Funding for pharmacists to work in care homes
NHS England has announced that funding will be made available to recruit pharmacists to work in care homes to try …
NHS England has announced that funding will be made available to recruit pharmacists to work in care homes to try …
The General Medical Council (GMC) has been hit with a vote of no confidence from Local Medical Committee (LMC) representatives, …
The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that plans to limit over-the-counter prescriptions could place GPs “in breach of contract”. …
The Government has announced it will set up a working group to examine how to introduce a cap on legal …
Eight in ten GPs polled by a leading news site have suggested they would favour a cap on the number …
More than one in three surgeries have closed their lists to new patients or have warned they may do so, …
As GP practices federate, often forming small companies, they will need a high performing board to provide leadership and direction …
Andrew Firman is a partner in our corporate & commercial team. His employment practice covers both contentious and non-contentious work for both employers and employees. His corporate and banking practice concentrates on contractual and advice work given mainly to SMEs and charities. Additionally, he advises both individuals and businesses on a range of immigration matters.
In his work, Andrew looks for proactive and pragmatic solutions derived from a proper understanding of the client’s perspective and against the background of the commercial constraints.
Career highlights include
More recently, Andrew has advised upon
Andrew has over the years enjoyed advising many owner-managed SMEs on the range of their needs for commercial, employment and dispute related legal advice. He is delighted that the firm has recently received recognition through the award by Acquisitions International of “UK Most Trusted Law Firm of the Year to SMEs 2013” because it goes to the depth of the relationships the firm has with its clients and its target market in terms of size of business clients.
Andrew was educated at Nailsea School and holds degrees in law from Manchester and Leicester Universities. He qualified as a solicitor in 1995. He is a co-author of a Practical Guide to Drone Law.
Away from the office Andrew, married to a local GP and of occasional use to his three teenage children, runs and is heavily involved in his local church.
Charles Wilson joined Carter Lemon Camerons LLP as a Trainee Solicitor in March 2020.
Prior to starting his training contract, Charles spent six months as a commercial paralegal at a large national firm in Nottingham.
Charles graduated from Durham University with a Law Degree in 2018. He then undertook his LPC at Nottingham Law School.
Outside of the office, Charles is an avid sportsman, who often spends his summer weekends playing cricket.
Chris Picardo is a partner in the Commercial Property team specialising in transactional property work and property management advice. Chris advises investors, developers, business occupiers and individuals on a variety of commercial property transactions including acquisitions, disposals, property finance, the negotiation of business leases and portfolio management. Chris is regarded by a number of clients as a member of their team. He adds value for those clients by retaining a knowledge of and an interest in their portfolio of investments, and their business needs, so that he can efficiently see ways to get results for them.
Chris graduated in Law from the University of Reading and studied the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Guildford.
Chris was admitted as a solicitor in 1999 and joined Carter Lemon working in the Commercial Property team.
In his free time Chris enjoys travel abroad (more recent destinations including Peru, Chile, Argentina, San Francisco and the South of France), reading, running and spending time with his family.
Eleri Jones is a partner in the Commercial Property department at Carter Lemon Camerons, having joined in December 2019 from another City-based law firm.
She specialises in commercial property matters relating to the charity sector in addition to acting for a full range of commercial clients.
Eleri is experienced in acting in the sale and purchase of commercial and residential property, Development Agreements, Commercial Lease renewals and Licences, as well as advising on compliance with the Charities Act, charity governance documentation, the transfer of properties to CIO and the development and disposal of school land.
Amongst her notable cases, she negotiated and drafted a development agreement for a large residential development with leaseback to the freeholder, including provision of development by the purchaser and provision for overage. Eleri also acted on a large-scale financial restructuring of a care home business.
Graham is a Partner 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.
Reported cases and cases of interest include:
Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
Shooting, badminton, skiing and motorcycling.
Hannah Storey joined Carter Lemon Camerons LLP as a Trainee Solicitor in March 2020.
Prior to joining Carter Lemon Camerons LLP, she gained an LLB in Law at the University of Exeter and an LPC/LLM at the University of Law, Guildford.
Following that, she spent a year working as a commercial property paralegal at a large regional firm.
Away from the office, Hannah enjoys keeping fit and exploring London’s food and drink scene with friends.
Hattie is a Trainee Solicitor in the Litigation team. She joined Carter Lemon Camerons in October 2017.
She holds a law degree and graduated from the Bar Professional Training Course before deciding to undertake the Legal Practice Course.
Prior to joining Carter Lemon Camerons LLP, Hattie was a Paralegal at another London-based law firm.
