Our Team
Here you can find information about the individuals in each of the teams and departments at Ridley & Hall and the areas of law within which our lawyers and solicitors specialise.
Click on the individual images to view detailed profile information.
If you know who you need to get in touch with already you can find direct contact information shown on each profile. Alternatively, you can either contact our main switchboard directly on 01484 538421 and we will guide you to the right person, or submit the inquiry form on our contact us page.
Type the name to search for a member.
David Amies
PartnerCommercial Property
With over 25 years’ experience, David joined Ridley & Hall in 2015 to head up the commercial property department....
Anam Amjid
Apprentice SolicitorWills & Probate
Anam recently joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors as an Apprentice Solicitor, based at the Huddersfield office. Her journey into law began with an outstanding academic achievement, having been awarded Best Student in Land Law—an accolade presented by Ridley & Hall themselves....
Chloe Aston
Partner,Solicitor,
South Elmsall Team Leader
Wills & Probate
Chloe is a highly qualified lawyer with a passion for serving Wills & Probate clients. Building strong and lasting relationships with her clients is at the heart of her practice. She prioritises understanding their unique needs and providing tailored legal solutions with a friendly and professional manner....
Corinne Barnett
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Corinne is a Solicitor in our family department working at our Huddersfield office....
Gina Brabham
SolicitorWills & Probate
Gina completed her law degree at The University of Leeds and the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Trent University, where she obtained a Master of Laws qualification. Gina qualified as a Solicitor in 2020.Gina deals with a wide range of Private Client matters including Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection and Probate and Estate administration.With a strong focus on being friendly and approachable, Gina prides herself on offering clear and pragmatic advice tailored to her clients’ individual needs....
Sarah Brown
Partner,Solicitor,
Team Leader
Public Law
Sarah is the Team Leader of the Public Law team. She primarily assists clients with a variety of issues related to adoption and has developed a particular specialism in advising clients on the adoption process and adoption disruptions....
Zoe Butt
Partner,Solicitor,
Team Leader of the Care Team
Child Care & Public Law
Zoe Butt joined the firm in March 2023 as a Partner. Zoe has a wealth of experience in children matters and works in our Care and Public Law teams. Zoe’s particular expertise is in complex care proceedings involving Child Sexual and Criminal Exploitation, and cases involving alleged Non-Accidental Injury. She also has a wealth of experience in dealing with cases involving Forced Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and Honour Based Violence....
Ellie Butterfield
Trainee SolicitorResidential Property
Ellie joined Ridley & Hall as a Trainee Solicitor in April 2025 and is currently completing her Training Contract. She is studying the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and is due to qualify as a Solicitor in 2027....
Nicki Butterworth
Associate Personal AssistantChild Care & Public Law
Nicki is an experienced Personal Assistant who works within the Care & Public Law Team (for Child Care Director, James Cook).Nicki’s career began in the retail sector, and it was there where she began to hone her renowned communication and customer service skills....
Sue Cash
PartnerSolicitor & Notary Public
Sue Cash is a highly experienced solicitor and notary public. She has been a partner at Ridley & Hall since October 2009. Sue was head of the private client department for several years, and now has a compliance role within the firm as well as working on special projects and doing notarial work. ...
Joanne Collins
Residential Property
Residential Conveyancer with over 40 years’ experience working in and around the South Yorkshire AreaKnowledge base includes sales, purchases, shared ownership, new build properties, remortgages and transfers of equity...
James Cook
Director,Head of Child Care & Public Law Team
Child Care & Public Law
James Cook trained and qualified at a South Yorkshire firm where he specialised in family and immigration law. ...
Marina Cotton
Apprentice SolicitorResidential Property
Marina joined our residential property team as a Property Paralegal to work alongside Alistair McKinlay at our South Elmsall office, dealing with sales, purchases, transfers of equity and remortgages. ...
Claire Cutts
South ElmsallWills & Probate
Claire Cutts is a solicitor in the Wills and Probate department. Claire is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a full member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly). Claire has also contributed to the Law Society’s Probate Practitioner’s Handbook.Claire qualified in 2011. Initially, Claire combined some work in the family department with her private client files. Having spent a couple of years working in both areas, Claire decided to specialise in Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney, Probate applications, Administration of Estate and Deputyship applications....
Tamara Dove-O'Hara
Associate SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Tamara is an associate solicitor handling all aspects of family law including divorce, financial settlements, child applications, and injunctions....
