Harley Osborn

Solicitor

T: 0207 406 1022

E: HarleyOsborn@cartercamerons.com

Harley joined Carter Lemon Camerons LLP in May 2024 as a Solicitor in the Family and Litigation departments, having qualified the same year, following several years of experience within both private practice and in-house legal teams.

Harley advises clients on a broad range of private family law and civil litigation matters.

Her family law practice includes divorce and separation, financial remedy proceedings, cohabitation disputes, non-molestation and occupation order applications, and matters relating to children. She also has experience dealing with overlapping family and property disputes, including TOLATA claims and disputes concerning beneficial interests in property.

Alongside her family law work, Harley maintains a varied civil litigation caseload with particular experience in housing and property disputes, landlord and tenant matters, debt recovery, insolvency proceedings, contractual disputes, and general contentious matters.

Harley regularly assists clients throughout all stages of proceedings, from initial instruction through to negotiation, settlement, and final hearings. She has experience drafting a wide range of court documentation, pleadings, witness statements, and applications, and works closely with counsel and experts across both family and litigation matters.

Her dual-specialism background allows her to provide clients with practical, pragmatic, and commercially focused advice, particularly where family, property, and financial issues intersect.

Prior to qualifying as a Solicitor, Harley gained experience across family law, litigation, and dispute resolution, developing a strong foundation in contentious matters and client care.

Harley obtained her LLB Law degree from Nottingham Trent University before completing her LPC and Master’s degree at BPP University, where she achieved a distinction in her Family Law elective.

Outside of work, Harley enjoys travelling, time outdoors, and spending time with her friends and family.

Graham Balchin

Consultant

T: 0207 406 1040

E: GrahamBalchin@cartercamerons.com

Graham is a consultant solicitor in the litigation team and has specialised in professional negligence claims for over 20 years. He trained at Trowers & Hamlins, qualifying in 1992.

His recent successful cases include over 30 professional negligence claims arising out of an elaborate mortgage fraud, recovering over £5million on behalf of borrower/purchaser clients who have been defrauded into buying substantially overvalued “buy to let” properties.

He has also acted for a group of investors who had purchased properties ‘off plan’ in the Philippines that were either not built or were sold twice. In this case the investors brought successful claims against the negligent solicitors who failed to ensure that the purchase contracts were backed with the promised performance bonds that should have protected the buyers from default by the developer.

He has also acted in various other professional negligence matters, relating to solicitors, barristers, valuers/surveyors, accountants, financial advisors, banks and insurance brokers.

Graham takes pride in providing clear, concise and practical advice and is regularly contacted to offer expert comment on media reports relating to professional negligence and property.

He is on the register maintained by the London Solicitors Litigation Association of solicitors with experience of supervising and executing civil search orders.

Transactions:

Reported cases and cases of interest include:

  • Laib v Aravindan [2003] EWHC 2521 QBD, The Times [13/11/2003] – Claim against solicitors for loss of chance to pursue a negligence claim against a mortgage lender involving complex issues relating to limitation.
  • Vinayak v Lovegrove & Eliot [2007] EWHC 9009 – Claim against solicitors arising out of failure to advise that break clauses in leases could only be exercised by original lessee. Court held that losing solicitors could not compel disclosure of conditional fee arrangement.
  • Tavistock Repertory Guarantors Ltd v Gregory Rowcliffe Milners HQ02X2325 – Claim against solicitors who lost client the right to renew lease of theatre premises resulting in agreed damages of £2,020,000. This is believed to be possibly the highest sum ever recovered from a solicitor who has acted “pro bono.”
  • Ayton v RSM Bentley Jennison [2014] QBD Lawtel – Held defendant in fraud and negligence claim not entitled to rely on defence of tender before claim (action), which is a defence still only available in liquidated claims.

Memberships:

Professional Negligence Lawyers Association

Leisure:

Shooting, badminton, skiing and motorcycling.