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 West Kent Chamber of Commerce and Industry on two occasions, is a previous President of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & District Law Society, and recently co-founded enTWine, the new business forum for Tunbridge Wells. She enjoys long cycle rides, having 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 21 years, has specialised exclusively in family law, acting on behalf of clients in complex financial cases within divorce proceedings, unmarried breakdowns 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 a specialist accredited member of Resolution First for Family Law in private law children and complex higher income financial remedy proceedings as well as a trained collaborative lawyer.

Gemma enjoys supporting the local community by undertaking free guidance sessions for people referred by the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and DAVSS, a local domestic abuse charity.

Outside of work, Gemma is a keen runner and completed the London Marathon in 2012. She is also a new owner of a puppy who came into her life during lockdown.

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.

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, where he headed up a team, and before that practised in a large regional firm in Kent. John now heads up the property litigation team here at CooperBurnett.

John has over 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.

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.

Lee has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives since May 2014. Prior to qualification, Lee trained with a London-based firm where he gained a broad range of experience in a range of commercial litigation matters and, prior to joining CooperBurnett, was employed with a large regional firm in its commercial litigation department for five years.

Lee joined the litigation team at CooperBurnett in 2020 and specialises in all types of property litigation, including residential and commercial landlord and tenant work, dilapidations and service charge disputes. Lee also advises on contentious probate and trust claims, which includes Inheritance Act claims, removal of trustees and personal representatives, and revocation of Wills.

In his spare time, Lee is a keen trail runner and footballer.

Nusrat joined the corporate and commercial department of CooperBurnett as a senior associate in 2020. She trained and worked for many years in the City, and brings considerable experience to an already effective and versatile team.

Nusrat specialises in providing astute, practical corporate and commercial advice to businesses of all types and sizes. Her work includes share and asset acquisitions and disposals, private equity investments, management buy-outs, joint ventures, corporate restructuring, refinance transactions, employee incentive schemes, shareholder agreements and T&Cs. She is also experienced in providing advice on the GDPR and data protection.

She is dedicated to providing the best legal advice and service to her clients, adopting a holistic approach to ensure she fully understands their business needs and objectives.

Away from the office Nusrat enjoys the gym, travel, theatre and spending time with her young family.

Natasha joined CooperBurnett’s litigation department in 2020 as a Senior Associate specialising in employment law. She trained with and qualified into the employment team at a large Surrey firm in 2009 and brings a wealth of experience advising clients on a variety of employment matters.

Most recently, Natasha worked for a niche litigation practice in Kent as well as an HR consultancy business, advising both individuals on their employment rights and businesses across a number of different industries on how to mitigate the risk of legal disputes arising. Natasha regularly advises clients on queries relating to contractual terms, unfair dismissals, redundancies, discrimination matters, TUPE and of course, Covid-19. She is experienced in drafting and advising on settlement agreements and particularly enjoys negotiating deals.

In her spare time Natasha can be found running around after her two young children, heading to the local gym for a spin or pilates class or enjoying a spot of retail therapy.

Melissa has practiced exclusively in family law since she qualified in 2014 and worked in both regional and London firms, before joining the Family & Matrimonial team at CooperBurnett in 2020.

Melissa works alongside Partner Gemma Gillespie, assisting clients with a wide range of family law matters including divorce and finances, children issues, pre and post nuptial agreements and co-habitation disputes. She has particular expertise in medium to high net worth financial remedy cases arising from a divorce and any associated children issues; as well as acting for parents in high conflict disputes in relation to who the children should spend time with and live with, including cases where there has been an element of parental alienation and allegations made against the parents. She also regularly acts for clients who wish to enter into relationship agreements.

Melissa enjoys supporting the local community by undertaking free guidance sessions for people referred by DAVSS, a local domestic abuse charity.

When she’s not at work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and, when it’s possible, enjoys foreign travel, the theatre and live music.

Carla is a Fellow of the Institute of Paralegals and company secretarial professional with over 20 years’ experience, recognising her specialism and expertise in corporate transactions and company law. She is particularly skilled in the sale and purchase of veterinary practices and buy and build acquisition strategies.

In addition to various regional law firms; Carla has also worked within the not-for-profit sector, local government and FTSE listed companies. She is a former Company Secretary for The Kenward Trust, school governor and property management company director.

She enjoys working with business owners, directors and senior managers; getting to know the client and their business to identify where she can add commercial value and be of most effective support to them.

When she’s not at work, Carla is a busy mum to two teenagers and loves making the most of the great outdoors.