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 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.
Managing Partner
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.
James can be contacted by email: jc@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: 01273 249267.
Associate Solicitor, Private Client
Rebecca qualified into the Private Client team in 2019 after completing her training contract with Dean Wilson LLP. Rebecca studied the LPC at BPP Holborn London after studying Law LLB at the University of Nottingham. Rebecca is working towards full membership with the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has further qualifications in Administration of Estates, Administration of Trusts and Taxation of Trusts and Estates.
Rebecca has experience in dealing with:
Rebecca can provide advice on the best type of Wills taking account of a client’s personal circumstances, tax position and inheritance planning.
Rebecca has a broad range of experience in probate cases including high value probates, intestacies, Ad Colligenda Bona (limited grants usually required for the quick sale of property), and fractious families.
Rebecca can be contacted by email: RCG@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 249280.
Paralegal, Dispute Resolution
Zoe graduated from Queen Mary University of London in 2024, achieving an upper-class honours. Zoe is a paralegal within our Dispute Resolution team, providing support to the team, while taking on her own caseload. Zoe specialises in Landlord and Tenant Possession Claims, related to the Section 21 and Section 8 proceedings of the Housing Act 1988.
Zoe can be contacted by email: ZYG@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249262
Paralegal, Dispute Resolution
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.
Partner, Dispute Resolution
Claire’s expertise is in property related disputes, landlord and tenant matters, and enfranchisement matters.
Claire’s clients include commercial and private landlords, property agents, tenants’ associations, trusts and other commercial entities in the leisure and retail sector nationwide. Her work is derived almost entirely from recommendations.
She is recommended in Chambers & Partner. Claire has a good eye for those all-important details, undertakes advocacy and has a practical working relationship with other professionals. Her strong belief in looking after her clients' best interests is her motivating force.
Claire can be contacted by email: CLW@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: (0) 1273 249229.
Head of HR
Sarah is a highly experienced HR generalist with a full and comprehensive knowledge of all HR practices and employment law. With over 30 years of experience in the field of HR, Sarah has established a reputation for providing excellent service, with strong commercial awareness and a pragmatic approach to outcomes.
Sarah specialises in coaching and mentoring, assisting others to reach their full potential, whether that be through training, career development, performance or people management practice.
Sarah has a passion for fostering a professional, engaging and supportive culture, through working practices, recruitment, retention, succession planning, well-being and learning and development.
Sarah is known for her practical, resourceful approach, always seeking the most efficient and productive outcomes and solutions for all.
Sarah can be contacted by email, sjs@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial, 01273 032318.
Associate Solicitor, Personal Injury & Medical Negligence
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:
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
Medical Negligence
Inquests
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
Contact
Jessica can be contacted by email at JVE@deanwilson.co.uk or by telephone on 01273 249292.
Partner, Property Department
David Barling is one of the Partners in the Property Department and has considerable experience in all types of Commercial Property Law.
David acts for a number of property investors and property companies on a wide scale and is used to dealing with very high value transactions. David also deals with mortgages and in particular, high value loan market association type mortgages.
David is also experienced in Local Government work having been a member of a number of Councils over the years latterly West Sussex County Council.
Executive, Court of Protection
Beth is an executive in the Court of Protection team, having built upon her background in Mental Health Law with a further five years’ experience in Court of Protection matters. Beth applies her meticulous and empathetic approach to:
Beth can be contacted by email: BL@deanwilson.co.uk or on his direct dial: (0) 1273 249235.
Senior Associate Solicitor, Dispute Resolution
Daniel is a Senior Associate Solicitor who specialises in Property Litigation matters. Daniel has experience in dealing with landlord and tenant disputes for both residential and commercial properties, real estate disputes, lease extensions and enfranchisement. Daniel also deals with contractual disputes, debt collection, claims under the Consumer Credit Act, and takes a keen interest in taxi licensing having been instructed in the leading case of Kaivanpor v Sussex Central Justices (High Court).
Daniel can be contacted by email (djd@deanwilson.co.uk) or on his direct dial (01273 249232)
Paralegal, Dispute Resolution
Linh recently graduated from University of Sussex and is currently working as a paralegal within our Dispute Resolution team, providing support to the team, as well as training to manage her own caseload. Linh specialises in Landlord & Tenant Possession Claims, related to the Section 8 and Section 21 proceedings of the Housing Act 1988.
LLB Law (Hons) from University of Sussex
Linh can be contacted by email: LGP@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249244.
Solicitor, Commercial Property & Real Estate
Amy joined the Commercial Development team in 2023, after successfully completing her training contract with Dean Wilson LLP. Amy studied the LPC after completing the GDL with the University of Law part-time whilst working at Dean Wilson LLP as a paralegal.
Amy has experience in dealing with a variety of commercial and residential property transactions, including acquisitions and sales of freehold and leasehold land for both Landlords and Tenants, refinances and re-mortgages for commercial and residential properties and dealing with development site set-up requirements.
Amy works closely with the team which comprises David Hodge (Partner) Sinead Dye (Associate Solicitor), Isabelle Svendsen (Paralegal), Samanda Mazreku (Legal Assistant) 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.
Amy can be contacted by email: ae@deanwilson.co.uk and her direct dial is 01273 249 268.
Partner, Real Estate & Commercial Property and Development
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.
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.
Senior Paralegal, Dispute Resolution
Sara is a Senior Paralegal within the Dispute Resolution department and has extensive experience in all matters concerning residential possession claims. Sara works with both landlords and tenants and also works with providers of insurance cover for landlords.
Additionally, Sara has experience in regard to breaches of lease in relation to running Holiday Lets, with Dean Wilson LLP acting for both leaseholders and freeholders.
Sara is fluent in English and Norwegian and has a working knowledge of the Scandinavian languages.
Sara can be contacted by email: sn@deanwilson.co.uk or on her direct dial: 01273 249276
Apprentice Solicitor, Commercial Property
Will is an Apprentice Solicitor in our Commercial Property department, having previously been a Paralegal within the department. Will is assisting with all manner of property transactions including acquisitions, disposals, lettings, assignments, refinancing and development work.
Previously, Will spent over a year in our Dispute Resolution Department specialising in Landlord possession claims. Will was managing up to 60 claims at one time and had a 100% success rate. Will brings this experience, attention to detail and commercial awareness to the Commercial Real Estate team.
Will enjoys learning new skills, understanding different areas of the law and working within a collaborative team which is highly focused on delivering a top-class service and aiding their client’s to reaching their goal.
William can be contacted by email: wgs@deanwilson.co.uk or on direct dial: 01273 032354
Trainee Solicitor
Christiana joined the firm in January 2025 as a trainee Solicitor and is currently undertaking her first training seat in Personal Injury and Medical Negligence.
Prior to Christiana joining the firm, she worked in the Residential and Commercial Property department at another local Brighton firm, gaining hands-on experience with drafting TR1 forms, filing SDLT returns, managing client communications, and handling initial case administration. This experience has enhanced Christiana's attention to detail and developed her organisational and client management skills.
Christiana is fluent in both English and Greek, which enables Christiana to communicate effectively with a diverse range of clients.
Christiana can be contacted by email: CRC@deanwilson.co.uk or on their direct dial: (0) 1273 032365.
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