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Dean Wilson LLP’s reputation has been built upon our ability to deliver and exceed our clients’ expectations. For over 100 years our success has been founded upon our client focused approach, backed by the knowledge and expertise of our lawyers.

We make it our business to know yours

Having your needs and goals in mind

We aim to deliver outcomes and resolutions efficiently and cost effectively. So whether you need assistance with a business or personal matter we can provide a responsive service delivered to you with expertise and clarity.

Alex Brown

Alex Brown

Partner & Head of Department, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Alex Brown

Alex Brown

Partner & Head of Department, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Areas of Specialism

Alex is the head of the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence team specialises in severe and life changing injuries to Claimants who have suffered Personal Injuries, Criminal Injuries & Medical Negligence resulting in:

  • Brain Injury
  • Spinal Cord injury
  • Birth Injury
  • Amputations
  • Severe Orthopaedic Injuries

Alex specialises in a rehabilitation focused approach for client's to maximise the best recovery possible from devastating injuries and works with a number of leading rehabilitation providers around the UK from brain injury case managers to the high tech prosthetic specialists and everything in between.

Recent Client Matters

Qualifications, Membership & Directory Rankings

  • Solicitor - Admitted 2011 (LLB Hons)
  • Member of Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
  • Headway Panel Solicitor
  • Major Trauma Signposting Partnership Legal Panel (Brighton)
  • Queen Elizabeth Foundation Neurorehabilitation Legal Partner
  • Chambers & Partner (Band 2 Partner, Personal Injury and Band 3 Partner, Medical Negligence)
  • Legal 500 (Next Generation Partner, Medical Negligence)

Alex can be contacted by email: AMB@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: (0) 1273 249286. 

Brown, Alex

Ashleigh

Ashleigh Sagar

Chartered Legal Executive, Private Client

Ashleigh

Ashleigh Sagar

Chartered Legal Executive, Private Client

Areas of Specialism

Ashleigh has worked at Dean Wilson LLP for 8 years and specialises in a range of Private Client matters. 

Having completed her CILEX qualification in 2021, Ashleigh has grown within the department and has experience in dealing with all aspects of Private Client work including Estate Administration, Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. 

Ashleigh always supports her clients with sensitivity and expertise.

Qualifications

Chartered Legal Executive (FCilex) 2021.

Ashleigh can be contacted by email: AHS@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: (0) 1273 249275. 

 

 

Lyubov

Lyubov Nikolchova

Solicitor, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Lyubov

Lyubov Nikolchova

Solicitor, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Areas of Specialism

Lyubov is a Solicitor in the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence team. She qualified as a Solicitor in May 2024, having previously spent nearly 3 years working on complex injury cases, including spinal cord injury, brain injury, and birth injury. 

Recent Client Matters

Lyubov is working with Alex Brown on a number of birth injury cases where the mothers suffer from PTSD due to a negligent medical care during delivery. She also runs a mixed caseload of claims as a result of road traffic accidents, accidents-at-work, and medical negligence. 

Qualifications, Membership

  • Solicitor 
  • BA (Hons)
  • Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction)
  • Legal Practice Course (Distinction)
  • Major Trauma Signposting Partnership (Brighton)

Lyubov can be contacted by email: LSN@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 249257. 

ML

Maddie Lines

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

ML

Maddie Lines

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

Areas of Specialism

Maddie is a recent law graduate and a paralegal in the Dispute Resolution team. She specialises in Landlord and Tenant possession claims, including Section 8 and Section 21 proceedings. Maddie is currently training to manage her own caseload, with a focus on drafting pleadings and progressing matters through court to obtain possession orders and cost awards on behalf of landlords. She is enthusiastic about developing her career in the legal field and gaining further experience in Dispute Resolution.

Qualifications

  • LLB Law graduate (Royal Holloway, University of London)
Rory

Rory Lindsay

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution

Rory

Rory Lindsay

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution

Areas of Specialism

Rory is a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team specialising in construction law.

Within the construction field, he has experience in both contentious and non-contentious transactional matters.

In dispute resolution, he has experience in a wide range of areas, including breach of contract, insurance, dilapidations, trust and cohabitation disputes, and contested probate matters.

