction that she can reliably work with in order to provide a cohesive service covering linked matters, such as immigration and status.’
‘Angela Amponsah is very committed to her clients and has an extremely approachable and friendly manner. She provides sound and commercial advice to ensure settlement.’
Work highlights
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex Tier 4
The commercial and local authority division of Judge & Priestley LLP ‘s Bromley-based credit solutions team handles local authority, contractual, general commercial and insolvency disputes. Rachel Addai spearheads the department while Uday Patel leads the commercial litigation team, expanding the firm’s focus into the utilities sector and insolvency litigation.Practice head(s):
Rachel Addai; Uday Patel
Other key lawyers:
Leonie-Robyn Murtagh; Danielle Armstrong
Testimonials
‘Good mix of people with a wide range of knowledge. Each one of easy to work with.’
‘Good commerciality in considering matters.’
‘The team at J&P always go above and beyond what we ask of them. They are comprehensive in their communications, prompt at updating us on open files/cases, with accurate and helpful advice. Mentoring throughout the firm is evident to see in Partners and Associates assisting colleagues at all levels, with members of the team evolving and expanding their knowledge as time passes.’
‘Uday Patel, Partner, takes the time to understand the client, their needs, and ultimately what our desired outcome is in any matter. I have worked with Uday for a number of years now, and this has never faltered. He is exceptionally observant to details that I have witnessed be overlooked by other legal professionals in the past, and will go out of his way to see that his team are well resourced and supported.
‘Danielle Armstrong, Solicitor, is our main day to day contact within the litigation team, and we cannot fault her on how she manages our cases. She is very clear with the advice she provides, and how she intends on approaching a matter before she does so. We are kept abreast of progress throughout the entirety of a case, and rushed deadlines are never an issue. I would happily recommend Uday, Danielle and J&P as a firm for anyone requiring legal services.’
‘Judge & Priestly LLP are very good at what they do. They handle our cases with professionalism and easy to work with. We can always count on the experience and capability of the entire team and are very satisfied with their services over the years.’
‘J&P have a wonderful team who understands our business and sectors. They provide timely, accurate and efficient advice. Their success rate is close above 90%.’
Key clients
London Borough of Southwark
Crown Commercial
Edge Recovery Limited
Work highlights
Judge & Priestley LLP > Firm Profile
With offices in Bromley, Beckenham, Blackheath and Sidcup, Judge & Priestley is one of the leading providers of legal services in the South East London / Kent and Surrey borders. Supported by ongoing investment in the latest technologies and its skilled workforce, it is developing an increasingly national presence in areas of key competency and specialism. The practice has long-standing commercial clients of all sizes across many business areas and in the public sector, and a thriving practice delivering support and legal advice to private individuals.
Founded in 1889, this practice has always looked to move with the times, while not forgetting that expert service and value for money never go out of fashion. It prides itself on providing high-quality, value-for-money legal services for businesses, local authorities, housing associations and individuals alike, who value trusted independent and expert advice.
The firm’s commitment to quality and high levels of service has been recognised by several independent external bodies. The practice has been awarded the Law Society’s rigorous Practice Management Standard Lexcel. It also holds the ‘Investors in People’ award, which confirms the commitment to staff training and development. The firm takes security of client data very seriously, holding the ISO27001 IT data security standard and the government accredited Cyber Essentials Plus award.
Principal areas of work: The property litigation and housing management teams have long been recognized in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for their expertise in social housing matters and advise on a range of contentious property issues. The housing management team has been acting, predominantly for landlords, for over 20 years. Clients include leading London local authorities and housing associations such as LB Southwark, LB Havering, Barnet Homes and Wandle Housing Association etc. along with developers and private landlords. The team advise on all aspects of leasehold management and a variety of other litigious matters including disrepair claims, possession proceedings, squatters, unauthorised occupiers, adverse possession claims, and nuisance-related matters etc.
J&P Credit Solutions, the specialist debt recovery and commercial litigation department of the practice is ranked in Tier 1 of the Legal 500 and has grown significantly in recent years. The department has an excellent reputation in the industry in key specialist areas including local authority debt recovery, utilities collections and subrogated insurance losses arising from road traffic claims for example. The team has over 20 years’ experience in acting for local authorities and represents an ever growing number of London boroughs and Midlands authorities, assisting and supporting a variety of debt recovery strategies including adult social care charges, residential charges, home care charges, service charges, deceased debtor, CIL and sundry debts. The team also has a growing reputation in the fields of insolvency, and other complex commercial and contract litigation. The insurance team has also been recovering debts for insurance clients for over 20 years, and clients include several leading national insurers. The department has considerably expanded its bulk pre-legal capabilities as it looks to enhance its growing reputation in general commercial and consumer debt collections. It already works for many national and international businesses in the utilities, finance and other business sectors, providing efficient value-for-money solutions and working closely to align debt recovery processes with clients’ internal systems and workflows.
