Our People

Partner, senior solicitor, head of family and litigation, collaborative lawyer, family law accredited specialist

Lorraine is Head of the Family Law and Litigation Departments at Wellers Law Group.  She has many years’ experience in Family law having qualified in 2004 and previously been responsible for developing the Family department of a well-known firm in Surrey where she was made a Partner and assisted in the opening of a second office in West Sussex.

In search of a “new challenge” and wishing to work closer to home, Lorraine joined Wellers as Head of Department.   She has much experience of the following: cohabitation; separation; divorce; civil partnerships; children; finances (ancillary relief) and consent orders and is a member of Resolution, which aims to aid the constructive resolution of matrimonial disputes. Lorraine is also a trained collaborative lawyer where couples prefer to resolve matrimonial issues among themselves with the help of trained professionals without going to court. She is also a Law Society accredited Specialist in Family Law.

In her spare time, Lorraine is a keen supporter of Crystal Palace Football Club and she says that as a result she “has a very good sense of humour”!

Reported Cases

Lorraine represented the son who was an intervenor in his father and step-mother’s divorce where the step-mother accused the father of dissipating assets prior to their divorce.  The title/reference to the case is:

FB v IB [2014] EWHC 759 (Fam)

Lorraine represented the wife in a much talked about case before Mr Justice Moor whereby the wife argued that she should be entitled to more than 50% of the matrimonial asset pot due to the Husband’s alleged wanton dissipation of assets.  The title/reference to the case is:

MAP v MFP [2015] EWHC 627 (Fam)

“You have been a big part of my life over the last year and you have kept me going! Again, grateful thanks…”.––Julie

“Family Law Solicitor Lorraine Toal helped me through a difficult divorce, she kept me informed at all times and was a comfort during a time of stress. Her advice on all matters was accurate and I felt I was in good hands”

Testimonial

I really appreciate all of your advice and that I could speak with you so candidly without pretence. Your support has been invaluable to me over the past two years.

The service that we received from Family Law Solicitor Lorraine Toal, was exceptional. She kept us informed at all times, contacted us promptly in all instances, her advice and recommendations to the various circumstances was helpful and reliable. She conducted the matter efficiently and swiftly

I have had the pleasure of being represented by Wellers Family law and particularly Lorraine and Quang… I have always found them only interested in acting on my behalf and know the law inside out which has resulted yet again in achieving the desired result.

Divorces and child cases are often very emotional and the games that get played are often more a distraction than fact but these guys wade through the smoke and mirrors to present facts of the case. Believe in how they approach things and you will get the desired results.

––Delroy Robinson & Maureen Braithwaite

Joe is a civil and commercial litigator covering a wide range of practice areas including commercial and contract litigation, property disputes including landlord and tenant litigation, banking and corporate disputes, professional negligence and debt recovery.

Having qualified in 2010, Joe was previously a Partner in a West End Practice and most recently spent time working on a large scale regulatory matter in Dubai.

Joe’s experience includes:-

Property

• Advising clients facing a possession claim brought by an institutional landlord in respect of premises in Holland Park, including negotiating settlement of the claim
• Representing a landlord with an extensive London property portfolio in proceedings brought by a Local Authority under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
• Representing a landlord in a claim for interim rent under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
• Advising a commercial landlord in a £220,000 dilapidations claim against Kwikfit
• Advising a commercial landlord in a possession claim over premises let under an expired licence
• General advice and representation in relation to boundary and right of way disputes, forfeiture, rent recovery, dilapidations and service charge disputes

Contract and Commercial

• Advising borrowers and personal guarantors in a dispute involving the construction of a private loan agreement, including advising on the enforceability of a penalty clause under the agreement
• Advising a commercial landlord in a dispute with Npower, including advising on the construction and commencement of an energy supply agreement
• Successfully securing summary judgment in respect of a contractual claim for a deposit following a buyer’s failure to complete
• Advising on banking disputes including a set-aside application against HSBC in relation to non-enforceability of a personal guarantee
• Successfully securing compensation for a commercial entity in a claim against RBS resulting from the mis-sale of an Interest Rate Hedging Product (SWAP)
• General debt recovery on behalf of commercial clients including professional service providers and SMEs

Civil

• Successfully acting for an executor and beneficiary in relation to a probate dispute concerning disclosure of estate information, including substantial recovery of costs
• Advising a beneficiary in an inheritance dispute including successful mediation and settlement of the claim
• Advising intended beneficiaries in a professional negligence claim against solicitors following failure to finalise a testator’s will
• Advising a client in respect of a claim in professional negligence against solicitors, arising from complex trust litigation
• Advising a restaurateur in a professional negligence claim against solicitors following failure to advise on the presence of a planning restriction on commercial premises in Victoria

University

• Queen Mary University of London, LLB Law
• College of Law, London Moorgate

Ingrid is Head of Wellers Wealth, a private client and tax advisory service at Wellers and a Partner within the firm. She brings with her extensive experience and knowledge of taxation and trust law. Wellers Wealth provides an invaluable service to business owners/directors and high net worth individuals and their advisers.