Recent Client Matters

  • Helped a residential client in a construction dispute with a contractor over defective works, undertaking a high-value extension and renovation. The claim proceeded to trial and resulted in a judgment in favour of the client, ordering the builder to cover the costs of remedial works undertaken by an alternative contractor.
  • Assisted a land developer in an insurance claim after the insurer refused to pay out, alleging that there had been a failure of fair presentation when the policy was entered. The case involved a grey area on the legal position under the Insurance Act 2015. A settlement was achieved in mediation before proceedings were issued, resulting in the developer receiving the majority of the sums originally claimed.
  • Involved in a dispute over a land investment in which the defendant denied the claimant's (Rory’s client) entitlement to one-half of the property and/or the proceeds of sale. At trial, the court found in favour of the claimant, recognising a resulting trust over half of the property and ordering the defendant to pay the claimant’s costs.
  • Drafts various contractual documents for clients, including Bespoke terms and conditions for a high-end landscaper; An amended RIBA 2018 contract for the construction of a new build property; Amended 2016 and 2024 JCT contracts and subcontracts.
  • Instructed on multiple adjudications (representing employers, contractors and subcontractors) over the terms of a contract, payment cycles and notices, claims of contra charges for alleged overpayment and the validity of a contract termination. These resulted in the adjudicators finding in favour of his client
  • Led three mediations in contested probate matters over the last year involving claims of proprietary estoppel and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. All three resulted in the settlement of the claims.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts, History, Literature and Culture

Solicitor (SQE)

Rory can be contacted by email: RFL@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 032336

Jo Taylor Dean Wilson

Jo Taylor

Partner, Real Estate & Commercial Property and Development 

Jo Taylor Dean Wilson

Jo Taylor

Partner, Real Estate & Commercial Property and Development 

Areas of Specialism

Jo trained and practised at a silver circle corporate law firm for a decade before moving to a regional firm in Gatwick. When the opportunity finally arose to practise in Brighton 7 years ago, Jo jumped at the chance of joining Dean Wilson LLP. 

With almost 20 years’ experience, Jo specialises in all areas of non-contentious commercial property, property finance and development. She acts for a variety of clients: investors, developers, landlords, tenants, assignees in relation to refinancing, acquisitions, disposals, leases, management matters and development contracts.

Recent Client Matters

  • Acquisition of multi-let office block
  • Financing and refinancing of commercial portfolios
  • Business acquisitions
  • Leases and regears

Qualifications, Membership 

  • Solicitor
  • BSocSc Hons
  • Masters
  • PgDL

Jo can be contacted by email: jnt@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249252. 

Jo is assisted by Katherine Glasson, Legal Secretary within the Real Estate Department. Katherine’s contact details are: Email: kg@deanwilson.co.uk Direct Dial: 01273 249266. 

Megan Barnes

Megan Barnes

Paralegal, Residential Conveyancing Department

Megan Barnes

Megan Barnes

Paralegal, Residential Conveyancing Department

Areas of Specialism

Megan is a paralegal within our Residential Conveyancing team. She assists in all aspects of conveyancing transactions, specialising in sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers of equity. 

Megan graduated from the University of Sussex in 2024, achieving first-class honours in her Law degree. Whilst at university, Megan was a part of the Performing Arts Legal Clinic and provided legal advice and guidance to a variety of charities in the arts industry.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Law (LLB Hons) from the University of Sussex

Megan hopes to complete SQE 1 & 2 in the near future to fulfil her aspiration of becoming a solicitor. 

In her spare time, Megan enjoys playing piano and going to pilates classes.

Megan can be contacted by email: MBB@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: 01273 032324. 

Will I

William Irvine

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

Will I

William Irvine

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

Area of Specialism

William is a recent first-class law graduate from West of England University. This is Williams's first role in law and he is currently assisting the team on Landlord and Tenant matters including the possession proceedings by way of Section 8 and/or Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

Qualifications

  • First Class Honours LLB Degree from the University of the West of England

William can be contacted by email: WXI@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249255

Melissa R

Melissa Roberts

Partner, Commercial Property

Melissa R

Melissa Roberts

Partner, Commercial Property

Melissa has over 10 years of experience helping clients complete matters efficiently and effectively. 

Melissa acts on a wide range of commercial transactions including;

  • Acquisitions and disposals of commercial property (both freehold and leasehold and whether registered or unregistered);
  • Commercial landlord and tenant work (acting for both landlords and tenants);
  • Secured lending (acting for both lenders and borrowers); and
  • Asset sales and purchases.

Melissa works with a range of clients and is known for her proactive approach to transactions.  Clients value her straight-talking advice, responsiveness and focus on commercial outcomes.

Qualifications

  • Solicitor (LLB Hons)

Melissa can be contacted by email: mrr@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 032375

jennie apsey dean wilson

Jennie Apsey

Solicitor, Family Department

jennie apsey dean wilson

Jennie Apsey

Solicitor, Family Department

Areas of Specialism

Jennie is a Solicitor in the Family team, who advises in relation to Children Act litigation (private law), Financial Remedies on divorce, cohabitation agreements and disputes, and protection from domestic abuse/injunctive relief. 