Anthony Elston
Finance DirectorManagement
Anthony is a Chartered Accountant and was a partner in a national firm of accountants until 2011. He then joined a national consumer law firm as Finance Director and worked as part of the management team achieving significant growth organically and through acquisition, culminating in the sale of the firm in 2014 to a public company....
Luke Evans
SolicitorWills & Probate
Having completed his training contract at a firm in the southeast, Luke qualified for their French Legal Services department in March 2023.After a year of niche and specialist practice, he moved back to South Yorkshire and built up a wealth of experience dealing with Wills, Probate, and Lasting Powers of Attorney at a historic local firm.Joining Ridley and Hall in February 2026, Luke’s advice is rooted in clarity, precision, and straightforwardness....
Zarqa Farouq
ParalegalFamily & Matrimonial
Zarqa is a Paralegal in our family team, representing a range of clients in divorce, financial remedy and private children matters....
Theresa Ferres
Associate,Client Services & Central Services Manager
Management
Theresa is responsible for Monitoring New Business Prospects and ensuring the highest level of client care is delivered at all times across the firm....
Tracey Firth
HR ManagerHuman Resources, Management
Tracey joined Ridley & Hall as a HR Manager in 2021. She is a Chartered member of the CIPD....
Adam Fletcher
Business Development & IT DirectorManagement, Residential Property
Adam served as Managing Director from 2012-2018, overseeing 25%+ growth. With 20+ years in residential property, he excels in conveyancing. In 2023, he took on the role of Business Development and IT Director, pivotal in the firm's future. He's dedicated to expanding the client base and enhancing technological support. Ridley & Hall is an exciting place for him....
Leah Gore
PartnerResidential Property
Leah graduated from the University of Leeds with her Law degree (LLB) and completed her master’s in Legal Practice at York, qualifying as a solicitor in 2016. Within a year of qualification, she became a Partner at a firm based in Leeds and London – a testament to her dedication and skill in property law....
Havvah Gulzar
ParalegalResidential Property
Havvah joined Ridley & Hall in 2025 after completing a master’s degree in law alongside the Legal Practice Course. Havvah is part of the Residential Conveyancing team, assisting clients with buying and selling properties, remortgages, and transfers of equity....
Shelley Harper
Associate,Solicitor
Family & Matrimonial
Shelley joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors in 2020 and is a Solicitor in our family department having qualified in 2018.Shelley completed her Law Degree at Sheffield Hallam University and continued her studies at BPP University Law School in Leeds....
Jolene Head
Head of DepartmentWills & Probate
With over 14 years’ experience as a qualified Solicitor, Jolene is a trusted and approachable legal professional based in our Huddersfield office. She specialises in Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate, Estate Administration and Deputyship applications. Known for her friendly and down-to-earth manner, Jolene takes time to listen to her clients and provides clear, practical advice tailored to their individual needs....
Emma Hopkins Jones
Partner,Solicitor
Family & Matrimonial
Emma joined Ridley & Hall as a Partner in September 2020, bringing with her extensive experience as a family law specialist....
Sara Horncastle
PartnerChild Care & Public Law
Sara Horncastle joined Ridley & Hall in April 2025 as a Partner in the Care Team. A specialist Children’s Solicitor, Sara has practised exclusively in the field of children law since qualifying in 2010. ...
Saniya Hussain
ParalegalChild Care & Public Law
Before joining Ridley & Hall in January 2026, Saniya graduated from the University of Leeds, where she studied LLB Law. Upon graduating, she worked as an Usher/Administrative Assistant at Leeds Crown Court Criminal Division, assisting in very serious criminal cases with offences ranging from sexual allegations, assault, GBH and murder, conducting jury trials and returning verdicts....
Adeel Hussain
Licensed ConveyancerResidential Property
Adeel started his career with Ridley & Hall in 2016 as a conveyancing assistant and is now a Licensed Conveyancer based at our Huddersfield Office....
Gareth Jones
Associate SolicitorLitigation
Gareth is an experienced solicitor and joins the firm having spent 15 years with another Yorkshire firm practising in litigation. Gareth undertakes contentious probate work including claims for Financial Abuse, claims for reasonable provision pursuant to the Inheritance Act 1975 and claims against executors....
