Vanderpump & Sykes LLP

Solicitors who work at Vanderpump & Sykes LLP

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  Keith Thompson

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  Keith was admitted as a solicitor in 1980. Having given many years of service he is now a consultant to our Commercial Department. Keith was articled in Local Government and spent many years working in numerous Local Authority Legal Departments. He left Local Government to join private practice at which stage he was the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of a large District Council. Since leaving Local Government Keith has gained wide experience in commercial property construction and corporate work.

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  Mark Heselton

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  Mark joined the firm in 1988 having completed his articles in Local Government. As well as dealing with family cases, he specialised in Civil and Commercial Litigation disputes for 10 years before concentrating almost exclusively on family matters with the emphasis upon financial and property and children's matters. He is a member of Resolution. Mark became Head of Litigation in 1991 and has been a partner since 1996.

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  Peter Grunberger

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  Peter has been working as a specialist Family Lawyer for over 20 years and has worked in both Central London and regional firms. He has a great deal of practical experience in settling all aspects of family disputes be they over the family finances or arguments over the childcare arrangements or ensuring protection for a victim of domestic abuse. As society has developed so has the framework of the family, so that in recent years he has dealt increasingly with property disputes between unmarried couples which requires a lawyer to have knowledge and experience of a very different legal framework to that which applies on the breakdown of a marriage. Whilst the legal principles may be different between separation on co-habitation and marriage, Peter fully recognises that that the emotional imperatives driving the separation are often the same and that his role is to assist his client to navigate the bewildering legal process, whist at the same time providing support and advice so as to ensure that outcome is not only fair but fully meets the financial and/or emotional needs of the client given the circumstances of the family. With the benefit of 20 years of hindsight, Peter has become a passionate believer in the maxim that “the client knows best” and where possible he seeks to ensure that the client remains in full control of fashioning their own future. This can best be achieved outside of the Court process in which the parties become cogs in a wheel where the decision about their futures is taken out of their hands and decided by a Judge. Instead Peter advocates the parties direct involvement in round table negotiations where they ultimately decide on the outcome. This direct approach to problem solving is perhaps even more pertinent to settling disputes that involve children, than those that only have a direct bearing on their parents. Through his Collaborative law practice and by way of direct negotiation he has often been successful in encouraging parents to achieve resolution based on a tailor made contact framework decided upon by the parents themselves, rather than an off the shelf determination handed down by the Court. Peter believes that the role of the Family practitioner is not to sit in his ivory tower and dispense legal advice, but instead to combine legal knowledge with day to day experience, to roll up one’s legal sleeves and get “stuck in” to achieving an outcome that the client expects.

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  Liz Orman

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  Liz was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 having undertaken her training contract at a large provincial firm. Liz gained further experience at 2 firms in Buckinghamshire before joining Vanderpump & Sykes in January 2012. Liz has experience in a broad range of family work including children disputes, domestic violence, divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships and financial matters.

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  Philip Lancaster

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  Philip joined Vanderpump & Sykes in 2004 after a successful career of over 30 years with a major High Street bank, where he enjoyed several senior management positions. Philip has overall responsibility for the Accounts and Administration Departments, including HR, IT and Marketing. From banking to legal services … Philip initially joined the banking sector in 1969 as a holiday job and the rest, they say, is history. Time and effort invested (pardon the pun) saw Philip rise through the ranks to senior managerial status where many of his customers were professional firms. An opportunity arose to work in the legal industry, giving Philip the chance to see if the advice he had been giving for decades actually worked!

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  Inderjit Ahitan

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  Inderjit was admitted as a solicitor in 2001 and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Solicitors For the Elderly (SFE). Inderjit undertook her legal training contract in Berkshire and upon qualifying stayed for two years handling administration of estates, trusts, inheritance tax planning, Wills, LPAs and Court of Protection matters. Inderjit gained further experience at legal firms in the West Midlands and Northampton before taking a 5-month sabbatical to travel across Thailand, the Far East, South Africa and Canada. Inderjit returned to providing legal advice at a Bristol firm during 2009, before joining Enfield based Vanderpump & Sykes in June 2010. Inderjit is now a partner in the Wills & Probate department.

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  James Porter

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  James qualified as a solicitor in January 2003, having trained with Rowe & Maw (now Mayer Brown) and Cheyney Goulding, before joining the commercial property department of Vanderpump & Sykes in July 2003. James specialises in acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold properties, the property aspects of corporate transactions, landlord and tenant matters and property finance. His client's include well established property developers, pension funds, banks, SME's and owner managed businesses, as well as high net worth private clients. James also deals with leasehold enfranchisement matters, primarily for investment landlords. Having gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Notarial Practice from the University of Cambridge in 2011, James is also a qualified notary public and acts for clients in validating overseas transactions.