  • Child arrangements orders
  • Children – specific issue and prohibited steps orders - temporary or permanent removal from the jurisdiction, enforcement
  • Financial remedies on divorce / dissolution of civil partnership - pension sharing, litigation and financial conduct
  • Pre and Post-nuptial agreements
  • Separation and cohabitation agreements 
  • Domestic violence injunctions

Recent Client Matters

  • Jennie regularly represents parents in private children law proceedings where mental health issues, substance misuse, and allegations of domestic abuse are a feature.
  • Jennie has recently successfully defended a Specific Issue application by a mother to remove a child from the jurisdiction and secured a Port Alert Order. She has also acted for the Applicant in a Specific Issue application to permanently remove children from the jurisdiction.
  • Jennie has experience of acting for parents in Children Act proceedings that include Fact-Finding hearings.
  • Jennie has experience of acting for clients in both long and short marriages and recently acted for the Applicant Husband in Financial Remedy proceedings following a very short marriage of 7 months’ duration where all the assets were in the wife’s name including the Family Home. A very successful outcome was secured for the client which enabled him to rehouse and settle significant liabilities.
  • Jennie is often instructed to prepare Financial Consent Orders following agreements reached between parties directly, in mediation, or as a result of solicitor-led negotiation.

Notable Cases

  • X v D [2023] EWFC 332 (B)

Qualifications, Membership 

  • Solicitor (PGDL)

Qualifications, Membership 

Legal 500 “Star in the making”

Jennie can be contacted by email: JA@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 249299. 

james chadburn dean wilson

James Chadburn

Managing Partner

james chadburn dean wilson

James Chadburn

Managing Partner

Areas of Specialism

James has over 20 years’ experience in the legal sector, with a strong focus on mergers and acquisitions, particularly within the estate agency and residential lettings industries. Having started his career at Dean Wilson LLP as a paralegal, James completed his training contract with the firm and qualified as a corporate solicitor. He has remained with the firm ever since and now leads as Managing Partner.

James is passionate about driving positive change, both within Dean Wilson and across the wider legal profession. He is committed to creating a more rewarding and efficient working environment for legal professionals, while ensuring clients continue to receive practical, commercially focused advice.

His leadership is underpinned by a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing modern law firms, and he brings a forward-thinking approach to both client service and internal culture.

James also serves as the firm’s COLP and MLRO.

Key Client Matters

  • Advised on a £35m acquisition of an estate agency group
  • Advised on a £15m acquisition of an estate agency group
  • Advised on the restructuring and investment into digitally based health platform

Qualifications, Membership 

  • Solicitor
  • LLB Hons

James can be contacted by email: jc@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249267. 

Scott Gair Dean Wilson

Scott Gair

Partner & Head of Commercial Real Estate

Scott Gair Dean Wilson

Scott Gair

Partner & Head of Commercial Real Estate

Areas of Specialism

Scott is a highly experienced solicitor and heads up the firm’s Commercial Real Estate team.  With over 20 years of experience in the legal sector, Scott has established a reputation for providing excellent service, achieving positive outcomes for his clients and prides himself on taking a detailed yet commercial and pragmatic approach to his work.

Scott specialises in a wide range of commercial real estate transactions and the bulk of his day-to-day work involves working with property investors and landlords with considerable portfolios and dealing with the ongoing legal work that this typically involves.  

Scott specialises in licensing too.  Scott used to teach the BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) at City College in Brighton and the Award for Licensing Practitioners (ALP) to Sussex Police and Sussex based Licensing Authorities.  This experience allows Scott to act for a number of clients with licensed premises, advising them on not only the commercial property aspects, but also the licensing elements too.  This places him in a unique position within the industry, specialising in both disciplines.

Scott is known for his dedication to his clients and his ability to provide clear and practical advice.  He takes the time to understand his clients’ needs and works closely with them to achieve their goals.

Recent Client Matters

  • Involved in a large corporate acquisition which included over 55 commercial properties;
  • Multiple eight figure portfolio refinances;
  • Acquisition of a retail portfolio for over £10m;
  • Refinance of commercial and residential portfolio worth over £5m

Qualifications, Membership 

  • Solicitor
  • LLB Hons
  • PTLLS

Scott can be contacted by email: sg@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249265. 

Josh

Joshua Baxendale

Associate Solicitor, Corporate Department

Josh

Joshua Baxendale

Associate Solicitor, Corporate Department

Areas of Specialism

Joshua works in the Commercial & Corporate team at Dean Wilson. He works in mergers & acquisitions and acts on both sides of the transactions. Many of these transactions are in the estate agency sector. He has a wide range of commercial experience, having worked for many recruitment companies in litigation matters. 

