Jonathan Tyler

Solicitor

Corporate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

01732 457575 Email Jonathan

Jonathan is Head of Litigation for our Sevenoaks office and has a vast amount of experience of commercial litigation, particularly involving property. He acts for commercial landlords and tenants, businesses and individuals. He also has considerable expertise and experience in professional negligence work with focus again on the property industry.

He has been involved in group action litigation and large property damage cases with particular expertise in flooding claims.
He marries a client-focused and pragmatic approach with a real understanding of when to litigate. He is always ready take a robust approach at the right time but also recognises that sometimes alternative dispute resolution can be more appropriate.

Having been a partner for nearly 20 years at a London West End Legal 500 firm, he brings a wealth of litigation experience to Wellers Reece-Jones. He values his clients and their loyalty, takes time to understand their needs and makes no assumptions about their objectives. He recognises the importance of practical and commercial advice and providing cost-effective solutions to dispute resolution.


Tegen Whitford

Trainee Solicitor

Corporate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

01732 457575 Email Tegen

Tegen is a Trainee Solicitor currently undertaking her first seat within the Private Client department under the supervision of Ingrid McCleave. Tegen started at Wellers Law Group in October 2021 as a Paralegal within the Litigation department but has since progressed to a Trainee Solicitor in November 2022 and will qualify in May 2023.

Tegen assists Ingrid with the day-to-day running of files, drafting Inheritance Tax Forms, Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney’s, Deeds of Variation and regularly attends Ingrid at client meetings. She is continuously learning in this seat and enjoys complex matters. She is focused on understanding the client’s wants and needs to be able to progress matters in a timely manner.

Tegen studied at The University of Brighton and graduated in 2017 achieving a 2:1 in Law with Criminology, she then started studying her LPC and Masters at the University of Law Guildford whilst working full time as a Paralegal. She graduated in 2020 with a High Commendation.


Priyanka Kumar

Solicitor

Corporate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

01732 457575 mailto:priyanka.kumar@wellerslawgroup.com

Priyanka Kumar is a skilled Litigation Solicitor at Wellers, specialising in the practice area of Litigation & Dispute Resolution. She holds an LLB (Hons) in Law and an LPC with a Masters in Legal Practice, showcasing her commitment to excellence in the legal field. With a background of being newly qualified, Priyanka brings fresh insights to her role and is supervised by Jonathan Tyler in the Sevenoaks office.

Prior to joining Wellers, Priyanka gained invaluable experience at a leading city firm where she represented social and private tenants, as well as leaseholders in disrepair actions against Local Authorities and Housing Associations. Her specific areas of expertise lie in Landlord and Tenant Litigation and Property Disputes.


Shahad Sallomi

Paralegal

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

01372 750115 mailto:shahad.sallomi@wellerslawgroup.com

Shahad is a paralegal, assisting in the litigation department at Butler House and is supervised by Craig Batko. Shahad completed her Undergraduate Law Degree in 2020 with a 2.1 (Hons), followed by the LPC and LLM which she completed in 2023.


Lorraine Toal

Head of Department

Partner

Divorce

Family

Immigration

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

+44 (0)208 290 7956 (DDI) Please email me

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

Family Law

Lorraine is Head of the Family Law and Immigration Law 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.

Immigration Law

Lorraine’s role as head of the Immigration Law department she covers all the key areas for both personal and corporate immigration advice, covering all types of visas (including those for Skilled Workers, Healthcare Workers, Students and family members), Indefinite Leave to Remain, naturalisation, passport applications and Home Office appeals.

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

Joseph Reeves

Partner

Solicitor

Corporate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

020 7481 6383 email Joe

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

Craig Batko

Senior Solicitor

Corporate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Personal Litigation & Dispute Resolution

01372 750 102 Email Craig

Please be aware that Craig's name has recently been used on a fax phishing exercise, primarily targeting firms in the USA. If you have received a fax purporting to be from Craig, please ignore it. It is not from Wellers Law Group.

Craig qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and was a partner at his previous firm. He joined the litigation department at Wellers Hedleys at their Butler House offices in Great Bookham in September 2018.

Craig largely specialises in property related disputes and property litigation, particularly commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, business tenancy renewals and oppositions under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, dilapidation claims, possession claims, the acquisition and protection of rights over land such as prescriptive easements, other disputes relating to easements, the enforcement and discharge of freehold covenants, adverse possession, disputes over boundaries, trespass and nuisance. Craig appears in the County Court for possession claims and other chambers advocacy.

Craig’s other practice areas include trusts of land and co-ownership disputes under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, contractual disputes, consumer law, licensing, debt recovery, judgment enforcement proceedings and some insolvency work.