Outside of work, Hattie enjoys visiting her family in Cornwall.
Hinna Hussain joined Carter Lemon Camerons LLP as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2017.
Prior to joining Carter Lemon Camerons LLP, Hinna was a Real Estate Paralegal at another London-based law firm.
She graduated from City University with an LLB Law degree and obtained her LPC with Distinction from the University of Law.
Holly is a solicitor who joined the firm in 2020 having previously worked at another law firm with offices across London and Hertfordshire.
With a speciality in Commercial Property and general real estate matters, Holly can assist with a wide range of issues including the acquisition and disposal of freehold, leasehold and unregistered property, licences, title separation, overages, secured lending and refinancing.
Holly has also assisted with portfolio management, overseeing legal work relating to client’s investment properties, including leasing, licencing and financing.
She has acted for lenders, charities, industrial and provident societies, companies and individuals.
Ian West is a partner in the Private Client team. He deals with a wide range of matters including commercial and residential conveyancing, will drafting, trusts and probate and powers of attorney.
As well as obtaining grants of probate for UK estates, Ian has assisted personal representatives of foreign estates in resealing foreign grants to administer UK assets held by a deceased domiciled outside the UK. He has dealt with resealing foreign grants in jurisdictions as diverse as Holland and Iran. He has also advised on domicile in respect of deceased’s’ estates.
Recent property transactions include:-
Ian was educated at Brentwood School Essex, Manchester University and the College of Law London. He qualified as a solicitor in 1981 and joined Metson Cross in 1982 becoming a partner in 1990.
Ian is married with two children.
As former Honorary Secretary of the Society of Old Brentwoods, Ian takes a keen interest in the affairs of the School and in various events and functions organised by the Society. He is also a keen follower of football and helps with his son’s junior football team. Ian has also been learning to play the guitar (for the past 40 years!).
James joined Carter Lemon Camerons in 2009 and works in the Commercial Property team on a variety of Real Estate and related Corporate transactions with a particular focus on Real Estate Development and Development Finance.
James recently spent several years on the board of a Commercial Real Estate investment group in a non-executive capacity and then subsequently a year during which he split his time between legal work at Carter Lemon Camerons and an executive position at the group where he played a major role in the planning, negotiation and execution of a sale of the portfolio to a large pension fund.
Away from the office James’ main passion is travel (usually by motorcycle). He has explored most of Western Europe on his bike and his most exciting trip was a 20,000 mile journey from Argentina to Alaska. He also enjoys (watching) sport and spending time with his young family.
Katarzyna (Kate) Boguslawska is a Partner in our corporate and commercial department.
Kate’s clients range from start-up owners through to SMEs and some global main-players who need advice on business-related matters. These range from advice on employment and company matters to contract drafting and disputes. Kate understands her clients, their needs and goals. Her clients often praise her pragmatic approach and tailored practical advice.
In her employment practice Kate:
Notable employment work included:
In her commercial and company practice Kate:
Notable commercial work included:
Kate has strong links in the Polish community and is recommended by the Polish Embassy in London, having co-written a Guide for Polish Investors in the UK that was published by the Embassy. She has a broad network of international connections and has been instructed by law firms in Poland to assist their clients in matters involving English jurisdiction.
Leesa joined our Property Department in March 2019. Her interest in the Law and in particular conveyancing began 20 years ago while working at a southeast London firm. She then moved onto to a Legal 500 firm in Lincolns Inn where she qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer in 2009 before joining a Legal 100 firm in Westminster acting for UK and overseas high net worth individuals and developers.
Leesa has gained a wealth of experience in residential conveyancing acting on sales and purchases with a particular emphasis on new build/redevelopment sites both within central London and across the Country.
Leesa has worked with large and small scale developers both from the UK and overseas providing a top and tail service from the acquisition of sites through to the plot sales on sites from 1-120 units. She also acts for buyers of new build property including those using Help to Buy/Shared Ownership schemes and dealing with their associated finance with UK and overseas banks.
Outside of work Leesa enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and cooking.
Lisa Ginesi is a partner in our commercial litigation and dispute resolution team. Her practice covers a wide range of commercial disputes and predominantly relates to all forms of property disputes. The clients Lisa acts for range from large corporate property developers and investors to private property owning individuals.
Lisa regularly advises on a wide variety of issues affecting both residential and commercial properties and an extensive range of contractual disputes. Lisa has particular expertise in landlord and tenant disputes, the 1954 Act, dilapidation issues, nuisance claims; boundary disputes, possession claims, construction and development contracts, party wall disputes, trespasser proceedings and all aspects of enfranchisement.
