Who We Are

Areas of Specialism

Nikki has been with Dean Wilson for over 10 years working across various departments and most recently in Private Client specialising in wills, probate, estate administration, and lasting powers of attorney. 

Prior to joining Dean Wilson, Nikki has experience working with another local law firm, the Brighton & Hove City Council and the Victim Support Unit and HR departments of Sussex Police.

Nikki has a wealth of knowledge and over the years has built strong client relationships and developed a deep understanding of sensitive, high-value matters. Nikki supports  solicitors and clients with particular emphasis on providing one-to-one assistance with regards to assisting clients in relation to Probate/Estate Administration, Wills and LPAs.

Nikki can be contacted by email nr@deanwilson.co.uk; or on her direct dial:  01273 249216 

Rachel is an Associate Solicitor in the Personal Injury & Medical Negligence team assisting Alex Brown, as well as running her own caseload. Rachel qualified as a solicitor in April 2016 and joined Dean Wilson LLP in January 2026 having previously worked at a highly reputable firm in Berkshire. 

Rachel is skilled at building good working relationships with clients. She can explain complex legal issues in straightforward language, ensuring that her advice is comprehensive and clear. She is passionate about providing a high-quality service and achieving positive outcomes for clients and was recognised in the Legal 500 (2025) for going the “extra mile” for her client.

 Expertise

• Birth injury claims
• Obstetric injury claims
• Amputation claims
• Cauda Equina claims
• Sepsis claims
• Cancer claims
• Fatal Accidents Act

Qualifications, Membership & Directory Rankings

• Solicitor - Admitted 2016 (LLB Hons)
• Member of Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
• Recognised in the Legal 500 (2025) for exceptional client care

Rachel can be contacted by email: RAM@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: 01273 249290

Areas of Specialism

Duncan advises clients on a range of contentious issues relating to property including:

• Lease renewals
• Dilapidations
• Restrictive covenants
• Easements
• Boundary disputes
• Forfeiture
• Debt recovery
• Adverse possession
• Break rights
• Breaches of contract/lease terms
• Possession claims (both commercial and residential)
• Disputed mortgages and secured loans
• Trusts in land
• Tenants in administration/liquidation

Duncan’s other main area of practice is litigation arising out corporate insolvency and bankruptcy and in particular, transactions at undervalue, preferences, director conduct and trustee possession claims. 

Duncan has extensive experience of broader commercial issues including contractual disputes, debt recovery and professional negligence. 

Recent Client Matters

• Acting for a landlord in a successful application to the Land Tribunal for a declaration of breach of lease owing to the tenant (a housing authority) placing residents in their properties who abused drugs.
• Acting for a property owner who acquired a large commercial premises subject to an unregistered 999-year lease; brought a successful claim under s.29(1) of the Land Registration Act 2002 for a declaration that the client purchased free of the lease and thereafter recovered possession.  
• Bringing a successful action for forfeiture of a long residential lease owing to the tenant making unauthorised structural alterations.
• Defending a client against a high-street mortgage provider taking sale and possession proceedings; no possession was ordered and the claim was settled.
• Acting for the liquidator of a well-known company bringing a successful claim against a director for breach of fiduciary duties.
• Acting for a defendant company in its successful defence against a multi-million pound claim relating to unpaid commission for investment introductions.
• Bringing possession proceedings (and successfully defending an appeal) against a tenant who used the client’s property for holiday lettings.

Feedback

“Duncan Wilks goes the extra mile. He takes the pressure from your shoulders and happily puts it on his.  He is excellent in his field.”

Legal 500, 2024

“Duncan took over a difficult and complex dispute for me.  He cut through the background noise, identified the real issues and formed a strategy.  He took control and found a solution which resulted in a favourable outcome.” 

Duncan can be contacted by email: drw@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249236.

Areas of Specialism

Michaela is a Senior Paralegal in the Dispute Resolution team who specialises in Landlord and Tenant disputes.

Michaela graduated from the University of the West of England in 2014 and has nearly 10 years’ experience in the legal industry. Michaela joined Dean Wilson in January 2024 and has built her background in general litigation, including property litigation, personal injury, debt recovery and clinical negligence matters.

Qualifications

• LLB Hons (2.1) 

Michaela can be contacted by email: MCT@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249250. 

Areas of Specialism

Radosveta works in the Commercial & Corporate team at Dean Wilson. She qualified as a solicitor in June 2024, having experience in various complex transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, setting up joint ventures, and corporate reorganisations. 

