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.
Sophie Aldridge
Trainee SolicitorWills & Probate
Sophie achieved a First-Class degree in Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice in 2020, for which she also achieved the Criminology Award for the highest overall grade on the course. Following this, Sophie achieved a distinction on the Graduate Diploma in Law, was awarded the prize for the highest overall grade on the course, together with the prize for the highest grade in Property Law. Sophie is now studying the Legal Practice Course before training to become a solicitor....
Adam Ali
Associate SolicitorCommercial Property
Adam joined Ridley & Hall in February 2020 as a commercial property solicitor from Kingston upon Hull and now acts for local businesses in Huddersfield and in Hull. He is based in our Huddersfield office and works alongside our commercial property lawyer and partner David Amies....
David Amies
PartnerCommercial Property
With 20 years’ experience, David joined Ridley & Hall in 2015 to head up the commercial property department.
David brings to the firm his knowledge of the local market and takes pride in offering sensible, straightforward yet commercially astute advice to his clients across an exceptionally broad range of matters....
Chloe Aston
SolicitorWills & 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
Trainee SolicitorResidential Property
Corinne first joined the firm as a Conveyancing Assistant but has since progressed and has been awarded a Training Contract which commenced in January 2023. Corinne currently works in our Residential Conveyancing department assisting clients in sales, purchases and transfers of equity.
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Sarah Brown
Partner,Solicitor
Child Care & Public Law
Sarah joined Ridley & Hall in 2010 following the completion of her Law Degree. Whilst working at Ridley & Hall she studied the Legal Practice Course part time over two years, completing it in 2012....
Zoe Butt
Partner,Solicitor
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....
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. ...
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
ParalegalResidential 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. ...
Nadine Edwards
Apprentice SolicitorResidential Property
Nadine started her career within the legal sector in 2016 after she completed her A-Levels. Nadine always had a keen interest in the law and studied law at A-Level. Nadine worked for a small Personal injury specialist firm for 5 years before starting at Ridley & Hall in the Family department. ...
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....
Tracey Firth
HR ManagerManagement
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....
Chloe Flynn
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Chloe joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors as a Trainee Solicitor in April 2022. Chloe completed training in Residential Property, Commercial Property and Care and Public before securing a newly qualified solicitor position in our Family and Matrimonial Department. Chloe joined the Family and Matrimonial team in July 2023 and qualified as a solicitor in September 2023....
Thomas Grice
Head of Department,Partner
Wills & Probate
Tom is a solicitor who joined Ridley & Hall in May 2021. Tom has joined Ridley & Hall from a multi discipline firm in Wakefield, having previously worked in Knaresborough and at a nationwide firm in Wakefield. Previous to this Tom undertook his Law Degree at the University of Bradford and the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School, achieving a Distinction....
Andrew Gullett
SolicitorWills & Probate
Andrew qualified as a Solicitor in 2001 and has specialised in older client law since 2005. He is delighted to have joined our Private Client Team in Huddersfield in October 2021, having previously worked at a small firm in Wakefield...
Kate Hames
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Kate joined the Family and Matrimonial Department at Ridley & Hall Solicitors in 2020.
Having graduated with a degree in Law from Northumbria University, Kate spent over 12 years working for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service in Leeds, developing her legal knowledge and acumen within both their criminal and family law departments....
Deborah Hardy
PartnerChild Care & Public Law
Deborah has over 25 years’ experience in family law and has particular expertise in representing children, court appointed guardians, parents and extended family members in care proceedings in Leeds and surrounding areas. She joined Ridley & Hall as a Partner in 2018....
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....
Emma Hopkins Jones
PartnerFamily & Matrimonial
Emma joined Ridley & Hall as a Partner in September 2020. Emma is an experienced family law specialist, practising in all areas of private family law. Emma’s expertise in financial issues on separation, and in particular cases involving unmarried couples, was recognised in the Legal 500 2017....
Natalie Hudson
Legal ExecutiveResidential Property
Natalie joined our residential property team as Chartered Legal Executive at our South Elmsall office dealing with all aspects of residential conveyancing including; sales, purchases, leases, new build sales and plot purchases, re-mortgages, transfers of equity and shared ownership....
Adeel Hussain
Licensed Conveyancer
Adeel started his career with Ridley & Hall in 2016 as a conveyancing assistant and is now a Licensed Conveyancer based at our Huddersfield Office....
Victoria Jones
SolicitorWills & Probate
Victoria achieved a First Class M Law (Exempting) degree at Northumbria University. Whilst at university, Victoria was a student adviser at Northumbria University’s Student Law Office, providing detailed legal advice to members of the public under solicitor supervision. Prior to commencing her final year at University, Victoria completed a short internship working with a law firm in Singapore....
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....
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....
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....
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....