In every case, Lisa actively looks for ways to reach practical and cost-effective solutions, whether that is through negotiation, court proceedings, self-help remedies or alternative dispute resolution. She works with her clients as part of a team, often alongside surveyors, engineers and a variety of other experts.
Early in her career, Lisa had the privilege of being part of the team which took a highly technical lease renewal case to the House to Lords (P&O v Graysim).
Lisa was educated at Haydon Bridge High School in Northumberland and then studied law at the University of West London. She was admitted as a solicitor in 1992, having trained and qualified at Carter Lemon Camerons. Lisa is a member of the Property Litigation Association, Women in Business, Women in Property, the Association of Women Solicitors and the Law Society.
Michael is a consultant based in the private client department and advises on a wide range of UK and international tax issues. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners and is an expert on wealth structuring, having been responsible for this area at Barclays Wealth for 13 years. He has also been authorised under the financial services legislation since it was introduced in the 1980s and advises on investment and financial services matters.
Neil Acheson-Gray is a partner and head of the private client department. He has specialised in matters including contentious probate for more than three decades.
He trained at a leading firm in Holborn and then spent 25 years as a partner in the family firm with offices in Marble Arch and Richmond. This gave him a wealth of experience in estate planning, Wills, estates and trusts and carrying out the role of Executor and Trustee.
Neil has subsequently spent 6 years with a firm in Fetter Lane where he successfully developed the firm’s contentious probate capability, bringing his wealth of experience of private client work to the cut and thrust of claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependents) Act 1975 and contested Wills.
Alongside this, Neil has continued his established practice in the field of Wills and Probate, dealing with a variety of interesting estates and meeting a wide range of clients from all walks of life, with estates large and small, complex and straightforward.
Neil looks forward to the next challenge in his career and the opportunity to continue to represent those he has met along the way.
Neil is married and lives in Surrey. Outside of the office he enjoys all forms of sport, travel, cookery photography and the arts. His greatest inspiration and his greatest critics are his wife, three children and above all his grandson who together provide all the distraction needed from an absorbing and rewarding career which he is pleased to continue as a Partner at Carter Lemon Camerons LLP.
Prod is a Senior Associate in our property team and Carter Lemon Camerons’ foremost residential conveyancer. He joined the firm in 2008, bringing with him a substantial client base from the North London area – where he previously worked for over 15 years.
He has considerable expertise in residential and commercial conveyancing and landlord and tenant matters, handling sales, purchases, mortgages, lease and tenancy grants, assignments, renewals and variations, collective enfranchisement and lease extensions, guarantees, bridging finance and secured lending.
Prod is known and trusted by clients for his exceptional understanding of property matters. He represents property investors, developers, landlords, managing agents, lettings agents, surveyors and residents’ associations.
Prod is retained by an overseas private bank to act on secured lending on high-value Central London and West End residential properties.
Prod is also retained as legal counsel to a number of Christian charity organisations advising them and their associated churches on charity law and the duties and responsibilities of charitable trustees. His church work includes all types of property transactions from buying and selling manses and granting commercial leases and licenses of church space to handling complicated redevelopments of church land and properties.
Prod was born in North London to Greek Cypriot parents and enjoys close links to the local and overseas Greek and Greek Cypriot community. He speaks the Greek language reasonably well.
Despite his youthful looks, Prod has vast experience in his areas of practice, gained in a career of over 26 years. He is a firm believer in a non-nonsense approach to his work and the importance of using plain English when dealing with clients, professionals and others.
Outside the office, Prod is a devoted husband and father to two young boys. He is a member of the governing committee of his local Greek Language School, with responsibility for over 200 pupils aged between 4 and 17 years. He is also active in his local Orthodox Christian Church.
Prod enjoys DIY and believes he is really good at it, having helped renovate five houses over the years. He is also a keen gardener and boasts to have a garden with the best figs, grapes and olives around. In contrast to his quiet appearance, Prod is an avid sports-bike enthusiast and enjoys a daily commute to work on his cherished motorbike, dressed in full leathers.
Rachel is a trainee solicitor within our corporate and commercial team and has assisted the department so far with contentious employment work as well as with the share reorganisation of a limited company.
Rachel has a Law Degree from the University of Exeter and undertook the LPC at Kaplan Law School.
When not at work, Rachel enjoys cooking and keeping fit at the gym.
Rufus Ballaster specialises in secured lending for both lenders and borrowers, within Carter Lemon Camerons LLP’s commercial property team.
