I qualified from Queens Mary and Westfield College, University of London with a degree in Economics but I have always seen myself as someone who would help others.  I worked in a variety of commercial roles for several years after I left University all of which were client relationship management roles.

I then lived and worked in New Zealand for a year before deciding to go to law school. I have always been able to help solve problems and have (on the whole) been the sensible one. I have always both dealt with people and developed relationships with them and working in law has offered me the chance to combine those skills in finding solutions to challenging problems.

The commercial experience that I have means that I can understand other considerations businesspeople will have beyond the strictly legal avenues.

Nick Stockley has particular specialisms in; Building disputes & construction disputes, Professional negligence, Breach of contract Partnership disputes, Shareholder/company disputes, Insurance disputes, Intellectual property and Trading standards/consumer disputes for business

What attracted, and keeps you in this area of law?

I have always worked in a client facing role and working in law is, as I see it, the ultimate client service industry. I find it both challenging but personally rewarding as dispute resolution provides so many more options than simply winning and losing. The goal is always to find a way in which a client can find a resolution. It is always interesting working with people in order to do that.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

Clients often come to a dispute resolution lawyer because they feel that they have nowhere else to turn. My goal is to give them both clear and comprehensive help and advice in a difficult time and work with them to achieve the best outcome. Dispute resolution is both wide ranging and ever-changing and always presents a number of daily challenges.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day will involve, drafting court documents, setting out clients’ positions to opponents, reviewing evidence, considering strategy, and advising clients on their next steps. My day is often taken up either thinking about, advising on, and answering the question “what happens next”.

What are your strengths and skills?

My strengths are that I can explain complicated legal processes to clients in a way in which they can understand. I can identify the relevant information and explain to clients not only the legal merits of their position but also the financial and commercial reality of what they should do next. My expertise extends both to any commercial dispute, property litigation and contentious probate.

I am approachable, considerate, and full appreciative that clients want to conclude matters in a timely manner. I know that my clients, often, do not want to go to war but they do want “fairness” and I always aim to achieve that for them.

I am both accessible and responsive and do not lose sight of the commercial realities, damage and costs surrounding the resolution of disputes.

I am also an accredited mediator which has really helped me advise my clients on that method of resolving disputes. I have also worked in non-contentious commercial transactional work which has helped identify specific issues when disputes arise.

Tell me about a memorable time when you have helped a client.

I recently acted for two investors in a property development. The developers went into liquidation and our clients both faced losing hundreds of thousands of pounds through no fault of their own. Through a variety of different steps and actions were we able to recover the money that the investors had spent plus their legal costs.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I spend my time outside of work with my family and our friends. I enjoy swimming and keeping fit generally and I help coach my son’s football team which takes up a lot of the weekend.

I try not to be too obsessed with the fortunes of both the England cricket team and Tottenham Hotspurs.

Nick is the Head of the Property Department; he specialises in all matters relating to residential property and has been in practice since he qualified as a solicitor in 1987.

Nick has practiced in his hometown of Lewes for the entirety of his career and joined Mayo Wynne Baxter in 2013. He has excellent local knowledge.

Nick is an expert in all aspects of residential property law and has considerable experience of guiding clients through the conveyancing process. In addition to his many private clients, Nick has acted for a wide range of larger clients such as property developers, local councils, and housing associations.  Nick is a good communicator who strives to provide a quality service to his clients.

Outside of the office, Nick is a lifelong supporter and season ticket holder of Brighton and Hove Albion, a keen runner and a qualified scuba diver.

Nicola is Head of the Employment Department at Mayo Wynne Baxter. She joined the firm in 2023 when MWB merged with Pure Employment Law, where she was co-founder. Nicola is also Head of the Chichester office.

She qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and gained experience in employment law at two of the South East’s leading law firms.  In 2006, she received a Distinction in her Master’s degree in Law and Employment Relations.  She has expertise in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, dismissal, breach of contract, pay and benefits and family-friendly rights.

Nicola provides strategic HR and employment law support to a wide range of organisations and helps her clients deal with major projects such as restructuring exercises and transfers of undertakings. She is also an experienced Employment Tribunal advocate.

Nicola regularly presents at seminars and workshops on employment law and enjoys delivering interactive training sessions.

Nicola has been ranked for many years now as a leading employment lawyer in ‘Chambers UK, A Client’s Guide to the Legal Profession’ Nicola is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association, is a former President of Chichester & District Law Society, and has many years’ experience as a governor at two local schools.

Paul is a Partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution department and is based in our Lewes office.

Paul Rooke has particular specialisms in; Property, eg rights of way, title disputes, adverse possession/boundary disputes, Commercial Landlord and tenant (dilapidations & forfeiture), Commercial lease renewal, serving s25 and s26 Notices, Residential L & T possession, Service charge disputes, Building disputes & construction disputes, Breach of contract, Debt recovery, Franchise disputes, Data protection and Trading standards/consumer disputes for business

In addition, Paul is able to assist with possession actions, whether the occupier is a tenant, licensee or a trespasser. He also advises on general and commercial litigation including contract disputes and professional negligence and heads up our fixed fee debt recovery team, advising clients on the recovery of debts.

His experience in advising a broad range of clients allows him to provide pragmatic advice that is always comprehensive and clear especially when advising clients on the likely costs involved in litigation.

Paul is a member of The Property Litigation Association and is noted as a key lawyer in the Legal 500 2024 – Real Estate, Property Litigation

I am a family law specialist having qualified as a solicitor in 2007.

I have worked in the Sussex area since 2013.

