COOPERBURNETT - OUR LAWYERS

Victoria trained with CooperBurnett from 1996 and qualified as a solicitor in 1998, becoming a partner in 2001. She is a member of CooperBurnett’s Management Board, head of Corporate and Commercial Services and a partner in our Corporate and Commercial team, advising on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions.

Victoria works with shareholders, directors and partners in respect of all types of commercial contracts and regularly acts for banks and financial institutions in perfecting security, as well as advising them on corporate finance matters.

Victoria has been president of the West Kent Chamber of Commerce and Industry on two occasions and is an ambassador for the hospice charity ellenor. She also enjoys long cycle rides, having recently rediscovered the sport during her training for our team's epic London to Paris cycle ride in 24 hours in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

Tom joined CooperBurnett as a partner in 2006, after gaining extensive experience with a City firm. He is based within our Corporate and Commercial team, where he focuses on commercial property, acting for developers, landowners and investors. Tom also advises on related issues, including rights of way, restrictive covenants, contamination and planning, as well as on taxes affecting commercial property.

Tom is an expert in advising charities and care home owners on site acquisition, disposal and finance. He advises on all aspects of leasehold enfranchisement, including lease extensions and also specialises in property transactions involving a bankrupt individual or a company in liquidation.

Tom is a passionate pianist, while he also enjoys cycling and swimming and the occasional game of golf.

Jonathan has been with CooperBurnett since 2008, becoming a partner in 2011. He joined us from Conyers Dill & Pearman, Bermuda, having previously worked for McGrigor Donald/KLegal and Herbert Smith in London.

Jonathan specialises in commercial property and deals with all types of property transactions and issues, including commercial and residential sales and purchases, secured lending, leasing, development and corporate support.

In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys playing tennis.

Katie joined CooperBurnett in 2008, becoming a partner in 2013, and is head of our Private Client team. She has a wide range of experience in dealing with private client work and specialises in Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection work.

Katie advises individuals on estate planning and the use of trusts for asset protection, while she regularly assists executors when administering estates and endeavours to provide a sensible and sensitive approach to what is often a difficult and complex area of law.

When she's not at work, Katie enjoys spending time with her young family, is a Governor of a local primary school and gets to the gym when she can.

Andrew began his legal career with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Baker & McKenzie in the City before practising in leading regional firms in Kent and Sussex.

A partner in the Corporate and Commercial Team at CooperBurnett, Andrew is experienced in all aspects of corporate law, from share and asset sales, MBOs, private equity investment and shareholder agreements to general constitutional matters, EMI schemes, banking, restructuring and insolvency.

Andrew has substantial experience in the veterinary sector advising on transactions for sellers and buyers, advising on incorporations of veterinary partnerships and in the provision of general corporate law advice.

Andrew enjoys playing football, tennis and golf in his spare time.

Jennifer, who has been with CooperBurnett for more than 15 years, is head of our Residential Property team and a member of our Management Board.

She has extensive experience in handling all aspects of residential conveyancing and has built a loyal client base. Jennifer deals with both freehold and leasehold property and advises all manner of clients from first time buyers to investors.

Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys travel and the theatre.

Sarah joined CooperBurnett in 2014, after training with a leading East Sussex firm and qualifying as a solicitor in 2013.

Sarah assists our clients with the preparation of Wills and advises on Inheritance Tax, including supporting executors. She also advises and assists clients in relation to Lasting Powers of Attorney and deals with making applications to the Court of Protection, where a relative has lost the capacity to manage their own affairs.

In her spare time Sarah enjoys countryside walks with her black Labrador Rosie, swimming and cooking.

Gemma is a partner in CooperBurnett’s Family & Matrimonial department. She qualified in 1996 and, for the last 18 years, has specialised in family law, acting on behalf of clients in complex financial cases in respect of divorce proceedings and private law children proceedings.

Gemma has in depth experience in care proceedings, acting on behalf of parents and children and, having been a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel, she has developed an interest in the laws around adoption, surrogacy and parental orders.