After completing her LLB (Hons) in Business Law at Guildhall University where she studied company law, taxation and related subjects, Ingrid studied at the Inns of Court School of Law and was called to the Bar in 1995, specialising in European Competition Law and International Trade.

 Ingrid’s first position was at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Edinburgh where she worked as a corporate tax senior in the Corporate Tax and Life Insurance Tax Department of the Financial Services Division as a tax advisor for large banks and insurance companies. This involved working as part of a team of three looking at tax planning strategies for multi-national insurance companies, leading often to international corporate restructuring for tax purposes. Ingrid was initially recruited to prepare a report to be disclosed during a tax investigation by the Revenue involving the tax treatment under the pre anti avoidance legislation of a box option, which was the underlying investment for the insurance companies guaranteed income bond.  

Ingrid was then asked to join Arthur Andersen (the 4^th largest accountancy firm worldwide at the time) where she managed the tax compliance for a portfolio of clients which included a number of investment companies and a Japanese bank with branches in England.  

During her period at Arthur Andersen she co-wrote the Tax Guide to Europe, an internal publication that was sent to Andersen’s clients. This involved writing a chapter on each European country, summarising the corporate tax, income tax, indirect tax and capital taxes of each country. 

Ingrid then transferred to Treasury within Andersen’s (due to her prior experience of derivative instruments) where she worked as part of a team designing derivative products which banks and insurance companies used as the underlying investments for the products they sold their clients. 

Ingrid then moved to Numerica (the 15^th largest UK accountancy firm at the time) as a Tax Manager focusing on owner managed businesses. There she was Head of Corporate Tax Planning and Stamp Duty. She also continued working in International Tax drafting reports for overseas clients with business interest in the UK. This involved proactive tax planning on behalf of the individual and the company, often involving international relocation and restructuring.   

In 2004 Ingrid converted to become a solicitor and has worked predominantly in law firms after a short spell lecturing Law at Brighton University. During her career as a solicitor Ingrid has worked as a Senior Associate and Head of Tax and Private Client in a Legal 500 firm in Central London.

 Ingrid regularly lectures on Trust and Taxation and Business Succession courses for the Society of Will Writers and The Association of Accountants as well as to a number of group of financial advisers.

 Ingrid initially studied piano and composition at Trinity College of Music in London and then went on to teach piano and woodwind at Eastbourne College and until recently, whilst living in Edinburgh, Ingrid gave regular piano recitals at the Edinburgh Society for Musicians.

Jeanette is a Partner at Wellers Law Group and has over 10 years’ experience working as a solicitor in residential conveyancing. She deals with all aspects of residential conveyancing transactions for a wide range of clients in relation to buying and selling of freehold and leasehold properties, re-mortgages, pre-auction advice, transfer of equity, equity release, right to buy and help to buy transactions.

Following completion of the LPC, Jeanette joined a firm of solicitors in Greenwich as a trainee solicitor and qualified in 2008. She was then employed by a larger firm in South East London, specialising in all aspects of residential conveyancing and working with various offices around the UK. Jeanette joined the conveyancing department at Wellers in July 2019.

Jeanette has acted on a wide range of matters and property types in Chislehurst and nearby areas. She believes in providing a high quality service, building relationships with clients and taking the time to understand their needs. She endeavours to make the process as stress-free as possible.

Jeanette oversees the firm’s Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation and is Head of Residential Property services

In her spare time, Jeanette enjoys swimming and spending time with family and friends.

Testimonial

“Many thanks for handling our conveyancing recently. You made what could have been an extremely stressful time bearable. From our first meeting to completion we felt confident and happy”

“We really appreciate all your hard work & support. You made the whole ordeal bearable. We are truly grateful for everything you have done us”

"At times it was stressful, so thanks also for 'holding my hand'...As a family we have used Wellers a few times and we have found everyone professional, efficient and user friendly. Thanks again for your help, it was much appreciated - keep up the good work - the very good work."

Partner - Commercial & Charity Law

Paul is Head of the firm’s Charity Department. He joined the firm in 1978 and has specialised in Charity Law for over 30 years.

