Our Team


David Collins - Litigation Partner
David CollinsDavid is the head of our busy Litigation Department. He has been with the firm for over 30 years. David is also a Deputy District Judge. In his spare time, David enjoys playing cricket for Robertsbridge.


Nikki Coward - Associate
Nikki CowardNikki is an Associate and has been with the firm since 2005. Nikki specialises in Landlord and Tenant law and general Civil Litigation.

Nikki spends most of her spare time with her husband and daughter where they enjoy swimming, picnics in the park and long walks along the seafront. Nikki is also an avid Manchester City supporter and together with her husband travels around the country watching the team in action.


Debbie Curd - Associate Solicitor
Debbie CurdDebbie works from our Bexhill Office and undertakes both conveyancing and Private Client work. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys walking in the countryside with her family and dogs and reluctantly rides her daughter's horse!


Alan Craze - Consultant/HM Coroner for East Sussex
Alan Craze is a consultant with the firm. He is also HM Coroner for East Sussex.

John Crone - Conveyancing and Private Client Partner
John CroneJohn Crone qualified in 1973 and concentrates on property, wills and probate work. John is our Managing Partner. Outside the office he enjoys sailing, rugby and walking with the dog.




Mary Gillard - F.Inst.L.Ex - Conveyancing and Probate Executive
Mary GillardMary joined the firm in 1999 as a Trainee Legal Executive having worked for the previous 4 years in two top city law firms. Mary was admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives in 2003 and is also a Commissioner for Oaths.

Mary undertakes conveyancing work (both residential and commercial) and also probate and general private client work.

In her spare time, Mary enjoys dancing (salsa, jive and lindy hop), walking, all types of music, travelling and she supports numerous animal charities.


Richard Harrison - Managing Partner
Richard Harrison Richard qualified as a in 1975 and has been a Partner since 1982. He has always undertaken a mixed workload and has more recently specialised in commercial work and private client matters.

Richard is a former member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel and is currently on the Deputy's Panel for the Office of the Public Guardian. He is a former President of the Hastings and District Law Society.

Outside of the office, Richard was a former Chairman of Bexhill Roundtable, Bexhill 41 Club and the Governors of Bexhill High School. Richard is the current President of Bexhill Rotary Club.

Richard lives with his wife in Hastings Old Town and enjoys growing fruit and vegetables, walking the dog, football and listening to jazz and blues music.


James Mountford - Associate
James MountfordJames is an Associate and has been with the firm since 2007. James specialises in Private Client work and is based in our Bexhill office. James is an avid runner achieving excellent results such as the 3rd local man in the Hastings Marathon.

James is also the firm's contact with John Atkinson who is the firm's investment consultant enabling clients to receive excellent investment advice.



Dhruva Patel - Trainee
Dhruva PatelDhruva graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2005 holding a LLB Law Degree with Honours and subsequently worked as a voluntary Legal & General Adviser at Hastings and Rother Citizen's Advice Bureau for a year. In 2007 she completed the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Bloomsbury with distinctions.

Dhruva joined the firm as a paralegal and has since commenced her Training Contract. Dhruva will qualify in 2010.


Debbie Purfield - Conveyancing Executive
Debbie PurfieldDebbie Purfield works as a Conveyancing Executive from our Bexhill Office. She is also the Personal Assistant to our Managing Partner, John Crone.


Alastair Reid - Consultant
Alastair ReidAlastair Reid is now a consultant with the Firm. He works from the St Leonards Office. He joined the firm in 1972 and became a Partner in 1973. Alastair's interests include sport, gardening and antique collecting.


Barbara Rigby - Conveyancing Executive
Barbara RigbyBarbara originally joined the firm in 1977 and has over thirty years experience in residential conveyancing. She left the former Menneers in 1986 but was asked to return in 1997 as a Conveyancing Executive. Barbara particularly enjoys dealing with elderly clients who sometimes find modern day conveyancing a little daunting. In her spare time, Barbara is a keen gardener, has a passion for fast cars (she can often be found at Brands Hatch) and enjoys collecting antique silver and ceramics.


Carole Russell - Conveyancing Executive
Carole RussellCarole joined the firm in 1972 and has progressed through the ranks of residential conveyancing and has over 35 years of experience dealing with property transactions. Carole also undertakes Lease extensions, forming flat management companies and freehold purchases. Carole enjoys the good relationships she has built with her clients many of whom she now counts as personal friends. Carole has a son and loves Siamese cats.

Anthony Shuttleworth - Consultant
Anthony Shuttleworth is the son of Colin Shuttleworth who founded Shuttleworth and Co. Anthony works from the Bexhill Office in the Private Client Department

 

. Lucinda Smith - Trainee
Lucinda is a Trainee and works from the Bexhill Office in the conveyancing department having completed her Legal Practice at the College of Law Guildford in June 2009. Outside the office Lucinda enjoys gardening, walking and skiing.



Liz Spurgeon - Probate Executive
Liz SpurgeonLiz joined the firm in 1993 as a temporary secretary becoming a permanent fixture in June of the same year as a secretary to the Probate Manager. Liz is now a Probate Executive in the Bexhill Office. The majority of Liz's working life has been spent with either solicitors or estate agents.


Amanda Wilson - Family Partner
Amanda WilsonAmanda is a Salaried Partner in the thriving Family Department and was employed as a Trainee in 2002, qualified in 2004 and became a Salaried Partner in 2007.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys horse riding and gardening and is kept busy outside of work with her children, horses and other animals.


Annette Wiseman - Accounts Manager
Annette WisemanAnnette is our accounts manager and works from our Bexhill Office. She enjoys spending her spare time with her grandchildren.


Ros Walter - Cashier
Ros WalterRos manages our busy St Leonards office Accounts Department. In her spare time she likes travelling to hotter climates and listening to music.

 

 

 

Photographs by Colin Bailey www.ryepress.com