Lawnet
Taylor Bracewell is a member of Lawnet, a major collaborative group of Law Firms across the UK, giving access to specialist knowledge normally only available to the largest firms.
Lawnet brings together progressive firms dedicated to giving the best possible advice and service to clients, and provides a forum for co-operation and development of quality legal services.
Culture
Taylor Bracewell is a real people practice which cares about its local community. We are active members of Pro-Help and Deloitte & Co providing legal help and advice to local business, free of charge.
The Firm also nominates a charity each year which the staff and partners then support through Sports and Social events. This year we are contributing to Bluebell Wood [http://www.bluebellwood.org/]
We have already enjoyed fun and frolics throughout Comic Relief week and have staff in training for the Great North Run
At Taylor Bracewell we know that our staff are key to the quality of our service. We strive to provide the best working team environment and throughout the history of the firm have experienced very low staff turnover, which is a good indicator of a happy ship. We have a friendly and dedicated team of lawyers who are always happy to help and ‘go the extra mile’ as a matter of course.
Quality
Taylor Bracewell simply provide the best possible service we can at all times.
All of our lawyers are easily accessible having direct dial telephone numbers and are happy to communicate with clients by their preferred method be that formal letter, email or even text.
As you would expect we provide top quality legal advice, however the added bonus is the personable and down to earth delivery of our services.
We have acted for many of our clients throughout the generations which says more about our quality of service than any flashy catchphrase or glossy advert.
Our People
Partners:-
MARK BERESFORD
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MARK BERESFORD
Managing Partner
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Telephone: 01302 640404
Email: mb@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Mark is our Managing Partner and heads up our dispute resolution team. He has a long history with the firm, having joined Ward Bracewell as an articled clerk in 1984 after gaining an MA (Hons) from St John’s College Cambridge. He has been a partner with the firm since 1990.
Mark is experienced in all areas of dispute resolution and specialises in high value commercial litigation.
Born and brought up in Doncaster, Mark now lives in Selby with his two sons. There is a long tradition of law in Mark’s family, his great-great grandfather being an inmate at Derby County Gaol.
On the rare occasions when he is not at work, Mark enjoys reading, walking, genealogy, tennis (he admits to be comfortably the worst player ever to play at Selby Tennis Club) and supporting Doncaster Rovers.
SHARON BECK
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SHARON BECK
Partner
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Telephone: 01302 640408
Email: sb@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Sharon joined Taylor Bracewell in 2000 becoming a partner in 2003 and has been practising in the field of Commercial Law for the past 20 years. Prior to joining our firm she spent 8 years practising for one of the ‘Top Ten City Law Firms’.
Sharon qualified as a solicitor by the long and arduous route of working and part time studying. She is of the opinion that the profession would be much less crowded if all solicits had to qualify that way. Sharon is experienced in all areas of commercial law and since joining the firm she currently acts for many local companies, banks, building societies and property developers. She has acted on a local building using the non voting process for the very first time!
Outside the office Sharon is married to Tony and they have one extremely pampered British Blue cat, named Erin. She (Sharon not the cat!) enjoys cycling and walking and has cycled the Trans Pennine Trail from Doncaster to Liverpool, supposedly as a ‘birthday treat’ from her husband.
ALISON STRAW
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ALISON STRAW
Partner
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Telephone: 01302 640411
Email: aavs@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Alison joined Taylor Bracewell as a partner in 2007, having been a family law and childcare specialist with a national law firm at its officers in Sheffield and Leeds since 1989.
A former Doncaster Grammar School pupil, Alison got a 2:1 in law at Birmingham University before completing her solicitors finals at Chester College of Law. Alison is experienced in all areas of family law and currently specialises in high value financial disputes and all matters relating to children. Alison is a Collaborative lawyer and a member of Resolution. Also a member of the Children Panel, Family Law Panel and a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Private Children and Finance. Alison is used to advising clients locally, nationally and internationally.
Away from the office, at her home in Doncaster, Alison is an active mum, attending the gym and sharing time with her son in a variety of sports and supporting her son’s football and cricket teams. Always up for a challenge, Alison has climbed the ice wall at Xscape (only by sheer grit and determination) and has enjoyed the thrill of a microlight lesson.
PETER CASWELL
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PETER CASWELL Partner
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Telephone: 01302 640410
Email: pc@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Peter is the latest newest partner to the Practice and heads the conveyancing and probate departments. Born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Peter was brought up in the heart of the country in Walsall near Birmingham. Putting Gulliver to shame he travelled north to begin his degree at the University of Hull before moving to Leeds to complete the post graduate diplomas in Law and Legal practice.
Peter has wide experience of residential work including site assembly and supervises the team of residential paralegals. Peter specialises in private client work handling inheritance tax planning, drawing up high value settlements in respect of Trusts and all issues affecting the elderly.
