Stephen Taylor is a solicitor with over 10 years’ experience advising clients in the urban commercial property team. He specialises in all areas of commercial property, acting for both individuals and companies in a variety of transactions.
He is a commercial property solicitor who trained with a large regional law firm (DMH Stallard), qualifying in September 2017 and working there until 2020.
Before joining MWB, he spent 3 years working at Buss Murton Law. Throughout his career he has dealt with a broad range of commercial property transactions including purchases and sales of commercial property, landlord and tenant work and property financing. He also has experience in dealing with more specialist development work, acting for both landowners and developers on option agreements, overage provisions and related development financing.
Having originally studied economic and social history at university between 2001 and 2004, he then worked in the clinical trial industry in data management and logistics roles before completing the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course full time between 2007 and 2009. He then worked in various commercial property paralegal roles before commencing his training contract in September 2015.
Outside of work, he follows both football and cricket, but as with most parents, the majority of his time is taken up running around after his two children (aged 8 and 10), including helping coach his son’s football team. He also enjoys travelling, although that now tends to be focused on holidays with the family rather than the long weekend city breaks of years gone by.
Please feel free to contact him to discuss your commercial property needs.
Having joined the firm in 2019, Sarah is a Commercial Property Executive who advises clients on a broad range of commercial property matters. She assists with commercial leases, landlord and tenant issues, commercial property acquisitions and disposals, and property refinancing.
Sarah is committed to supporting clients throughout every stage of a transaction, providing practical, commercially focused advice tailored to their individual needs. She combines strong legal expertise with a proactive, client-centered approach, delivering efficient and effective legal services.
Sarah is a Commercial Property Executive who has worked in Commercial Property for over four years, advising businesses, landlords, tenants and investors on a wide range of commercial property matters.
Sarah is passionate about helping clients navigate what can often be complex and time-sensitive transactions. She understands that commercial property matters frequently involve tight deadlines and competing priorities, and she prides herself on remaining organised, proactive and responsive to ensure transactions progress smoothly and efficiently. Her practical, commercially focused approach gives clients confidence that their matter is in safe hands from instruction through to completion.
Based in the Crawley office, Sarah works with clients across the region and regularly assists clients from the firm’s Brighton and Lewes offices, providing a seamless and accessible service wherever they are based.
Sarah holds a Law Degree and completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC), combining strong legal knowledge with a pragmatic, client-focused approach. She is committed to delivering clear, straightforward advice and building lasting relationships by providing an efficient, approachable and professional service tailored to each client’s individual needs.
Simon Baillie-Hamilton is a Partner and Head of the Rural Business and Property team for Mayo Wynne Baxter and has been with the firm since 2000.
Simon is a specialist agricultural solicitor who advises landed families and rural businesses.
With dual professional qualifications, Simon began his career as a rural chartered surveyor before becoming a solicitor. He previously worked for Strutt and Parker and regional law firm Thomas Eggar.
Simon qualified in 1996 and is recognised as one of the country’s top agricultural lawyers by the leading independent guide to the profession Chambers UK. He is a Chartered Surveyor as well as a solicitor and a member of the Agricultural Law Association.
At work Simon is particularly interested in agricultural property, development options and promotions, landlord and tenant matters as well as management and planning for landed estates.
Outside work he enjoys all sports and is a keen supporter of Lewes Hockey Club.
Melissa is a Paralegal in the Commercial department at Mayo Wynne Baxter where she assists both the Urban and Rural team in a variety of transactions. She joined the firm in 2024 after previously working in two South East law firms.
Melissa supports a broad range of commercial clients by providing clear, practical assistance in both agricultural and urban legal matters. She helps businesses and individuals navigate contracts, property transactions, and operational challenges with confidence, ensuring they feel informed, supported, and protected at every stage.
Her experience across both rural and urban practice settings gives her a unique insight into the differing commercial needs of rural landowners and urban businesses alike. Committed to professional growth, Melissa is currently completing her Solicitors Qualifying Examination on her path to qualifying as a solicitor, after which she will obtain her master’s degree as part of the programme.
Alongside her professional work, she contributes to pro bono initiatives, including assisting at the Housing Law Clinic through her course provider.
Jon is a Partner in the Commercial Department at Mayo Wynne Baxter specialising in commercial property work. Jon joined the firm in 2018 November 2018 having previously worked for a large regional firm based in Southampton since 2005. Jon is also Head of the Brighton office.
Jon qualified in 2007 and is an experienced commercial property solicitor with a particular emphasis on commercial landlord and tenant work, commercial acquisitions and disposals, both freehold and leasehold, and secured lending acting for both borrowers and lenders.