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 20 years of experience in residential Conveyancing.
Alison joined Ridley & Hall in 1996 having previously worked for other local firms....
Alistair McKinlay
Partner,Team Leader for Property, South Elmsall
Residential Property
Alistair is a Partner in the Residential Property department, based in South Elmsall Pontefract, where he works alongside Adam Fletcher and Ashley Sowerby. He joined Ridley & Hall in February 2020 to help further develop the firm and department’s profile, having been a Partner for over 20 years at a well known Leeds practice....
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. ...
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....
Ernestas Motiejunas
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Ernie has practised family law since January 2021 (aside from a brief stint in conveyancing) and has been advising clients on all aspects of family law since. Ernie has worked on cases where serious domestic abuse has been a factor and has been successful in obtaining non-molestation orders, occupation orders as well as other injunctions against the other party. Ernie further has experience in advising on the validity of marriages, in particular, Islamic marriages, and has experience in making applications for declaration of validity of marriage.
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Rosie Nicholson
Associate SolicitorChild Care & Public Law
Rosie primarily assists clients on a variety of issues in relation to kinship care, particularly claiming allowances and back dated payments for kinship carers from Local Authority’s. Rosie also assists clients with Special Guardianship Order applications and advice in relation to the support that is available under Special Guardianship Orders....
Kim Noble
Solicitor-AdvocateChild 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
SolicitorResidential Property
Jess completed a BA (Hons) in History in 2016, followed by a GDL conversion course in 2017. She then obtained her Legal Practice Certificate and an MSc in Business, Law & Management in 2018, and began working in the legal profession in the same year....
Emma Pearmaine
Managing DirectorFamily & Matrimonial, Management
Emma Pearmaine is a family and matrimonial specialist. For almost 20 years, she has represented clients in divorce and children cases. She has particular niche expertise in matrimonial cases involving challenging business, pension, maintenance and other finance issues....
Hannah Pedley
Associate SolicitorWills & 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 initially joined Ridley & Hall in August 2018 as a Paralegal. Lucy has since completed her training contract 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.
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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....
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. ...
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...
Themer Slimane
Associate,Marketing Manager
Management
Themer joined Ridley & Hall in 2017 as a Marketing & Business Development intern. He was appointed Marketing Manager in 2018 and his role consists of managing the online and offline marketing of the firm. He works closely with the Managing Director Emma Pearmaine....
Susan Sowden
Partner,Solicitor
Internal Quality Audit, Residential Property
Susan joined the firm in November 2019, from a firm in South Yorkshire but having previously been with firms in West Yorkshire. She specialises in all forms of residential conveyancing including sales, purchases, remortgages, transfers of equity and sales of new build plots on small-scale property developments.
Susan also has a background in commercial property matters and Wills & Probate matters....
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....
Marie Stanley
Legal SecretaryChild Care & Public Law
Marie joined Ridley & Hall to work in our Wills & Probate team. After securing a Cilex qualification opportunity offered by Ridley & Hall in 2023, she now works in the Care Team....
Tracy Steel
SolicitorChild Care & Public Law
Tracy joined Ridley & Hall as a trainee solicitor in June 2022 and is due to qualify as a solicitor in September 2022....
Natalie Stephenson-Quayle
Apprentice SolicitorCommercial Property
Natalie has worked at Ridley & Hall since November 2019. Since then, Natalie has started her apprenticeship degree with Ridley & Hall in 2021. Whilst working with Ridley and Hall, Natalie promotes the different routes people can take to get into a career in law and to help prospective law students understand they don’t have to go to university to work within this industry....
Anthony Sykes
ParalegalChild Care & Public Law
Anthony joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors in November 2023 as a Care & Public Law paralegal. He closely collaborates with the department's lawyers, assisting with a broad spectrum of matters at all stages of care proceedings....
Zuzanna Taithe
SolicitorFamily & Matrimonial
Since August 2019, Zuza has worked as a Paralegal in Ridley & Hall Solicitors’ Residential and Commercial Property Teams and, subsequently, as a Legal Secretary in the Care and Public Team, having previous experience in the firm as a placement student. Zuza has been awarded a Training Contract at Ridley & Hall, which commenced in July 2021. ...
Holly Thurlbeck
ParalegalWills & Probate
Holly works in the private client team at Barnsley where she assists with Wills, Lasting powers of Attorneys and Estate administration....
James Urquhart-Burton
PartnerLitigation
James is an experienced solicitor who joined the Litigation Team at Ridley & Hall as a Partner in January 2020. James is a fully accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE) and he brings with him passion and understanding of the legal challenges faced by older people and their families....
Yasmin Walker
SolicitorWills & Probate
Yasmin qualified as a solicitor in July 2023 and is now based in our Barnsley Office in Wills & Probate team....
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. ...
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)....