Prior to joining Mayo Wynne Baxter, I was head of the family law department at a firm in Horsham.  I have also previously worked at a regional top 100 firm.

I support clients on all aspects of family law, including divorce, financial and children matters.

I adopt a friendly, calming approach and understanding what a stressful time this is for individuals, I work hard to provide an excellent client service during this difficult time.

I am a member of Resolution, a national organisation of family lawyers committed to a constructive and non-confrontational approach to family law matters.

However, where a more robust approach is required, I am a firm litigator with extensive experience of the court process.

My work attracts positive feedback from clients and peers alike. I have previously been recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers UK directories.

The 2021 edition of the Legal 500 comments that “Marwa Hadi-Barnes is an excellent solicitor.  She is thorough and always give very practical advice.”

Chambers UK has said “Marwa is well regarded for her work on divorce and financial remedy.  A source describes her as informative, pleasant and kind.  She was on my side while maintaining a professional distance – a perfect balance” and “she is very efficient and good at giving realistic advice” say interviewees.

In my spare time, when I am not keeping my young son occupied, I try to fit in city breaks, Les Mills classes and the odd gig.

Juliet deals with all aspects of freehold and leasehold Residential Property and specialises in landed estates, high net worth residential transactions and complex conveyancing.

Juliet prides herself on her client service and has acted for various private individuals, companies, charities, landowners, developers and investors since she qualified in 2004. Juliet’s background is in Commercial Property and Rural Business and Estates, but she has concentrated on Residential Property since 2014. She strives to ensure the conveyancing process is run as efficiently and smoothly as possible for every client.

When Juliet is not in the office or chauffeuring her children to dance and sports classes, she enjoys bodyboarding, travelling, dining out with friends, and long country walks with the dog

I am a Partner and joined MWB in May 2018 having spent the previous three years with a niche private family firm based in Brighton where I trained and qualified as a family solicitor.

In March 2020, I qualified as a Collaborative Lawyer, in April 2021 I was made an Associate Solicitor and in May 2023 I was made Partner.

As a member of Resolution and a qualified Collaborative Lawyer, I am committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes.

As a family law specialist, I advise on all areas of family law. I specialise in complex financial cases including matters where non-disclosure is an issue, dissipation of assets, pre/post acquired wealth, involving Injunctive proceedings (Non-molestation and Occupation Orders) and with vulnerable parties requiring the appointment of a Litigation Friend.

I have acted on a number of longstanding children matters including cases with a public law crossover where a Children’s Guardian was appointed, in matters where parental alienation has been found and in matters where an Order was made providing for a ‘bar’ to further Court applications being made. In addition, I have a specific interest in internal and external child relocation cases having completed my Dissertation on the area of law.

I graduated with a First Class Honours LL.B Law with Business degree from the University of Brighton in 2012 and was awarded three final year academic prizes.  In January 2016, I passed the Legal Practice Course and in August 2016 was awarded an LL.M in Legal Practice at the University of Law Bloomsbury, London.  My dissertation was on the law relating to Child Relocation focusing on the impact recent decisions in internal and international child relocation have had on the established guidelines and the effect of those decisions on the likely outcome of future applications.

Before pursuing a career in law, I worked in the public sector gaining extensive knowledge and experience in compliance, drafting policy papers, research, analysis and business strategy.

I have built a reputation for providing clear, pragmatic advice for being calmly confident, reassuring and for being professional and knowledgeable.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and dog, walking, cooking and gardening.

I am a Partner who has worked in the Private Client department for 10 years starting as a paralegal. I am an Affiliate member of STEP.

I acts in the administration of estates and enjoy working on complex or out of the ordinary matters including estates including cross border matters. I have experience dealing with estates with assets in France, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Morocco, and Luxembourg.

I am Secretary for the Lewes & District Dementia Action Alliance and help promote Mayo Wynne Baxter as a dementia friendly firm. I work with those living with dementia and their carers to ensure that their Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney reflect their wishes and to ensure they have an advocate who can support then if they cannot do so themselves. I encourage carers and family members to prepare Wills for ensure that the person living with dementia is protected should their carer or family member die.

I pride myself on providing caring and understanding advice and I am a familiar face around Lewes. I ensure that those with additional needs are given bespoke treatment according to their needs and I really value building a relationship with my clients that extends from initial diagnosis to the end of their lives.

I graduated from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand with Law and Science degrees in 1994 and qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in the same year. I practised law in New Zealand before permanently moving to the UK and becoming a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, in 2003. Since that time, my practice was litigation based with an emphasis on family law, contested wills & probate and employment matters.

After working as a Partner with Russell & Co Solicitors in Crawley, West Sussex, I joined Mayo Wynne Baxter when the firms merged in May 2018.

I am a Partner and Head of the Family Team at MWB, with a practice which is now exclusively family law.

The cases I deal with involve separation, divorce, civil partnership, and cohabitation breakdown and I advise clients on the financial issues arising as a consequence of their relationship breakdown as well as issues in connection with the care arrangements for any children of the relationship.

I also have a wealth of experience in advising and representing clients who have been the victims of domestic violence or against whom allegations of domestic violence have been made.

My specialisms are in advising and representing clients in cases involving:

  • Intractable contact/parental alienation children disputes;
  • Temporary/permanent removal of children from England and Wales;
  • International/domestic child abduction/failure to return;
  • Relocation with children within England and Wales;
  • Emergency/urgent court orders involving children;
  • Urgent applications for orders to protect clients from domestic violence.
  • Complex financial claims upon divorce/separation.