Spencer West LLP logo

Spencer West LLP

Show options

Lawyers

search
Sonya Bassett
Sonya Bassett
Sonya is a business leader with an entrepreneurial edge, able to add value to any board or assist a rapidly growing business which is seeking an advisor with an attention to detail to join and support their management team. Sonya has worked in the private sector as a legal director of one of the UK’s leading energy efficiency businesses. A strong negotiator and mediator with commercial experience and a flexible attitude to do what it takes to get a job done. Whilst leading large transactions Sonya has also worked on a large array of bespoke commercial contracts and provided advice in respect of renewable energy issues as and when they arise. Sonya utilises her experience of running a business through the ups and downs of the government tariffs alongside her unique approach to client service to successfully assist a great deal of businesses through a variety of projects and transactions. Sonya has been recognised in Legal 500 for her work assisting SME’s in Cornwall and the South-West and for expertise in the renewables and tourism and sectors. Sonya is currently also a non-executive director of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which operates an airline, airport and marine businesses, based in locations across West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and chairs the Group’s environmental and remuneration committees.
Jo Probert
Jo Probert
Jo is a corporate lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience at some of the top law firms both nationally and in the South West region. After graduating from the University of Kent she spent her early career with Dickson Minto W.S., a specialist mergers and acquisitions law firm in the City of London. During her time with Dickson Minto she led on a Euros 800 million private equity transaction. Prior to joining Probert Legal Limited, Jo was part of the Business Group at Michelmores LLP for nine years, where she rose to become a Corporate Partner. Over the last few years she has worked on transactions ranging from £250,000 to £90m. These included the MBO of Dartington Crystal and the sale of the UK’s largest solar park. She has been singled out for praise by the Chambers Legal Guide.
Sonya Bedford
Sonya Bedford
Sonya Bedford is a leading solicitor practitioner in the field of renewable energy with over 20 years’ experience in the field. Her expertise covers all technologies involved in renewable energy including wind (wind farms, large and small scale single turbines), solar (PV and thermal), hydro, wave, biomass, anaerobic digestion. It also covers leasing, construction, operation and maintenance contracts, energy regulation, land agreements, power purchase agreements and community projects. Her expertise encompasses work in private practice and also for a public authority involved in procurement in this sector. Specific areas of expertise include:- Wind farms – land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Ground mount solar - land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Public sector power purchasing, including procurement and state aid District heat – connection and supply agreements / leases / concessions Roof top solar – leasing, operation and maintenance contracts, construction contracts Anaerobic digestion – feedstock contracts, supply contracts, power purchasing Local energy markets, microgrids, smart energy contracting Energy regulation and energy supply contracts Financing of renewable energy projects; equipment warranties; energy planning Community energy – all aspects Sustainable development - co housing, eco villages, commonhold Sonya has been awarded an MBE for her contribution to advancing renewable energy in community projects.
Christian Wilson
Christian Wilson
Christian is a specialist Employee Ownership Trust lawyer and is ranked a Leading Individual in Legal 500 and a Notable Practitioner in Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession. Having supported owner managed businesses through the trials and tribulations of trade sales and management buy-outs, Christian now predominantly supports companies considering a transition to employee ownership. Having led the project to take the first law firm in the UK into a model of employee ownership Christian’s work includes supporting other law firms to become employee-owned in the highly regulated world of law firm ownership and management. In the last year alone Christian has worked with, advised and supported over 30 companies to consider, begin and complete their succession into employee ownership. Christian is an independent trustee of three EOTs and has been chair of several charities and was a non-executive director of the Eden Project.