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  Richard Stephens

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  Richard was admitted as a solicitor in 1992. After 4 years in practice in North West London, he joined Vanderpump & Sykes in December 1996 in the Litigation department before progressing to Associate level. Richard then became a Partner and head of Litigation specialising in Employment law. He also acts for corporate clients in Commercial disputes. Richard is a member of the Employment Lawyer's Association. It is in his genes. Richard comes from a family where law has permeated the gene pool. His father and wife practise law as do several other members of the Stephens clan. Aside from his legal 'heritage' why did Richard become a lawyer? "I like a good debate and have always been keen to argue a point. I pride myself on being good with detail but I'm also able to see the wood for the trees. Employment law has a very human element, more so than some other areas of law. It's a fascinating subject covering all aspects of life and the emotions that go with it. Being able to give talks about my work at seminars and events adds to the enjoyment." The man behind employment. Richard is blessed with a 'lovely' family – three 'wonderful' sons (most of the time – he says!) who often accompany him to rugby and cricket matches. Richard plays tennis and has done a parachute jump but mainly keeps fit through cycling. This year will see Richard and one of his sons cycle to Brighton for charity. He loves the theatre and good restaurants but has aspirations to take on bungee jumping 'for the thrill' so watch this space!

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  Sukjeet Sandhu

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  Suki is a solicitor in our Wills & Probate department. Sukjeet(Suki) was admitted as a solicitor in 2003. 1996 - 1999: Completed her Law Degree at the University of Birmingham 1999 - 2000: Undertook her Legal Practice Course at the University of Birminham 2001 - 2003: Suki undertook her legal training contract with Lodders in Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon. After qualifying she joined a Hertfordshire based firm and dealt with inheritance tax planning, asset protection, Wills, LPAs and Court of Protection matters. Suki joined Vanderpump & Sykes in September 2016 as a solicitor in the Wills & Probate department. Suki can speak Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu.

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  Alexander Mahdavi

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  Alexander is a solicitor in our Will & Probate department dealing with Wills, Trusts, Probates, Inheritance Tax and Estate Planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and Court of Protection Deputyships. Qualifications and experience Graduated from Goldsmiths College University of London in 2000, having studied classical music. Worked as a producer and journalist for LBC Radio. During this time at LBC he also studied at the University of London External Programme, gaining his LLB in 2006. Completed his Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in 2011. Trained with IBB Solicitors where he qualified as a solicitor in 2013, and has since specialised in Private Client work. Alexander joined Vanderpump & Sykes in April 2018.

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  Janis Wilderspin

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  Janis has practised Corporate, Commercial, and Commercial Property Law since becoming a solicitor in 1989 (see below), and has an extremely broad spread of experience in Private Practice in a Magic Circle law firm, In-House in a number of Companies, where she has been everything from a Sole Legal Counsel to European Senior Counsel for EMEA for two Fortune 500 Companies, and Local Government and the Not for Profit Sector. Janis lives in Hertfordshire with her amazing daughter and son, three dogs and one cat, and in her spare time enjoys cinema, tennis, clay pigeon shooting, and travelling, and lightweight reading amongst other things. Qualifications and experience Janis qualified as a Solicitor in 1989 having completed an LLB (Hons) Law degree, followed by her Solicitors Finals at The College of Law in Chester and her Articles within the Group Legal Department of a large FTSE Company In 2008 Janis was also called to the Bar of England and Wales as a Barrister and is a member of Lincoln’s Inn and a non-practicing Barrister. In 1990/1 Janis studied for the New York Bar. Janis’s main focus is Corporate and Commercial Law and she advises a broad range of HNW individual clients, SME’s, banks and development companies, and is experienced in all matters involving: - Company sales and purchases - Asset sales and purchases - Commercial contracts and contract disputes, outsourcing and public procurement - Corporate advice, tax advice and company law advice - Share redemptions and commercial finance - Partnerships - General Commercial Law - Settlement Agreements and Compromise Agreements as part of Employment law disputes. - Commercial Property matters including commercial lending, leases, legal charges, sales of freehold/leasehold land and auctions. Janis is a member of The Law Society, Lincoln’s Inn, the Law Society’s Commerce and Industry Group, and the Association of Women Barristers.

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  Zoe Winfield

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  Zoe was admitted as a solicitor in December 2018. She handles all aspects of Commercial Property law in addition to lease extensions and residential conveyancing. Experience and qualifications 2018: Admitted to the roll of solicitors 2016-2018: Completing Masters in Law (LLM) at London Southbank University 2015-2016: Legal Practice Course (LPC) and MSc Business Law & Management at University of Law 2014-2015: Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies at London Southbank University 2009-2011: BSc Health Promotion at Middlesex University