Radosveta also has considerable experience working with startups, assisting with structuring investment rounds (including advising on SEIS and EIS), and advising on and implementing investment agreements and shareholders' agreements. She has expertise in lending and financing transactions, advising both lenders and borrowers. 

Radosveta takes a commercial perspective on matters, ensuring that legal solutions are not only compliant but also beneficial for clients' business goals. Radosveta's expertise and meticulous approach ensure that clients receive comprehensive legal support, tailored to their unique business needs.

Recent Transactions

• Overseeing a corporate reorganisation for a group of companies looking to demerge their operations.
• Implementing bespoke articles of association for a company looking to become a B Corporation.
• Acting for buyers and sellers in various company and asset acquisitions.

Qualifications

• Solicitor
• LLB Hons

Radosveta can be contacted by email at rts@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: (0) 1273 249237

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. 

Areas of Specialism

Karl is the Head of Department of the Residential Property Department and manages the fee earners within the team as well as the paralegals/support staff. 

Karl has worked for Dean Wilson LLP for over 13 years and specialises in all aspects of Residential property transactions. 

Karl has an excellent reputation with estate agents, mortgage brokers, surveyors and the like and is sought after by property developers and local estate agents.  

Karl’s specialist areas are newbuild sales and purchases with or without help to buy involvement, although Karl does deal with residential and buy to let sales, purchases and re-mortgages on a day to day basis and has a wealth of knowledge in this respect. 

Qualifications, Membership 

• LLB Hons

Karl can be contacted by email: ksp@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249248. 

Areas of Specialism

Areas of Specialism

Jessica Edwards is a Solicitor specialising in personal injury and medical negligence claims. She qualified as a Solicitor in March 2022, having previously spent four years working closely with the team on high‑value catastrophic injury matters, including complex brain and spinal cord injury claims.

Jessica regularly assists Ben Davey on catastrophic injury case. Alongside this, she manages her own caseload across a broad range of personal injury and medical negligence claims.

Acting exclusively for injured people, Jessica has experience supporting clients who have sustained serious, life‑changing injuries following:

• road traffic accidents (including those involving cars, cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists), 
• accidents at work, 
• accidents on public property and highways, 
• and medical negligence.

She understands that, following an accident, a client’s day‑to‑day life can be profoundly affected. Her role is not only to pursue compensation, but to provide practical support at an early stage, including securing interim payments to relieve immediate financial pressure and to fund private treatment, rehabilitation and care where needed. At the same time, Jessica keeps a clear focus on the long‑term position, working to recover damages for loss of earnings and future earning capacity, and to ensure clients have the resources required to support their recovery and long‑term independence wherever possible.

Jessica is committed to providing clear, practical advice and ensuring that clients feel supported, informed and confident throughout the claims process.

Recent Client Matters 

Jessica has successfully settled claims for clients who have suffered a wide range of serious injuries, including multiple fractures and musculoskeletal injuries, spinal injuries, amputations and traumatic brain injuries.

Personal Injury 

• Significant settlement for a passenger who sustained a brain injury in a road traffic accident - https://deanwilson.co.uk/news/ps400k-settlement-client-who-suffered-brain-injury-result-road-traffic-accident
• Six‑figure settlement for a motorcyclist - https://deanwilson.co.uk/news/six-figure-settlement-motorcyclist-injured-west-sussex
• Spinal Injury - A substantial settlement for a client left paralysed and wheelchair‑dependent following a spinal cord injury sustained as a passenger in a light aircraft - https://deanwilson.co.uk/news/dean-wilson-llp-secures-substantial-settlement-spinal-cord-injury-
• Compensation and early rehabilitation funding secured for seriously injured client despite liability being denied - Successful Personal Injury Claim Following Failure to Inspect and Repair | Dean Wilson LLP 

Medical Negligence 

• Complex Clinical Negligence claim involving amputation - Amputation clinical negligence claim settled despite liability denial | Dean Wilson LLP
• Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust agrees compensation protocol for families of David Fuller’s mortuary victims | Dean Wilson LLP

Inquests 

• Compassionate representation of a bereaved family at inquest, examining serious concerns surrounding care home failings - Family Represented in Inquest Following Fatal Care Home Incident | Dean Wilson LLP
• Missed opportunities by authorities to intervene and safeguard a vulnerable teenager prior to their death - Missed opportunities to intervene before 16 year old takes own life | Dean Wilson LLP

Feedback 

‘Thank you for allowing us to represent our father and mother and showing us how it can be done with respect and dignity even when we know what was happening behind the scenes was quite different.