Deborah Kaye
Associate SolicitorWills & Probate
Deborah Kaye joined the firm’s Private Client Team in July 2019, to contribute to the growth of that department. She brings with her a wealth of experience, having worked in this area of the law for over 20 years. Deborah previously had strong connections in the Holme Valley where she practised for many years and has welcomed the opportunity to work again in Huddersfield, having spent a few years working for a large multi-discipline firm in Bradford most recently....
Rebecca Kershaw
Apprentice SolicitorLitigation
Rebecca joined Ridley & Hall in 2023 to begin her legal career as a solicitor apprentice based in the litigation department, learning on the job about contentious probate, financial abuse, property ownership disputes, and much more....
Adam Leece
Partner,Team Leader for Property, Barnsley
Commercial Property, Residential Property
Adam joined Newman & Bond, currently Ridley & Hall incorporating Newman & Bond, in 2010 as a Trainee Solicitor qualifying in 2012. Since qualifying as a Solicitor Adam has experienced a varied workload but has focused increasingly on both Residential and Commercial Property transactions for the last 8 years. In 2021 Adam was successfully appointed Partner within Ridley & Hall and in 2022 became the Property Team Leader within the Barnsley branch....
Jill Leece
Partner,Retired
Commercial Property
Jill has now retired and is enjoying some very well-earned time with her family and friends. Jill was a Partner and served as Managing Partner at Newman and Bond for many years....
Clare Linden
PartnerChild Care & Public Law
Clare joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors as a Partner in 2018. Clare graduated from Durham University and completed her legal training at the College of Law in York in 2006. Clare qualified as a solicitor in 2008 when she re-located to Leeds to join the niche family law firm McAras and was made a partner in 2013 following the firm’s merger with Simpson Millar solicitors in Leeds....
Shelly Lynch
Chartered Legal ExecutiveResidential Property
Shelly joined our Residential Property Team at our South Elmsall office, working alongside Alistair McKinlay and Ashley Sowerby....
Lauren Mackintosh
SupportCommercial Property
Lauren joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors in 2022 and is based at the Huddersfield office. With four years’ experience as a Personal Assistant to David Amies, she takes pride in being a reliable and proactive support both to the team and to clients. Enjoying the fast-paced nature of property and the variety each day brings, she coordinates transactions to keep operations running smoothly behind the scenes....
Alison Mason
Head of the Residential Property Department,Partner
Residential Property
Alison Mason is Head of the Property Department and is a Licensed Conveyancer with over 30 years of experience in residential Conveyancing. Alison joined Ridley & Hall in 1996 having previously worked for other local firms....
Alisha Mazher
SolicitorChild Care & Public Law
Alisha is a qualified family law solicitor with ample experience and knowledge in domestic abuse cases, private child arrangements and kinship....
Vicky Medd
PartnerFamily & Matrimonial
Vicky Medd is a family solicitor with over 20 years experience. She is an accredited specialist with Resolution and has a lot of experience of financial relief, and child disputes. Vicky was also recently involved in one of the first family arbitration cases in the country and has a lot of experience in dealing with cases as expeditiously as possible, whilst achieving the best outcomes for clients....
Laura Milburn
PartnerChild Care & Public Law
Laura has many years of legal experience and was called to the Bar in 2010. After qualifying as a Barrister, Laura cross-qualified to become a Solicitor in 2012. Laura is a passionate advocate and has used her advocacy and negotiation skills on behalf of many clients over the years. ...
Misbah Mohammed
SolicitorImmigration
Misbah is an Immigration Solicitor with over 15 years’ experience in a wide range of immigration and asylum matters. She has extensive experience in both entry clearance and in-country applications, including complex matters and working with vulnerable clients. With immigration regulations evolving rapidly, Misbah remains consistently up to date on legislative and policy changes, enabling her to provide clear, practical, and expert advice....
Helen Moody
Partner,Solicitor
Child Care & Public Law
Helen joined Ridley & Hall in 2012 after completion of the Legal Practice Course, initially as a Legal Assistant working alongside Nigel Priestley to build up experience in the Public Law department. Helen completed her training contract at Ridley & Hall and qualified as a solicitor in 2016. Helen has had major successes in claiming allowances and back dated payments for kinship carers from Local Authorities across the country. Helen was made an Associate Solicitor in January 2023....