When he escapes from the office Peter likes to walk the nation’s golf courses and play football. Peter continues to live in Leeds in order to be as close to the Cricket Stadium as possible.
IAN POTTER
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IAN POTTER Consultant
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Telephone: 01302 640407
Email: idp@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Ian Potter is an experienced lawyer who has been with us over 30 years having joined Ward Bracewell & Co back in 1974. Ian graduated from University with a law degree and moved up to lead the commercial team for ten years as a Partner. After a spell of some five years as Managing Partner, Ian is now practising in Wills, Trusts, and Inheritance Tax Planning as a part time Consultant. Ian also provides the Practice with expertise on all licensing matters.
Ian now has more time to devote to his hobbies. He is interested in many areas of sport but in particular enjoys swimming and playing golf. As a firm we would urge residents of Barnsley to keep their heads down if they are passing by a course on which Ian is teeing off.
Ian recently retired as a Director of the Doncaster Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise after a long period of service commencing in 1991. He is also a director of Barnsley Theatre Trust.
HELEN UPSON
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HELEN UPSON Solicitor
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Telephone: 01302 640397
Email: hu@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Helen is an employment specialist who has been with the firm for five years. Helen graduated in Law from the University of Hertfordshire and commenced her studies for legal practice at the University of Sheffield. Helen works in the commercial department and concentrates on aspects of employment law.
Helen is an experienced advocate and has had a recent run of successful tribunals and also specialises in issues of contract and policy drafting. Helen runs regular seminars over changing employment issues, as well as publishing quarterly email updates to keep clients informed. As an accredited workplace mediator Helen is able to assist in necessary workplace disputes. This will become an essential part of the disciplinary process with the New ACAS Code of Practice.
In her spare time Helen is involved with the Junior Chamber International and enjoys painting. When the excitement of this gets too much for her, Helen makes for the hills on the back of a horse or rock climbing in the Yorkshire Dales.
VICTORIA MOFFATT
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VICTORIA MOFFATT Solicitor
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Telephone: 01302 640401
Email: vem@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Victoria Moffatt is a Solicitor in our Dispute Resolution Department.
Victoria graduated in History from the University of Manchester in 2003 and worked for a year for a large insurance company – before realising that she had actually always wanted to be a solicitor.
Specialising in Landlord and Tenant disputes including possession work. Victoria is also able to assist in all areas of general civil disputes.
Victoria is from the Selby area, where she continues to live. In her spare time Victoria is involved with the Junior Chamber International and enjoys playing the piano (badly!) and going to the gym. Her other interests are Coronation Street and University Challenge.
KAREN HILT
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KAREN HILT Legal Executive
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Telephone: 01302 640396
Email: kh@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Karen joined the firm back in 1985. Having studied law at Sheffield College Karen went on to qualify as a legal executive and is now a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives and member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Karen specialises in private client work handing the preparation of Wills and administering estates.
In her spare time Karen enjoys swimming, walking and horse riding. When not riding horses Karen enjoys watching them at the Doncaster Race Course. As Karen has regularly turned up for work on Monday mornings over the last 20 years we suspect that her success in this field has been limited.
JO CURTIS
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JO CURTIS Legal Assistant
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Telephone: 01302 640417
Email:jc@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Jo is a senior legal assistant specialising in family law, and proud of her Yorkshire roots. Jo sat her law degree at Leeds Metropolitan University, graduating in 1979 and taking up a position with a Leeds firm to then move to Ward Bracewell in 1982.
Jo specialises in divorce and financial settlements and particular in public funding work.
When not at work, Jo enjoys hill walking, tree hugging, Pol Roger champagne and is a member of the Pudding Club (we’re too afraid to ask). She enjoys taking up the oddest of challenges such as climbing Kilimanjaro in 2003, throwing herself out of a plane in 2004 and twice stumbling through the Great North Run. Supposedly this was all for Charity. We are not so sure!
NICOLA TAYLOR
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NICOLA TAYLOR Trainee Legal Executive
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Telephone: 01302 640319
Email: nt@taylorbracewell.co.uk
Nicola joined Taylor Bracewell as a Junior Secretary in March 2000 and has progressed to become a paralegal in the family department.
Nicola is studying for her Level [ ] Professional Diploma in Law having already obtained a merit in Vocational Paralegal Studies at Doncaster College. Nicola is expected to qualify as a legal executive later this year.
Domestic violence including emergency injunctions and divorce work for publicly funded clients are the areas in which Nicola specialises.
Nicola was born and brought up in Doncaster. She lives with her family and cat called Pebbles (after the Flintstones character – she assures us that she was 10 when the name was given). In the rare moments that she is not studying or working Nicola enjoys fitness classes with strange names such as Spinning, Body Combat and Body Pump.
Office Manager:-
VICKI LOWES