You have all given dad the best chance to figure out what his future looks like and how to enjoy it without fear.’

‘The service we received from both Ben Davey and Jessica Edwards was exemplary. We cannot fault their professionalism and they kept us fully informed throughout the entire process in their dealing with what was an extremely complicated and lengthy case. Ben and Jessica constantly protected us from the stress and intimidation by the defendants over the course of the proceedings to ensure we felt safe and informed and their expertise, efficiency and attention to detail led to a positive outcome, one better than we could have ever hoped for.’

Memberships

• Member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
• Member of the Major Trauma Signposting Partnership (Brighton)

Contact

Jessica can be contacted by email at JVE@deanwilson.co.uk or by telephone on 01273 249292.

Isabelle has worked for Dean Wilson LLP for over 7 years and specialises in plot sales, often off-plan.

Isabelle works closely with the team which comprises David Hodge (Partner) Sinead Dye (Associate Solicitor), Amy Edwards (Solicitor), Beth Allan (Paralegal) and Beverley McLoughlin (Assistant).  The team always look for solutions and take a flexible and pragmatic approach – the team are proactive, not reactive and the culture is “how” can we make this deal happen when obstacles are presented. The Team are experienced in acquiring land (often site assembling) and taking the development through to the sale of individual units and we deal with developments comprising single units to in excess of 150 units.  The team are also experienced in land trades and are not fazed in dealing with sites with a GDV in excess of £100m.  

Isabelle can be contacted by email: ixs@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249259 

Areas of Specialism

Erin assists our Corporate Commercial team in a wide range of corporate transactions including share and asset acquisitions and disposals, as well as shareholders’ agreements and company restructuring. Erin's main responsibilities include drafting legal ancillary documents, legal due diligence reports and carrying out research.  

Erin graduated from the University of Sussex in 2022 with a first class LLB. Erin aspires to qualify as a solicitor via the SQE route, solidifying her dedication to professional growth and contributing to the legal field with her expertise.  

Recent Client Matters

• Regularly assists one of the largest property agents in the UK to acquire letting and block management agents across the country.
• Assisting buyers in purchasing a hospitality business in Brighton;
• Assisting sellers and buyers of estate agency businesses; 

Qualifications, Membership 

• LLB Hons

Erin can be contacted by email: egb@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249227.  

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. 

Craig joined Dean Wilson in March 2026, after a 20 year career in the financial services industry, providing regulatory and financial crime guidance to a number of high-street firms. 

Craig is now providing that expertise to Dean Wilson to help the firm achieve the ‘gold standard’ in the legal sector for compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements, assisting the Managing Partner and Finance Director with data protection, complaint management, and other related activities. 

CONTACT DETAILS 

Craig can be contacted by email: cfs@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249269.

Areas of Specialism

Tom is a Senior Paralegal in the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence department. He currently assists Ben Davey and Jessica Edwards and assists on a variety of cases ranging from moderate to high-value catastrophic injury cases involving brain injury and spinal cord injury.

Recent Client Matters

• Tom recently closely assisted in securing a successful seven-figure settlement for a Claimant who had suffered life-changing and permanent injuries arising out of a road traffic accident. Part of the claim included obtaining the cost of single-level accommodation and future care until the Claimant’s end of life.
• He has also assisted in several and various five and six-figure settlement sums for injuries arising out of road traffic accidents, clinical negligence cases, accidents at work, and secondary victim claims for psychiatric injury.
• Tom assists Ben Davey with pro bono work assisting families of the deceased to obtain legal representation at inquests, primarily for cases arising out of the failure of mental health services.
• This includes the 5-day inquest into the death of Archie Jesty, an 18-year-old who sadly took their own life after failings by mental health services.
• He also assisted with the inquest into the death of Issy Phipps, a 17-year-old who took her own life. During the inquest, the Coroner ruled that failures by mental health services and NHS trusts had contributed to Issy’s death.
• Tom is assisting in the ongoing Article 3 (torture & degrading treatment) & Article 8 (private & family life) group action claim for more than 160 family members of David Fuller’s mortuary victims.