Sharokh Koussari
Sharokh Koussari
Sharokh represents a broad range of UK and overseas corporate clients, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals advising them on employment and commercial litigation matters. His clients are involved in various sectors, including wealth management, banking and finance, media, retail, technology, energy and renewables, and real estate. He regularly advises clients tactically in contentious situations with the aim of achieving solutions commercially and effectively. He regularly advises clients on shareholders’ and boardroom disputes, as well as heavy employment matters successfully resolving complex contentious issues. Sharokh has been rated by Chambers Global. He works regularly with international clients using his language skills. He is on the advisory board of Goal UK, the international humanitarian agency dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the poorest of the poor. He is multilingual in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Farsi. Sharokh was recognised by the UK Legal 500 2020 and 2021 editions as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ within ‘Commercial Litigation’ and ‘Employment: Employers and Senior Executives’, ‘who has been noted in previous editions are being ‘highly experienced‘ and for ‘thinking outside the box to find creative solutions’. The UK Legal 500 2020 testimonials for Sharokh described him being: “strong tactically” and  “a wise and measured litigator with commercial sensitivity and business acumen. He knows when to fight and when to negotiate a settlement and excels in both’. ‘Sharokh Koussari has a broad based practice and a commercial outlook; he is strong tactically’. Legal 500 2021 client testimonials provided: “He is a strategic thinker, able to grasp complex issues very quickly. Sharokh is a shrewd negotiator who sees the big picture and is able to come up with solutions to very complex problems.” “Sharokh Koussari’s advice has been very valuable to me. He navigated me through challenging situations with expertise and foresight. He has a no-nonsense approach to dealing with disputes which is just what you need, when dealing stressful high level employment disputes.” “Sharokh Koussari is a shrewd negotiator who sees the big picture and is able to draw focus to and prioritise elements that need critical attention.”
Dhana Doobay
Dhana Doobay
Dhana’s career has spanned decades of sector evolution from the early privatisation of state owned operators, to market liberalisation and competition, the rise of convergence, the emergence of globalisation and the onset of digital disruption, adjacent market diversification and business transformation. Navigating the legal challenges of a constantly innovating market for extensive numbers of clients over the years, provides Dhana with an experienced basis from which to advise TMT clients on a range of strategic transactions, business critical and transformational issues against an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape. Having also worked extensively with in-house teams, often as a “trusted adviser”, Dhana is able to integrate effectively and efficiently with clients’ internal and external advisers, as well as engaging with senior management, company boards and other stakeholders where needed. Dhana’s experience includes advising on: Commercial services agreements Regulatory licensing, strategy and policy Outsourcing agreements Network/infrastructure agreements (fixed, mobile, satellite, subsea) M&A, joint ventures and other market consolidation and diversification strategies Dispute resolution and settlement strategies Privatisations, international “best practice” regulatory and liberalisation projects.
Naylah Hamour
Naylah Hamour
Naylah is an experienced employment and commercial litigator representing both individuals and businesses. For individuals, Naylah assists them to navigate employment difficulties, such as discrimination, whistleblowing or restrictive covenants, and will negotiate and advise on exits and high-value settlement agreements. She also deals with the full spectrum of Employment Tribunal claims. Naylah will also review and negotiate contracts, packages and/or bonus arrangements for those moving into new roles. For businesses, Naylah advises clients on strategy and resolution of contentious situations, including negotiating solutions or defending tribunal claims. Naylah also works closely with clients and HR professionals to provide advice and support in relation to employee management, and employment documentation and policy. Naylah also specialises in Commercial Litigation, with a particular interest in enforceability of restrictive covenants and remedies for breach, injunctions, bonus claims and boardroom disputes. There is often an international element to Naylah’s matters, such as cross-border, jurisdictional issues or advice to businesses with international interests. In non-contentious matters Naylah has an extensive background in transactional work, TUPE and other employment aspects of corporate restructures.   Testimonials Naylah Hamour is extremely savvy and able to see round corners to ensure winning strategies at all times. Naylah Hamour really tries to achieve the best result for her clients. I value Naylah Hamour’s technical expertise, her strategies and very importantly her warmth and empathy. I contacted a few firms before settling for Naylah Hamour. The main reason I chose her was the personal attention to my care. Naylah was readily available, a listening ear, comforting and patient, understanding and compassionate. All qualities who made her not just personable but - even more importantly - trustworthy. Naylah Hamour is an outstanding lawyer for senior individuals. She has a rare tenacity and creativity. Naylah Hamour is a passionate fighter for her clients and gets outstanding results. Naylah Hamour is a great advisor and handled my case really well
David Morton
David Morton
David is a transactional finance lawyer with over 25 years’ experience gained at some of the leading national and international law firms. Based in Scotland, David has advised both lenders and borrowers on the full range of transactional banking covering real estate finance, leveraged finance, growth finance and asset based lending. Across the UK and further afield. Various matters that David has handled over the years include: acting for a leading hotel chain in £40m development funding of a hotel in Glasgow advising private equity groups on the multi-million pound acquisition of a leading brand of garden centres representing a funding syndicate on the multi-million management buyout of field sales solutions provider McCurrach representing the borrower on multi-million acquisition and development finance in respect of a mixed use commercial site in Bristol representing leading Scottish bank in providing growth finance to a national house builder representing leading Scottish bank on a growth finance facility for various technology companies based in the UK and overseas. David is recognised as a leading expert in finance matters in both Chambers and Legal 500 law directories and delivers high quality results for clients, marrying technical ability with commercial awareness.
