Who are we?

Jonathan Willis

Jonathan Willis is the firm's managing partner.  He is responsible for the firm's Legal Services Commission Quality Marks and contracts, client relations, staff training, money laundering regulation compliance, discipline and grievance.

Jonathan was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1985 and has a broad range of experience in general practise although he now conducts mainly civil litigation with a special interest in Mental Health Law.

Jonathan is a member of the Legal Service Commission’s Duty Solicitor Schemes for

• Darlington
• Richmond & Northallerton
• Bishop Auckland & Newton Aycliffe 

He sits on the Commission’s Costs and Funding Review and Costs Compliance Committee appeals.  In 2003 the Commission appointed Mr Willis as a Peer Reviewer in the category of Mental Health and he is now one of that categories senior panel members.

In 1999 he was appointed to sit as a Deputy Chairman of the Appeals Tribunal, which deals with most areas of Social Security Law, conducting appeals against the refusal of Social Security Benefits.

In 2002 he was appointed as a President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal - Northern Region principally conducting appeals by patients detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983.

In 2004 he was appointed as a Deputy District Judge on the Northern Circuit sitting mainly in Burnley, Preston & Liverpool County Court.  In 2006 Jonathan was assigned to the North East Circuit and sits in Newcastle, Sunderland Teesside and the surrounding courts.

Peter Furness

Peter Furness was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1989.  He is the firm’s partner responsible for our Catterick branch office.   Peter has conducted a broad range of legal work over his career although he now tends to specialise in Criminal Defence and Family Law. 

Peter has developed a particular niche practice dealing with high value, matrimonial financial/property disputes. He is a member of the following panels:

• Law Society Family Panel
• Member of the Solicitors Family Law Association
• Member of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association

He is a member of the Legal Service Commission’s Duty Solicitor Schemes for

• Darlington
• Richmond & Northallerton
• Bishop Auckland & Newton Aycliffe

In 2004 Peter was appointed to the Court’s Board a government body set up to oversee the operation of both the Criminal and Civil Courts.

Phil Duffy

Phil Duffy was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1996 and joined the firm in July 1998 as an Assistant Solicitor. His chosen field is that of Family and Child Care and he is a member of the following panels:

• Associate Member of the Solicitors Family Law Association
• Member of the Family Law Panel
• Member of the Children Panel

On the 1st August 2002, Phil became a Partner of the firm heading up the Family Department.  As such he is responsible for all aspects of family law, such as Divorce, Judicial separation, contact and residence disputes, care proceedings, adoption, and financial and property disputes.

Chris Bunting

Chris Bunting was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1996 and joined the firm in June 1999. Whilst Chris has a broad experience in most legal areas he now specialises in Criminal Defence litigation.

He is a member of the Legal Service Commission’s Duty Solicitor Schemes for

Darlington

Richmond & Northallerton

Bishop Auckland & Newton Aycliffe

Chris also has extensive experience in representing Armed Forces personnel in both the investigative stages and at Courts Martial.  Chris regularly travels to military bases in the UK and abroad.

On the 1st August 2002, Chris became a Partner of the firm heading up the Criminal Defence Department.  As such he is responsible for all aspects of Criminal Defence work and represents clients on all types of matters from minor road traffic violations to murder.

John Willis

John Willis has practised law for over 50 years.  Although he was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1954 he had to delay the start of his legal career whilst he undertook National Service with The Royal Marines.  Whilst he was tempted to remain within the service having become a Lieutenant in the then still relatively young Special Boat Service, he returned to his home town of Stockton on Tees and entered the legal department at the Stockton Borough Council.  He was later to become Town Clerk to the Billingham Urban District Council before leaving local government service in 1965 to start his own private practice in Billingham.

John continued in full time private practice until 1995 when he took a partial retirement splitting his time between working with the firm, sitting as a Deputy Chairman of the Appeals Tribunal and walking on the North Yorkshire Moors.

John is now a consultant with the firm assisting with some of the more technical matters in the Estates and Probate department.

Peter Wastnedge

Peter Wastnedge was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 1977 and has over 29 years experience of non-contentious work.  Peter was the firm's managing partner until he took his retirement and became a consultant with the firm at the end of July 2006. 

Peter is now responsible for the firm's Billingham branch office from which he conducts predominantly property related matters, although he also takes responsibility for the writing of all client Wills.