Through Gemma’s excellent working relationships with the local services and professionals in Kent and East Sussex, her clients have access to the best support and services. She is also an accredited member of Resolution First for Family Law and a trained collaborative lawyer.

Gemma can see clients at CooperBurnett’s office on a Saturday morning by appointment.

Outside of work, Gemma is a keen runner and completed the London Marathon in 2012.

Lisa joined our Residential Property team in 2015, having worked for solicitors in East Sussex for 10 years. She qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer in 2015 and deals with all aspects of conveyancing, including freehold and leasehold transactions, re-mortgages, lease extensions and transfers of equity.

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys running, reading and travelling. She was also part of the CooperBurnett team which completed the Three Peaks challenge in aid of hospice charity ellenor in 2016.

Katie graduated from Oxford University in 2009 with a degree in French and Portuguese and then embarked on a career in law, spending two years at BPP Law School in London. She joined CooperBurnett in 2015 and, the following year, was appointed as Secretary to the Kent and East Sussex Junior Lawyer Division (JLD).

Katie advises clients on all aspects of company and commercial matters, working closely with Victoria Sampson and Andrew Hawkins on transactions.

Katie is an accomplished marathon runner and is always ready to step-up for one of our charity challenges. She was part of the CooperBurnett team that completed the Three Peaks Challenge for ellenor in 2016; and also part of the team that cycled from London to Paris in 24 hours recently, raising money for Brain Tumour Research in memory of her cousin, Oli Hilsdon.

Tom joined CooperBurnett in October 2017 as a solicitor in the Corporate and Commercial team, having trained in London. He spent his childhood in France and attended an international school before returning to England for his university studies. Tom holds an LLB from the University of Exeter, a Masters in European Law from the University of Rennes in France and completed his Legal Practice Course in London.

Tom works closely with Victoria Sampson and Andrew Hawkins, advising clients on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including data protection.

Outside the office Tom is a keen sportsman, playing tennis, cricket and golf. He also loves skiing.

John joined CooperBurnett’s litigation team in 2018 as a partner specialising in property litigation. A member of the Property Litigation Association, he has previously practised as a property litigator in London and before that in a large regional firm in Kent.

John has more than 20 years’ experience in all aspects of property disputes including residential and commercial landlord and tenant work, dilapidations and service charge disputes, business and residential possession claims. He also advises on land law disputes, leasehold enfranchisement and right to manage claims, while having also developed niche specialisations in party wall and right to light cases.

John lives in Tunbridge Wells with his family, and enjoys tennis, golf and cycling; he was recently a member of our team which cycled from London to Paris in just 24 hours in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

Laura joined CooperBurnett in February 2013; she was previously at a property company in London, where she sat on the board and headed up HR and business development.

Laura obtained a degree in Geography from the University of Portsmouth in 1996 and, more recently, achieved a Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Initially, Laura was brought onboard to look after HR at CooperBurnett but her role has grown to oversee the practice management and, over the past 12 months, she has managed a number of special projects.

When she’s not at work, Laura enjoys ballroom and Latin dancing, which she was been introduced to via her two daughters.

Nicola has joined the team at CooperBurnett from another local law firm. She has more than 10 years’ experience in residential property, dealing with both freehold and leasehold properties.

Nicola enjoys acting for clients on all residential property matters, whether they are buying, selling or remortgaging. She also deals with transfers of equity and new build purchases.

Away from the office, Nicola and her family enjoy muddy walks and cycle rides. She also enjoys socialising with friends and family and getting to the gym when she can.

Associate Solicitor Glen Webb joined the Residential Property team in early 2019, bringing with him a large amount of knowledge in land law.

He read law at Cambridge University (Homerton College) graduating in 2013 and after finishing his LPC (as top graduating student) he joined a firm in Buckinghamshire. Whilst there he spent time undertaking private client and property work but was drawn to residential property.

Glen has a particular interest in high value rural property and enjoys the technical drafting of complex transfer deeds for sales of part, and the negotiation of deeds of grant of easements for access or services.

In his spare time, he enjoys running and playing squash.