Tom can be contacted by email: TSG@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 032346. 

Areas of Specialism

Becca supports Alex Brown and the Personal Injury and Medical Negligence Team in cases involving 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

Recent Client Matters

• Becca assisted Alex Brown to secure a six-figure sum for a client who suffered a severe leg injury in a road traffic accident.  On taking the case over from another firm of solicitors, it became clear there were evidential issues, including urgent and complex disclosure, which were swiftly dealt with to enable the claim to progress to a successful resolution.
• Becca supported Alex who acted for an amputee injured in a motorcycle accident.  Compensation of approximately £2,000,000 was achieved.
• With a personal interest in neurodivergence, Becca has supported the Team in several brain injury cases, including for clients with birth injuries.  One recent case included recovering sums to fund physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychiatry, psychology, pain management, vestibular therapy, speech and language therapy, hydrotherapy, assistive technology, care and case management, amongst other heads of damage.  Some of the cases Becca has worked on involve anonymity orders to protect the identity of vulnerable clients, which is why these cases are not publicised on our website.
• In numerous cases, Becca has supported Alex and the team utilising her extensive experience of disclosure and Schedules of Special Damage.

Qualifications, Membership 

• BA (Hons)

Areas Of Specialism

Edward began his legal career with the firm after graduating from the University of Warwick, currently working as a Paralegal in the Dispute Resolution team.

Edward specialises in residential property matters, where he manages his own caseload and supports landlords through the process of obtaining possession orders and recovering costs. His work also includes handling Section 8 and Section 21 claims under the Housing Act 1988.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Arts in History & Politics: Graduated with Upper Second-Class Honours from the University of Warwick

Contact Details 

Edward can be contacted by email: eja@deanwilson.co.ukor on his direct dial: 01273 249222

Areas of specialism:

Claire is a Senior Associate in the Personal Injury & Medical Negligence team. She specialises in complex and high value serious injury claims, including claims for sexual assault perpetrated by high-profile individuals. 

Claire only ever acts for claimants, and her clients have suffered severe, sometimes fatal, injuries, including brain, spinal, orthopaedic, and psychiatric injuries, and injuries leading to amputation. She is passionate about using the litigation process to get practical help, support, and treatment in place for her clients as quickly as possible. She seeks early financial assistance from defendant insurers, in particular, funded rehabilitation programmes and interim payments of damages. This support helps clients financially while they cannot work and allows them access to specialist medical treatment while their claim is ongoing.

Claire has dealt with a number of high-profile matters which have been reported in the national media and has been interviewed by TV, radio and press regarding her work.

Claire’s clients live in Sussex, London and across the UK, she also works with overseas clients who have sustained injury in the UK. 

Sexual assault claims against high profile individuals

Claire has particular expertise representing clients who are claiming compensation for psychiatric injuries and other substantial losses arising out of sexual assault perpetrated by high-profile individuals. 

Claire is currently acting on behalf of claimants who have made allegations of sexual assault against Mohammed Al-Fayed and the financier Crispin Odey. She has previously successfully represented female and male victims of sexual assault against other perpetrators who are well-known in the world of film, TV, sport and business. Claire works on these cases with sensitivity and compassion and has a strong desire to use the law to achieve recognition of the human damage caused by the abuse of power and position. 

In 2006, she was part of the legal team that took a personal injury claim for rape to trial, one of only a handful of such cases to be litigated in the civil courts and won at trial.

Road traffic collisions, accidents at work and E.coli O157 claims

Many of Claire’s clients have been injured in road traffic accidents, as drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. In some cases, the driver causing injury is not identified or insured, and she assists her clients with claims to the Motor Insurer's Bureau, gathering as much police, video, witness and other documentary evidence as possible to establish liability on the part of the defendant driver, and this includes instructing accident reconstruction experts when needed.

Claire also acts for those injured in accidents at work or premises outside the home, including those who have sustained serious injury as a result of negligent exposure to the bacteria E.coli O157. Claire has acted for a number of children who have sustained Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome as a result of an E.coli O157 infection, and has claimed for the ongoing health complications that that condition can cause

Victims of serious violent assault and acts of terrorism 

Claire has represented seriously injured victims of violent assault and acts of terrorism, making applications on their behalf to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. She has claimed compensation for UK victims of overseas terrorism, both from overseas governments and from the UK Victims of Terrorism Overseas Compensation Scheme.