Simeon Spencer
Simeon Spencer
Simeon founded the firm in December 2010 after almost 20 years in big international firms. Simeon’s advice and counselling practice covers all aspects of the corporate, commercial and employment field as well as directors, officers, partnerships and consultancy / independent contractor issues. In the employment field, Simeon is constantly drafting employment contracts, policies, procedures, protocols, restrictive covenants and benefits. He regularly advises and assists corporate clients in drawing up and implementing stock/share option plans such as EMIs and JSOPs. When things get contentious, Simeon leads litigation for corporate clients in minority prejudice, restraint of trade/restrictive covenants, confidentiality and trade secrets, discrimination and general contract disputes. He litigates for and provides the advocacy for clients in the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeals Tribunal and has acted in some landmark cases over the years. He is adept at bringing these disputes in at a realistic costs budget.
Fudia Smartt
Fudia Smartt
Covering every stage of the employment life cycle, Fudia advises on non-contentious and contentious matters for both employers and employees on topics such as bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), unfair and wrongful dismissal, restrictive covenants, discrimination, whistleblowing, maternity and other family-friendly matters. She has experience across a wide range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, media, financial services and professional services. Fudia has significant experience in the following: Advising on day to day HR operational issues, which includes on how to avoid grievances and disciplinary/dismissal issues; Senior executive appointments and departures (which often include regulatory issues); Bringing and defending complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims in the employment tribunals; Advising employers and employees (as well as partners) on the enforceability of restrictive covenants and confidentiality agreements, including in relation to team moves; Drafting contracts of employment, service agreements and HR policies; Advising companies on restructuring exercises, redundancies (including collective redundancies) and employment issues arising from insolvency; Advising on TUPE-related matters including in relation to outsourcing and property transactions; Advising both employers and employees on data protection issues; Advising business start-ups in a wide range of industries on how to protect and grow their businesses at a reasonable cost; Providing HR advice and tailored training to clients and external bodies on all employment law matters, from recruitment to dismissal and beyond; Advising members on joining LLPs; and Drafting, negotiating and advising on settlement agreements. She has acted on a number of high profile (and commercially sensitive) matters which has resulted in six-figure settlements for her clients. She has also acted on matters in the County Court, High Courts, Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) and Court of Appeal. Fudia is praised by her clients for her creative problem-solving skills and her ability to provide commercial, tailored legal advice in a friendly and empathetic manner. She has a high emotional intelligence which she uses to assist with getting the results her clients want.
Jo Probert
Jo Probert
Jo is a corporate lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience at some of the top law firms both nationally and in the South West region. After graduating from the University of Kent she spent her early career with Dickson Minto W.S., a specialist mergers and acquisitions law firm in the City of London. During her time with Dickson Minto she led on a Euros 800 million private equity transaction. Prior to joining Probert Legal Limited, Jo was part of the Business Group at Michelmores LLP for nine years, where she rose to become a Corporate Partner. Over the last few years she has worked on transactions ranging from £250,000 to £90m. These included the MBO of Dartington Crystal and the sale of the UK’s largest solar park. She has been singled out for praise by the Chambers Legal Guide.