Kim Noble
Associate,Solicitor-Advocate
Child Care & Public Law
Kim qualified as a Solicitor-Advocate in 2019 after obtaining her Higher Rights of Audience (Civil) as a Trainee Solicitor based in the Care Department at a Local Authority. Kim has obtained a Law Degree, Legal Practice Course and a Master of Laws prior to qualifying as a Solicitor-Advocate....
Jessica Nugent-Herrett
Associate,Marketing and Business Development Lead,
Non-Practising Solicitor
Marketing
Marketing
Jess Nugent-Herrett completed a BA (Hons) in History in 2016, followed by a Graduate Diploma in Law in 2017. She went on to achieve her Legal Practice Course qualification alongside an MSc in Business, Law & Management in 2018, the same year she began her career in the legal profession....
Lacey Panayiotou
Apprentice SolicitorWills & Probate
Lacey recently joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors as an Apprentice Solicitor, working within the Private Client team at the South Elmsall Office....
Lauren Parker
Apprentice SolicitorPublic Law
Lauren joined Ridley and Hall in 2023 as a secretary in the childcare department based in the Huddersfield Office. She obtained a Law Degree at the University of Huddersfield and joined another firm as a Conveyancing assistant before joining Ridley and Hall. ...
Emma Pearmaine
Managing DirectorFamily & Matrimonial, Management
Emma Pearmaine is our Managing Director, winner of the Yorkshire Law Awards Managing Partner of the Year Award 2020. Emma is very proud to have supported our people to win Yorkshire Law Awards Small Law Firm of the Year Award 2019 and to be shortlisted for the same award in 2020....
Hannah Pedley
Barnsley Team Leader,Partner,
Solicitor
Wills & Probate
Hannah is an Affiliate member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and is undergoing further qualification in pursuit of attaining her full membership and becoming a recognised Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP). She has handled a variety of different matters and the feedback received from clients has always been extremely positive....
Lucy Pickles
SolicitorWills & Probate
Lucy is a solicitor in the Wills and Probate department. Lucy jointed joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors in August 2018 as a Paralegal and was admitted to the roll of solicitors in October 2021....
Nigel Priestley
Senior Partner, MBEChild Care & Public Law
Nigel Priestley is a Senior Partner of Ridley & Hall Solicitors and a community care and adoption specialist solicitor. He is a member of the Children’s Panel and regularly represents children and parents in care proceedings....
Maryam Razzaq
Trainee SolicitorChild Care & Public Law
Maryam Razzaq is a trainee in the Family Team at Ridley and Hall. In 2024, she was named Trainee Solicitor of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards, recognising her commitment and achievements early in her career....
Michelle Rhodes
PA to the Operations BoardAdmin, Human Resources
Michelle is a highly experienced Personal Assistant who works in the Operations/HR Department for Emma Pearmaine, Managing Director; Anthony Elston, Finance Director; and Tracey Firth, HR Manager....
Elisabeth Roberts
SolicitorCommercial Property
Lizzie joined Ridley & Hall in October 2024 and works alongside our Commercial Property Partner, David Amies, in the Huddersfield office....
Karen Roberts
PartnerFamily & Matrimonial
Karen Roberts has well over 20 years practice experience as a Family Solicitor and has a warm, and approachable style. She undertakes all areas of Family Law work, representing individuals facing difficult children’s issues, domestic abuse concerns and divorces/separations involving the resolution of financial issues. She represents parents and grandparents in care proceedings brought by the Local Authority and where family and children’s placements have broken down. ...
George Sellers
SolicitorLitigation
George Sellers is a Solicitor specialising in contentious probate at Ridley & Hall, having joined the firm in February 2026.George works primarily alongside Louisa Wardle, Partner, within the Litigation team....
Laura Sheriff
Associate,Licensed Conveyancer
Residential Property
Laura is a fully qualified Licensed Conveyancer with extensive experience across all areas of residential property law. Her career in the property industry began in 2014, and she qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer in 2019....
Emma Shinn
Legal ExecutiveChild Care & Public Law
Before joining the public law team at Ridley and Hall, Emma was a Senior Child Care Lawyer for a Local Authority dealing with a number of complex proceedings, including A & Ors (Care Proceedings: 1996 Hague Convention: Habitual Residence) [2024] EWFC 110....
Michelle Silcox
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial, Public Law
Michelle is an experienced Family Law solicitor in the Public Team at Ridley and Hall Solicitors specialising in Adoption, Adoption Disruption and Kinship Care. Michelle also has previous experience in Care Proceedings, Private Law Family and Domestic Abuse....