Paul travels widely and has a client base of both national and international not-for-profit organisations. He has had considerable experience in representing various overseas foundations in their activities in the UK, as well as UK charities in their work in Africa, Central Asia, South East Asia, Australia, USA and the Middle East.

Paul’s specialisation is designing and implementing innovative enabling structures for not-for-profits and charities.

Paul is the Author of Faith, Hope & Charity, the A to Z of governing a charitable organisation (see link to video below). He is a director of two international charities.

Paul’s favourite client is a rather well-known purple dinosaur who, Paul says, tended to sing his instructions rather than send e-mails!

In his free time he has renovated a French farmhouse and enjoys gardening – but only if he can eat the resulting produce!

Testimonial

"Paul Martin has been the external legal advisor to The Langley Park School for Boys Academy Trust during the school's £35 million redevelopment project. During this period his advice has been on diverse issues including property law, development contracts, negotiations for easements and rights-of-way, Charity formation and administration in joint venture and management agreements. In addition, Paul's colleagues at Wellers have advised on litigation and employment issues.

We have been impressed with the excellent and personal service that has come from the firm, and have been pleased to have their complete service at our disposal during this exciting yet demanding time of change for the school."

- The Langley Park School fopr Boys Academy Trust

Rosalind is a Senior Litigation Solicitor who qualified in 1989 and who is based at our Bromley Office.

Rosalind spent the first 10 years of her legal career at the “Magic Circle” City firm Allen & Overy where she was a solicitor in their Litigation Department dealing with large financial and contractual disputes. Following a year at another City firm, Baker & McKenzie, Rosalind decided to move out of the City to a more local firm where she would be advising individuals and small & medium-sized businesses and where her advice would make a real difference.

Rosalind spent the next 18 years at Dodd Lewis (formerly James & Charles Dodd) where she became a Partner and ran the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. She is now an expert in most areas of Litigation and Dispute Resolution, including Employment law and disputes and residential and commercial tenancies, helping clients with all their various problems and prides herself on bringing clients her City experience at a local price.

She will always consider all ways to avoid a dispute where possible but will then be a tough and tenacious litigator for her clients. In 2017, Rosalind joined Wellers and it is confirmation of her rapport with clients that so many of them also decided to follow her to Wellers.

Rosalind has built up an impressive CV in all aspects of Contentious Probate disputes and is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (“ACTAPS”). She works closely with her colleagues in the Private Client department to bring her clients a seamless service of advice and assistance at what is often a sad and difficult time, whether helping resist challenges to the Will or rules of Intestacy or bringing those same challenges.

Here are just a few typical examples of where Rosalind has been able to help clients in difficult situations:

• Barnes –v- Phillips [2015] EWCA Civ 1056 – Acting for a client in a case pursuant to ToLATA 1996 where the Court of Appeal upheld the lower Judge’s decision that the client’s beneficial interest in the property had been increased from 50% to 85% after Mr Barnes had moved out
• Acting for a client who lost her business and also her home when another firm of solicitors failed to protect her right to a new commercial tenancy and obtaining significant compensation for her.
• Acting for a client whose father had been illiterate and proving that the Will he signed cannot have been valid and ensuring that she was paid her rightful share of his estate.
• Acting for a minor child and his mother who had been effectively left out of his father’s Will and ensuring that at Trial he received a significant share of his late father’s estate.
• Acting for a client whose father had been unduly influenced to “give” his only property to the client’s sister, successfully overturning that “gift” and resolving the division of the father’s estate after his death without the need for a Court trial.
• Acting for a client claiming that his mother had promised to leave him half her estate if he carried out various work and successfully resolving his claim after his mother disinherited him.
• Acting for the widow of a deceased who had essentially been written out of his Will and successfully obtaining half his estate for her at Trial.

Senior Solicitor - Commercial Property

Nina deals with all aspects of commercial property and investment property. This includes advice on identifying and acquiring both commercial and residential portfolios as well as locating and dealing with the legal aspects of high value residential property sale and purchase.

Nina works closely with clients to the following services:

• Acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold commercial and residential premises and mixed use developments.
• Landlord and tenant issues.
• Portfolio management.
• Site assembly and development.
• Real estate finance.

Nina advises a wide variety of clients including the following:

• Property developers
• Investors, including overseas investors
• Retailers
• Hotels; restaurants and public houses
• High net worth individuals

Nina says – “It is immensely satisfying to work with a client to discuss their objectives and then get to work to ensure that these objectives are met.”