Peter’s special interests include matters relating to Landlord & Tenant, Company and Commercial work.

Alan Caig

Paul Smith

Paul Smith joined the firm in 1994 and initially trained and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives in 2000.  He continued with legal study towards qualification as a solicitor and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2004. 

On the 1st October 2006, Paul became a Partner of the firm heading up the Civil Litigation Department.  As such he is responsible for all aspects of civil litigation including the firms new housing unit which deals with defending possession proceedings, homelessness applications, illegal evictions and claims against landlords for failing to repair tenanted properties.

Whilst Paul has a broad experience of civil legal practice he has a special interest in Personal Injury work being accredited with the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers as one of their Senior Litigators.  He has conducted claimant based litigation for the last 12 years and has considerable expertise conducting many high value cases including claims against the Ministry of Defence, Group actions, Fatal Accident claims, and Catastrophic Injury cases. 

Paul is able to handle high value claims having recently settled one for £2.5 million.

Paul also carries out some criminal litigation assisting the firm's Criminal Defence department by regularly appearing in the local Magistrates' Court and Police stations.  He is an Accredited Police Station Representative.

Paul practises from the Darlington office and is a member of:

• The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
• North East Medico Legal Society
• The Criminal Law Solicitors Association

In 2004 Paul received an appointment from Teesside University to lecture at Middlesbrough College for their level 6 Civil Litigation course for Legal Executives.  Paul was also appointed as a school governor in 2003.

Victoria Burrows

Victoria Burrows joined the firm in 2002 gaining experience in Civil Litigation, Mental Health and Family matters under the supervision of Mr Jonathan Willis.  Upon qualification and admission to the roll of Solicitors in 2004 Mrs Burrows elected to specialise in Mental Health, and Personal Injury Litigation.  She also has a special interest in Liquor Licensing and elderly client care matters being responsible for all such enquiries to the firm.

Victoria is a Member of the Mental Health Lawyers Association and has gained further qualification having being admitted to the Law Society's specialist Mental Health Review Tribunal Panel.   She is the firm's Mental Health category supervisor responsible for maintaining the contract with the Legal Services Commission. 

Victoria represents patients who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, in low, medium and high security hospitals aswell as patients detained in hospital under the civil provisions of the Act.  Her work involves preparing and representing clients in their appeals to the Mental Health Review Tribunal, and as a result she sees clients in most of the hospitals in the North East of England, from Newcastle to Leeds. 

In addition Victoria also represents clients in applications to the Court of Protection and advises upon the use of Powers of Attorney.

Jane Mafham

Jane Mafham joined the firm in 2002 gaining experience in property related matters, family law, Wills, Trusts and Probate, under the supervision of Mr Peter Wastnedge.  Upon qualification and admission to the roll of Solicitors in 2004 Jane elected to specialise in Residential Property and took up her current position in our Catterick branch office.  Jane is now responsible for all property related matters in the Catterick office.

Alister Jones

Alister Jones joined the firm in 2006 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in 2005.  Alister has joined the conveyancing department at our Darlington office and undertakes mainly property related work.

Susan Alexander

Susan Alexander joined the firm in 2006 and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in.  Susan has joined the conveyancing department at our Darlington office and undertakes mainly property related work.

Claire Newburn

Claire Newburn joined the firm in 2006 having obtained an English and History Degree from York University.  She then completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Law and a further Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice obtaining a distinction.  Claire is currently completing her training contract and will qualify as a solicitor in 2008.  Claire is curently working under the direct supervision of Mr Jonathan Willis undertaking a variety of different types of work, including contentious probate, mental health, personal injury litigation and property related work. 

Joanne Jones

Joanne Jones is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives having qualified as a Member in June 2001 and a Fellow in June 2004.  She joined the firm in April 2004 to take responsibility for the firm’s ‘e-conveyancing department’.

Having over 12 years experience in residential property makes Joanne one of our most experienced conveyancers and she is a key member of our busy conveyancing department in Darlington.

Jennie Copson

Jennie Copson joined the firm in 2000 and has been with the firm since that time save for a short period gaining further experience with another company.  Jennie has over 25 years experience working in property related matters and is a key member of our busy conveyancing department in Darlington.

Louise Quinn

Louise Quinn joined the firm in 2004 and secured a training contract in 2006.  Louise is curently working in our conveyancing department in Darlington and will qualify as a solicitor in 2007.