Ann Silver
Personal AssistantWills & Probate
Ann Silver is Personal Assistant to the firm’s Private Client Team. She joined Ridley & Hall in 1999 and over the years she has helped many hundreds of clients through the Will making process and supported many more through the distress of the death of a loved one and the Probate process...
Ashley Sowerby
PartnerResidential Property
Ashley Sowerby joined Ridley & Hall in autumn 2016 as a Solicitor within the Property Department. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2014 after completing her Law Degree and Legal Practice Course at Leeds Metropolitan University....
Natalie Stephenson-Quayle
Apprentice SolicitorResidential Property
Natalie has worked at Ridley & Hall since November 2019. Since then, Natalie started her apprenticeship degree with Ridley & Hall in 2021. Whilst working with Ridley & Hall, Natalie promotes the different routes people can take to obtain a career in the legal profession....
Zuzanna Taithe
Associate,Solicitor
Family & Matrimonial
Zuza is an Associate Solicitor in the Family Team at Ridley & Hall, where she has been building her legal career since joining the firm in August 2019. Zuza began working at Ridley & Hall as a Paralegal in the Residential and Commercial Property Teams, before completing her Training Contract in the Family Department. Zuza qualified as a Solicitor in September 2023, and she was promoted to an Associate in 2025....
Olivia Thawley
Licensed ConveyancerResidential Property
Olivia Thawley is a trainee licensed conveyancer in the Barnsley residential property team, dealing with freehold and leasehold property sales and purchases, remortgages, and transfers of equity.Olivia completed the Level 4 Diploma in Conveyancing Law and Practice under the Council for Licensed Conveyancers in 2024 and has plans to become a fully qualified Conveyancer in the future....
Holly Thurlbeck
Apprentice SolicitorWills & Probate
Holly works in the private client team at Barnsley where she assists with Wills, Lasting powers of Attorneys and Estate administration....
Laura Walton
Legal Executive,South Elmsall
Residential Property
Laura is a Trainee Legal Executive in the Residential Property Team based at the South Elmsall Branch. Graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2019, she has gained experience in several different areas of law before settling into residential property in 2023. Laura deals with a range of areas within conveyancing, including freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, re-mortgages and transfers of equity. Alongside her work at Ridley & Hall, she is currently working towards her CILEx qualification with a view to becoming a Chartered Legal Executive....
Kate Ward
Associate SolicitorResidential Property
Kate Ward is an associate solicitor based in our conveyancing department. Kate qualified as a solicitor in September 2008 and has over 10 years’ experience in all aspects of residential property. She has also dealt with land sales and purchases and adverse possession. ...
Louisa Wardle
PartnerLitigation
Louisa Wardle is a specialist in inheritance disputes with over 16 years of experience, advising on will challenges, Inheritance Act claims, proprietary estoppel, and trust disputes. ...
Clare Wilson
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Clare is a dedicated and experienced solicitor in our family department based in our Barnsley office. Clare specialises in private family law matters, including divorce, financial settlements, cohabitation disputes, and arrangements for children....
David Wilson
Associate SolicitorLitigation
David joined Newman & Bond (now Ridley & Hall incorporating Newman & Bond) in August 2019 as an associate solicitor in the litigation department....
Sarah Young
DirectorLitigation
Sarah Young specialises in contentious probate law, which includes advising on inheritance disputes, problems with executors and arguments involving financial abuse of the elderly (often involving disputes over property ownership)....
Katarzyna Zatorski
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Katarzyna Zatorski (Kasia)Kasia qualified as a solicitor in 2016. Kasia is a Polish national and speaks Polish fluently.Kasia deals with all aspects of family law, which include arrangements regarding children, cases involving domestic abuse, divorce and financial matters. Kasia understands that dealing with the family breakdown can be very daunting and overwhelming. It is even more challenging when someone has to deal with these issues in a language they are not familiar with.Kasia uzyskała kwalifikacje prawnicze w 2016 roku. Kasia jest obywatelem Polski i biegle mówi w języku polskim. Kasia zajmuje się wszystkimi aspektami prawa rodzinnego, w tym ustaleniami dotyczącymi dzieci, sprawami związanymi z przemocą domową, rozwodami i sprawami finansowymi (tzw. podział majątku)....