Judge & Priestley has one of the largest residential conveyancing teams in the SE London area, with experienced partners for both professional property investors and private clients, and a separate team providing specialist advice on lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement.
The private client team has also been recognised in the Legal 500 currently ranked in Tier 2. The department focuses on wills, trusts and probate with a particular emphasis on contested probate, inheritance tax planning, elderly client services and trusts involving foreign jurisdictions.
Led by three highly experienced private litigation experts, our Private Wealth Disputes team provide sensitive and expert advice in all areas of inheritance and wills and trust disputes. The team has an in-depth understanding of the laws relating to the distribution of assets and have an enviable track-record of resolving private wealth disputes in a timely manner, whilst being considerate of the high emotions such disputes can often elicit.
The family team, currently ranked tier 3 in The Legal 500, offers a full range of services covering family, children and divorce law and the private dispute resolution team assists individuals and businesses with all manner of disputes including employment law, contract disputes, insolvency and bankruptcy and professional negligence for example.
The commercial property team covers a range of work for businesses, including site acquisition, development, purchasing and selling or leasing commercial property. The company commercial team provides a broad spectrum of advice including business start-ups and structure, employment, sale and purchase of companies, partnership and shareholder agreements, management buy-outs and formation of limited liability partnerships.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Managing partner and Commercial/Property Development | Steven Taylor | [email protected] | |
Company commercial | Neil Cuffe | [email protected] | |
Social housing management | Nitika Singh | [email protected] | |
Social housing management | Pamela Bachu | [email protected] | |
Debt recovery | Robert Davis | [email protected] | |
Debt recovery | Mark Younger | [email protected] | |
Insolvency and bankruptcy | Rachel Addai | [email protected] | |
Debt Recovery | Uday Patel | [email protected] | |
Dispute resolution and Private Wealth Disputes | Mark Oakley | [email protected] | |
Family | Kelly Sharman | [email protected] | |
Family | Maria Conesa Gonzalez | [email protected] | |
Private client and Private Wealth Disputes | David Chandra | [email protected] | |
Private Client | Brian Tan | [email protected] | |
Private Wealth Disputes | Christopher Elliott | [email protected] | |
Employment and dispute resolution | Paul Stevens | [email protected] | |
Residential conveyancing | Madelaine Henwood | [email protected] | |
Residential Conveyancing | Kavitha Rajah | [email protected] | |
Residential Conveyancing | Louise Hyland | [email protected] | |
Debt Recovery | Frances Boxall | [email protected] |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Ms Rachel Addai | Partner and and Joint Head of J&P Credit Solutions | View Profile |
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Mr Andrew Barron | Partner and Assistant Head of Housing | View Profile |
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Mr David Chandra | Head of Private Client. | View Profile |
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Mr Neil Cuffe | Partner | View Profile |
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Ms Maria Conesa Gonzalez | Partner | View Profile |
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Ms Madelaine Henwood | Partner and Head of Residential Conveyancing | View Profile |
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Mr Mark Oakley | Partner and Head of Property Litigation | View Profile |
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Mr Uday Patel | Partner | View Profile |
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Ms Kelly Sharman | Partner and Head of Family | View Profile |
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Ms Nitika Singh | Partner and Head of Housing Management Team | View Profile |
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Mr Brian Tan | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Steven Taylor | Managing Partner and Head of Property Department | View Profile |
Solicitor Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Ms Angela Amponsah | Partner | View Profile |
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Ms Danielle Armstrong | Solicitor | View Profile |
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Ms Pamela Bachu | Consultant | View Profile |
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Ms Frances Boxall | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr james De Vere Moss | Senior Associate Solicitor | View Profile |
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Ms Yanoulla Kakoulli | Senior Associate Solicitor | View Profile |
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Leonie Murtagh | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Peter Taylor | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 23 Number of other UK fee-earners : 102 Number of consultants : 2 Total number of staff : 217Languages
Spanish HindiDiversity/Community
At Judge & Priestley LLP we are proud of our record on diversity and inclusion.
We are, unlike some small / mid-sized practices, fully signed up to the Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter, but more important than just signing; we are fully committed to implementing the spirit of the charter.
Here are some key figures from our diversity and inclusion data. Among our legal fee earners, c. 66% are female and c. 45% are from a non “white British” background. Among our partners, white British males, represent a minority, at some 42% of the total partner count.
Our approach to diversity and inclusion is straight forward. We simply employ and promote the best applicants to our business, regardless of sex, colour, race or creed.