Rufus’ team is able to assist lenders with putting in place effective protection for their loans, including advising on the form of security that is needed, arranging reporting systems between lawyer and lender, preparing documents, raising enquiries, examining title and making the appropriate searches.
Rufus is also experienced in assisting borrowers, advising on the risks involved in the transaction and negotiating the best possible terms.
Where appropriate, having carefully looked at professional rules governing conflict of interest, Rufus can act for both the lender and the borrower in a single transaction.
His detailed technical legal knowledge and ability to crunch numbers are great assets both transactionally and as Carter Lemon Camerons LLP’s spreadsheet obsessive.
Recent transactions include:
Career highlights include:
Rufus combines client focused views of legal issues with more holistic ones. This is clearly visible from his writing (having contributed to many journals and been a co-author of the Landlord and Tenant Factbook and more recently of a Practical Guide to Drone Law) and from his lectures and seminars on banking, commercial property, artificial intelligence and other topics.
Asked what he likes most in his work, Rufus will talk of his role as a “trouble-shooter”. He enjoys being asked by clients and colleagues what he thinks about something and trying, with them, to work up structures or strategies achieving a desired result at the lowest sensible cost/ tax-hit/ risk. He travels within Europe and beyond (Arabian Gulf, South East Asia, Southern Africa) to see clients and contacts face to face and says working with people he has met is always preferable to hiding behind email and telephone for client contact!
Rufus was educated at Reading School, Wadham College Oxford and Chester College of Law, qualifying as a solicitor in 1988.
Outside the office Rufus has a full and active life with commitments to two Christian Churches, family (wife and three now adult children), RBS Rugby Football Club (for whom he plays as a second row forward) and RBS Lawn Bowls Club which is more suited to his age.
Seamus Smyth is head of litigation and arbitration. His practice is primarily commercial with an emphasis on arbitration, financial services and work for South African and Italian clients.
His reported cases include RH Green & Silley Weir v BR (limitation period against 3rd party), de Bry v Fitzgerald (security for costs), Hartt v Newspaper Publishing (libel concerning a work by Michelangelo), Pearson v Sanders Witherspoon (valuation of loss of chance), Siebe Gorman v Pneupac (status of consent orders), Senate Electrical v NTL (liability of an employee for acquisition warranties) and Bendell v Smith & Others (a successful recovery action by a lender on a shared appreciation mortgage equity release – the only such case to go to trial).
Recently involved in enforcement of foreign arbitration awards, claims arising from the banking upheavals since 2007, a successful claim against a high street bank resulting from a banking error and a successful claim against estate administrators and their solicitors for wasting the estate funds on irresponsible litigation.
Educated (BA, LLB, Wits) and first qualified as an attorney in South Africa, he requalified in England, took an LLM at UCL and a Diploma in International Arbitration at QM, and became an FCIArb. He is chairman of the British South African Law Association (for the second time), chairman of Michaelhouse UK Trust, a trustee of Global Leadership Foundation (UK), a former President of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and Trustee and President of Town Malling Cricket Club (established in 1827!). He was until 2012 a Visiting Senior Lecturer in International Commercial Arbitration at London Metropolitan University. When work and domesticity permit he plays some cricket and more golf (but – which is immediately obvious – not nearly enough).
Stuart Brennan is senior partner and a partner within the Company Commercial team at Carter Lemon Camerons dealing with businesses and other non-litigious work and specialises in commercial property, company commercial and associated employment matters.
Previously Senior Partner at Metson Cross, Stuart has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial property matters including portfolio sales and purchases, development, security work leases and other landlord and tenant matters. Stuart has significant experience in acquisitions and disposals of businesses either by the sale also purchase of shares or assets, including TUPE issues as well as dealing with company, LLP and partnership formations, shareholders agreements and company restructuring including purchasing of own shares and revisions to memorandum and articles of association.
Recent Work:
Stuart has over the years been involved in many substantial property and business acquisitions and disposals including the acquisition of 87 public houses for a regional brewer, the compulsory purchase of a property as part of a dock reconfiguration together with representations to a public enquiry. He also represented a client against the Environment Agency following alleged pollution of a waterway.
Stuart was educated at Glasgow High School and Wilmslow Grammar School and Liverpool Polytechnic, trained in Manchester but has worked in London since admission as a solicitor in 1973.
Outside the office Stuarts interests are golfing, skiing, watching football and rugby, music of all kinds and playing the piano (in private). Also supports a well-known northern football club.