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We specialise in advising on contentious issues between landlords and tenants of commercial property and resolving disputes between them by negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation as required.
We act for both commercial landlords and tenants, for all nature of businesses, both small and large. We always identify and focus on our clients’ commercial requirements and we work with our clients to achieve their desired outcome as quickly and economically as possible.
The areas we cover include:
For issues arising in relation to:
For any further advice on landlord or tenant issues please contact one of the team today to see how we can help.
Laceys are recognised in the Legal 500, an independent guide to leading law firms in the UK for their Property Litigation expertise, with a particular mention also for Mark Timberlake, our Managing Partner.
“Mark Timberlake explains complex issues in understandable terms” and is “excellent in really difficult situation”.
Direct dial: 01202 377837
Chris is a graduate from the University of Keele with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) degree in Law and Economics. Thereafter, he sat his Solicitors’ Finals Exams at the College of Law in Chester. After 2 years’ training with a law firm in central Derby, Chris qualified as a solicitor in 1985.
Chris deals with cases in all courts including the Court of Appeal. He has experience in dealing with clients from major national companies, local authorities, hospitals, and even foreign embassies together with partnerships (including professional partnerships) and private individuals including some foreign nationals.
As a litigator with a wealth of experience, he uses sound professional judgment to provide clients tailored advice according to their individual requirements. Chris is a problem solver and a strong team player who is committed to achieving results for clients.
Away from the office, Chris’s philanthropic nature has seen him provide legal advice to a branch of a trade union for a number of years and play a key role in a local residents’ group to raise funds to repair the unadopted road in his neighborhood. Chris also enjoys spending time with his family and describes himself more of an armchair sports fan than one to take part in the action!
Direct dial: 01202 377871
“Rob Kelly has been absolutely exceptional in resolving this litigation and so thorough in everything and basically gave the opposition a masterclass of his work that he is so good at.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with several members of the team at Laceys regularly over a period of years. I found Rob Kelly in particular, who worked on a successful litigation case for me over a period of several years to be outstanding in all aspects of the work he undertook, and the manner in which he did it. I now consider him a friend. I would not - and have not - hesitated to recommend Laceys to my family and friends, and continue to use them for all legal matters.”
“ I just wanted to thank you for your great work on the professional negligence case and other cases you have represented Indian Ocean and Tiien through the last few years.”
“A case that was initially very straightforward became difficult and, for me, very frustrating. Rob Kelly's calm, lucid and very professional advice and planning were invaluable and led to a good outcome.”
“Their Fee Management was exemplary and the expertise provided by Rob was exactly what we required.”
“I've worked with a fair few lawyers over the years and Rob Kelly is the most on the ball and efficient lawyers I've ever come across. I'm looking forward to working together for many years to come.”
Rob practices in two main, complimentary areas of work – contentious wills, probate and trust disputes, and property disputes.
Contentious wills, probate and trusts
More than half of Rob’s time is spent dealing with the contentious aspects of wills, probate and trusts, an area in which he has practiced continuously for over 20 years. He advises and acts in disputes relating to wills and inheritance, trusts, the duties of trustees and personal representatives, and the administration of estate.
Rob’s practice embraces:
He has mediated (either as appointed mediator or as a representative) dozens of disputes involving contentious wills and probate issues.
Property disputes
The other side of Rob’s practice is contentious property work. This embraces:
Rob’s style is a mix of listening, asking (tough) questions, diplomacy and reality testing. He’s interested, flexible, and pragmatic. He offers a common sense, realistic approach to assist his clients in searching for solutions to their disputes and brings straight talking and integrity to his work.
Rob is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. He holds an LLB (Hons) degree in law. He successfully completed training as a mediator under the ADR Chambers / Harvard Law Project Scheme in June 2006, was one of the first mediators to have been appointed an IMI Certified Mediation Advocate in the UK with a commercial practice, and is a member of the Civil Mediation Council.
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Direct dial: 01202 377863
“The advice Mark gave was very good value for money and the combination of strictly accurate legal advice and common sense were exactly what I needed.”
“Mark Timberlake is an exceptional solicitor. He has a huge depth of knowledge in his speciality and looks after his clients in a very kind and patient manner. Mark is unfailingly courteous and always a pleasure to deal with. I am always confident in any matter that Mark has dealt with.”
“We have had many years of top class professional advice and assistance in many respects of our property ownership. However great our worries initially, matters have been dealt with in a most professional manner and to our satisfaction.”
Mark qualified as a solicitor in 1989 and since then has specialised in property and landlord and tenant disputes, possession and debt recovery in relation to both commercial and residential property. He has extensive experience in relation to issues involving blocks of flats including representation in the Property Chamber and the courts. He has also dealt with many commercial disputes, professional negligence and insolvency claims.
He has frequently given talks on the law as it affects managing agents through the Association of Residential Managing Agents and other groups.
He has been recommended for many years by the Legal 500 Guide to the Legal profession which has said that Mark ‘is very highly rated by clients’, ‘explains complex issues in understandable terms’ and ‘is excellent in really difficult situations’.
Mark is married with 2 teenage children and at weekends can often be found on his boat which he sails competitively.
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