In addition, Jon also advises developers on acquisitions and landowners on telecommunications leases.
Jon has acted for a wide variety of clients ranging from national retailers and a multi-site marina operator to smaller companies and private individuals.
Outside of work I am a keen runner and also help coach youth athletics.
Jo is a Legal 500 recommended partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter with over 10 years’ experience in leasehold enfranchisement. She advises clients across England on lease extensions, collective enfranchisement, contested right to manage claims, and missing landlord matters, combining technical expertise with practical, commercially focused advice.
Jo distils the complexities of leasehold enfranchisement issues into easily understandable concepts. She advises leaseholders, freeholders, resident management companies and managing agents on all aspects of leasehold enfranchisement, helping them achieve practical and commercially sensible outcomes in technically complex matters.
With over 10 years’ experience in enfranchisement, Jo specialises in statutory lease extensions, collective enfranchisement, freehold acquisitions, Section 5 notices, vesting and acquisition orders, right to manage claims, and particularly cases involving missing or untraceable landlords. She manages all aspects of applications to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and County Court, collaborating closely with the firm’s property litigation team to provide truly tailored and specialist advice on valuation disputes, defective leases, and complex enfranchisement matters.
Jo leads the enfranchisement team at Mayo Wynne Baxter, which she developed, overseeing both technical delivery and the strategic growth of the practice. Her career highlights include successfully assisting clients with missing landlord matters and resolving contested right to manage claims. She works closely with specialist valuers to ensure accurate premium assessments and robust case preparation, combining technical expertise with pragmatic solutions that deliver results.
Jo is recognised in The Legal 500 for her technical skill in leasehold enfranchisement. She played a key role in securing the firm’s membership of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP), reflecting her commitment to professional excellence and best practice.
She advises clients across England, drawing on extensive knowledge of UK leasehold legislation, tribunal procedure, and statutory processes. Jo holds a law degree from the University of Sussex and completed her solicitor training at Mayo Wynne Baxter.
Outside work, Jo enjoys running, gardening, and travelling. Prospective clients can contact her directly to discuss leasehold enfranchisement matters, including missing landlord cases and contested RTM claims, wherever they are based in England.
Carrie is a Paralegal within the the rural team. Carrie acts on a range of matters from simple purchases and sales to first registrations and also assists the wider rural team
Carrie has more than 16 years’ experience in rural property, joining Mayo Wynne Baxter in 2009, and assists clients by helping land purchases and sales to run as smoothly as possible, explaining every step to the client in clear and easy to understand language whilst keeping “legal jargon” to a minimum. Carrie also has experience with first registrations and tricky Land Registry issues and will tackle each matter with a logical approach so that the best possible Land Registry title outcome is achieved.
Throughout her career, Carrie has also assisted more senior members of the rural team with a wide range of cases, ensuring that documentation is accurate, deadlines are met, and clients feel supported at every stage of the process. Her attention to detail and organisation helps streamline legal operations and contributes directly to successful case outcomes.
Carrie is passionate about making the legal process more accessible for clients, recognising that clear guidance and consistent communication significantly reduce stress. She prides herself on being approachable, reliable, and friendly at all times.
Carrie holds a Paralegal Diploma in Commercial Property and primarily works from the Lewes and Eastbourne offices but regularly assists clients from all over Sussex.
In her spare time, Carrie enjoys socialising, cooking and travelling.
David is Mayo Wynne Baxter’s Senior Partner and works within the Firm’s Commercial Real Estate and Company/Commercial Teams. With over 30 years experience advising SME clients across, in the main, the South East,
David has forged a reputation for his pragmatic, plain English, no nonsense approach.
With a Law Degree from The University of Birmingham, David has been with the Firm since qualification back in 1994. Over the years David has acted for a wide variety of SME businesses, with particular emphasis on complex and/or higher value real estate and corporate transactions . His large client following has been built on a wealth of experience across a wide range of industries, particularly in the hospitality and leisure industry. He is renowned for his ability to project manage transactions, guiding clients through them in a way that focuses on issues that really matter and, where possible, the ability to find swift pragmatic solutions.
David has for many years been a non-executive director of a small chain of hotels. Married with 4 grown up children, David enjoys all sports and continues to turn out for Eastbourne Hockey Club’s 5th Team on a weekly basis.
For a no obligation initial chat, David can be contacted on the above telephone number or via email.
“There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to clients and/or transactions I have always looked to tailor the service and advice to suit the client, utilising my skills, knowledge and experience to ensure that the client achieves its goals”