Joshua focusses on his client’s intentions and makes those work to ensure that transactions are a client led and not lawyer led process. 

Joshua has acted in cases involving cross-border jurisdictional issues involving many companies in the EU and further afield.

Joshua grew up in Brighton and Hove, and then studied at UEA and the College of Law in Guildford.

Joshua enjoys riding his bike slowly up hills, a dry riesling, and small cups of strong coffee and speaking conversational French.

Qualifications

  • Solicitor
  • LLB Hons

Recent Transactions

  • Large regional estate agent selling to a nationwide corporate acquirer;
  • Acting for the Buyer of a hospitality business in Brighton;
  • Acting for acquirers moving into new geographic areas and
  • Acting for an estate agent in taking over a local competitor on their retirement.

Joshua can be contacted by email: jjb@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: (0) 1273 032337. 

Joshua is assisted by Natalia Revesz, Senior Paralegal within the Corporate & Commercial Team. Natalia’s contact details are: Email: nxr@deanwilson.co.uk Direct Dial: 01273 032334.

sarah phillips dean wilson

Sarah Phillips

Partner, Family Department

sarah phillips dean wilson

Sarah Phillips

Partner, Family Department

Areas of Specialism

Sarah is a Partner in the Family team, who specialises in complex Children Act litigation (private law), Financial Remedies on divorce, cohabitation agreements and disputes, and protection from domestic abuse.  

  • Child arrangements orders – living and spending time arrangements
  • Children – specific issue and prohibited steps orders -  vaccination, education, name change, temporary and permanent removal from the jurisdiction, enforcement, parental alienation
  • Children – contact to grandparents
  • Financial remedies on divorce / dissolution of civil partnership -  business and trust assets, pension sharing, litigation and financial conduct
  • Pre and Post-nuptial agreements
  • Separation and cohabitation agreements 
  • Domestic violence injunctions

Recent Client Matters

  • Sarah regularly represents parents in private law proceedings where mental health issues, substance misuse, and allegations of coercive control, narcissism and parental alienation are a central feature.
  • Sarah negotiated a financial settlement in which the client received an 80% share of the equity in the family home, and maintenance for five years to provide the client with time to attain financial independence without undue hardship. 
  • Sarah recently represented a father at a Fact Finding hearing in which findings were made against him, but following engagement in a DVPP, parenting courses and therapy, the father was able to secure an order for shared care of the parties’ two children. 
  • Sarah regularly settles financial remedy cases by way of advice during mediation, voluntary disclosure and solicitor-led negotiations, avoiding the cost and stress of contested proceedings for her clients. 

Qualifications, Membership 

  • Solicitor (PGDL) City University 
  • Resolution Accredited Specialist Family Lawyer – Complex Financial Remedies
  • Resolution Accredited Specialist Family Lawyer – Children Law Private 
  • Resolution qualified Collaborative Lawyer
  • Member of Resolution 
  • Chambers - Legal 500

Sarah can be contacted by email: SCP@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 249295. 

Phillips, Sarah

Josephine Tasker

Josephine Tasker

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution

Josephine Tasker

Josephine Tasker

Solicitor, Dispute Resolution

Areas of Specialism

Josephine is a four-year qualified solicitor and joined Dean Wilson in September 2024. 

Prior to joining the firm, Josephine worked for a national firm in the South West advising on a broad range of litigation matters. 

Josephine regularly advises clients on contentious:

  • Property matters including boundaries, easements, trespass, and co-ownership disputes.
  • Commercial matters including but limited to breach of contract, partnership disputes and professional negligence.
  • Landlord and tenant matters including tenancy breaches to repossession proceedings. 

Josephine is a detail-orientated, thorough, and conscientious solicitor and works closely with her clients to understand their needs and objectives and brings a deep commitment to helping her clients achieve the best possible outcome.

Qualifications, Membership & Directory Rankings

  • Josephine studied a BSc in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University, receiving a 2:1.
  • Josephine then went on to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law and then the Legal Practice Course at BPP University in London, receiving a Distinction. 

Josephine can be contacted by email: JIT@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 032340 

Vivien

Vivien Schveighardt

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

Vivien

Vivien Schveighardt

Paralegal, Dispute Resolution 

Vivien is a dedicated Paralegal in our Dispute Resolution Department, specialising in possession proceedings. She assists with rent mediation, as well as Section 21, Section 8, and Section 146 claims. Committed to delivering outstanding support, Vivien ensures her clients receive expert guidance throughout the legal process.

Vivien has just over a year of Legal Assistant experience supporting with drafting and legal research in Canada, prior to joining us at Dean Wilson. 

Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Sussex in 2023
  • Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University (Canada) 

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