Sonya Bedford
Sonya Bedford
Sonya Bedford is a leading solicitor practitioner in the field of renewable energy with over 20 years’ experience in the field. Her expertise covers all technologies involved in renewable energy including wind (wind farms, large and small scale single turbines), solar (PV and thermal), hydro, wave, biomass, anaerobic digestion. It also covers leasing, construction, operation and maintenance contracts, energy regulation, land agreements, power purchase agreements and community projects. Her expertise encompasses work in private practice and also for a public authority involved in procurement in this sector. Specific areas of expertise include:- Wind farms – land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Ground mount solar - land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Public sector power purchasing, including procurement and state aid District heat – connection and supply agreements / leases / concessions Roof top solar – leasing, operation and maintenance contracts, construction contracts Anaerobic digestion – feedstock contracts, supply contracts, power purchasing Local energy markets, microgrids, smart energy contracting Energy regulation and energy supply contracts Financing of renewable energy projects; equipment warranties; energy planning Community energy – all aspects Sustainable development - co housing, eco villages, commonhold Sonya has been awarded an MBE for her contribution to advancing renewable energy in community projects.
Edward Garston
Edward Garston
Since qualification in 2006 Edward Garston has been advising owner-managed SME businesses across a wide diversity of business sectors on all aspects of corporate and commercial law. Clearly enthusiastic about his practice area, his expertise spans company mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganisations and restructuring, secured lending arrangements, company constitutional matters, share arrangements, all the way through to shareholder agreements. A particular specialism is advising company founders on their exit, whether by third-party sale, succession, or management buyout (MBO). He will, where possible, work in conjunction with a client’s existing advisers unless additional expertise is required for the particular project.  He enjoys nothing more than guiding his clients through the entire process from inception to successful completion. On the commercial side, Edward regularly advises on business contracts and commercial arrangements such as terms and conditions and licensing arrangements. Edward joined Spencer West having previously practised at leading Essex law firms, most recently as a partner with Pinney Talfourd LLP. Having graduated in Economics from the University of Manchester, Edward first embarked on a varied Investment Banking career in London. Such experience affords him a unique insight into the banking and financial sectors, which enhances the service and advice he regularly offers. Edward is a keen networker and is often invited to share his professional expertise and experiences by speaking to industry groups and organisations.
Suzanne Brooker
Suzanne Brooker
Suzanne is one of the leading insolvency and turnaround specialists in the South East dealing with all aspects of corporate and individual insolvency, restructuring and refinancing including, but not limited to, contentious and non-contentious issues arising in administrations, receiverships, liquidations (solvent and insolvent), bankruptcies, voluntary arrangements. Suzanne's assignments are not sector specific and frequently include security issues, restructuring and refinancing projects as well as advice to one or more class of key stakeholders. She is a licensed Insolvency Practitioner. Suzanne's clients include funders, investors, management (directors), shareholders, creditors (customers and suppliers), landlords and insolvency and turnaround practitioners. Chambers 2021: Clients praise her professionalism and technical knowledge, saying she “Not only is she a first-rate lawyer with sublime business acumen, but she is also a very effective tactician who knows how to run substantial litigation for her clients.” Legal 500 (2021) : - "Suzanne Brooker and her team took a calm and pragmatic approach to their engagement. At all times they displayed great competence and a work rate second to none. They were a pleasure to work with during what were trying circumstances. I couldn't have had anyone better un my corner. Suzanne Brooker was the lead partner on the project. She was supportive, calming and reassuring throughout, with a degree of competence that I have found hard to match elsewhere." "Suzanne Brooker has an excellent understanding of the law providing commercial answers to difficult situations." Specialties: Insolvency & Restructuring Turnaround Debt Recovery, asset tracing Fraud Invoice Discounting, factoring and asset based lending.