Having worked in the field of serious injury for many years, Claire understands the impact that accidents and assaults have on her clients and their families. In each case, she works hard to gather all relevant evidence to ensure that she can show the full extent of her clients' injuries. She works with experienced barristers and instructs well-respected medical witnesses to prepare expert reports. She also works with forensic accountants and others to value other complex financial losses. She aims to maximise her clients' damages while supporting them through the litigation process.

Feedback:

‘Claire is assertive, provides clear direction and firm advice, and is a collaborative communicator.’ Chambers & Partners 2026

‘Claire is very good: she works very hard, has good medical knowledge and is very practical.’ Chambers & Partners 2026

‘Claire and her team have been phenomenal during my time with them. They have been thorough and meticulous, responsive, empathetic and understanding, proactive, and did a brilliant job with my case from beginning to end. I have been thoroughly impressed with how they handled my case and grateful to have been recommended them. I could not have wished for a better team and better care.’ – Client, polytrauma

‘Claire’s client was seriously injured in an RTA and showed incredible stoicism, determination, and an inspirational attitude towards rehab and recovery. The rehab funding was provided without any quibble, and her client was supported by a great case worker. Claire was brilliant in her approach, and I am pleased that her client now has the means to continue their life post-accident. I have no doubt her client will succeed in everything they choose to pursue.’ – Defendant insurer 

‘Whilst no amount of money will ever bring Ben* back, the outcome of the settlements will allow us to move forward, albeit slowly, with our lives without having the immediate financial pressures to endure as well as everything else. I cannot understate the importance of this outcome to us as we face the array of huge challenges in living the rest of our live without Ben*. The support from Claire has been outstanding in guiding us through this hugely challenging and intrusive process. We cannot thank you enough. The very tragic circumstances make this a highly emotive process - you and your team have been keenly attuned to this and have been very sensitive. This has made it far more tolerable for us that’s for sure.’ Client, fatal accident

‘When Claire … took on my case with the integrity and intelligence that they/she did. I felt supported, clearer and no longer alone in my battle. Claire and the entire team helped me get to the other side. Her compassion, patience and knowledge grounded me, heard me and I knew that my very best outcome, well-being and sense of justice was what they were striving to attain at all points of the now closed case.’ Client, high profile sexual assault claim

‘Claire is an advocate for true justice, a voice for the vulnerable and above all hope. She and her team truly supported me in my case. They helped find professionals to diagnose my current condition and future needs, highlighted my difficulties and even, unbeknown to me, covered all the costs until settlement because I could not afford them. Against constant denial, pushback and lack of clarity in CICA rules, they fought for me. I felt valued when all things became dire, I was even told I was to blame for my own injuries. Claire continued and helped me clear my name. I deeply cannot express how wonderful she is, when I felt all was lost and a fair outcome would never be reached.’ Client, amputation, CICA 

‘When dealing with a difficult emotional subject as mine, I felt empathy, understanding and care … Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so kind and gracious.’ Client, high profile sexual assault claim

Key recent settlements:

• Traumatic brain injury sustained in road traffic collision (pedestrian/vehicle) - £2.86 million settlement
• Traumatic brain injury/polytrauma in road traffic collision (pedestrian/vehicle) – MIB Untraced - £2 million settlement
• Psychiatric injury claim (secondary victim/fatal road traffic collision) - £500,000
• Lower limb amputation (violent assault) – CICA - £500,000 (maximum award) achieved on appeal at the First Tier Tribunal
• Traumatic brain injury/polytrauma (cyclist/vehicle) - £720,000 settlement
• Traumatic brain injury (pedestrian/vehicle) - £2.6 million settlement

Voluntary positions

Claire is a trustee for Headway Sussex, a charity that provides advice and support for those living in Sussex with acquired brain injury.

Claire is a member of the Sussex Acquired Brain Injury Forum (SABIF) steering committee

Claire is also a trustee for Core Arts, a charity based in Hackney which promotes positive mental health and wellbeing through a college-like environment of creative learning.

Qualifications, membership and directory rankings

• Solicitor – admitted September 2007
• Chambers & Partners 2026 – Up and Coming (Personal Injury: Mainly Claimant)
• Association of Personal Injury Lawyers – Member
• Headway Panel Solicitor
• Major Trauma Signposting Partnership (Brighton)

Claire can be contacted by email on: ceg@deanwilson.co.uk or by direct dial on (0)1273 032345