Lynn qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2025, specializing in Land Law. Before this, she gained extensive experience as an in-house paralegal, working on a wide variety of commercial property law matters in both the public and private sectors. Her professional background also includes residential conveyancing.
Passionate about the positive impact of effective property law, Lynn is driven by the opportunity to solve interesting problems and make an essential difference for people and communities.
In her free time, Lynn enjoys sewing, trying new arts and crafts, and spending time with her friends and family.
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 joined the Mayo Wynne Baxter team in November 2023 as a Paralegal in the Commercial Department.
She graduated with a Law with Criminology degree from the University of Sussex in July 2023. During her time at university, Melissa was part of the Sussex Law Society in the Pro Bono team. Melissa also partook in the Junior Research Associates Program in which she researched the impact of gender stereotypes portrayed within children’s books on adults’ later lives.
In the near future, she plans on sitting her Solicitors Qualifying Exam.
Prior to working for MWB, Melissa worked for various local law firms and gained a wide breadth of experience in commercial law.
Outside of work, Melissa enjoys traveling, running, and spending time with her family and friends.
James specialises in assisting businesses and anyone wanting to start a business. He is also our Head of Vineyards & Wineries team as well as specialising in crypto-currencies and block chain.
If you want assistance with any aspect of business life then James would be delighted to speak with you, for example:
- Starting and running your business
- Guidance on tricky shareholder/management questions
- Protecting your assets through contract, trademarks or copyright
- Handling employment issues
- Writing or reviewing a wide variety of commercial contracts
- Anything connected with crypto-currencies or block chain generally.
Qualified as a solicitor in both England/Wales and Hong Kong, James has practiced law internationally and, in the City, (where he trained as a solicitor, qualified in 1988 and later worked for a private equity house). Having created and sold several companies himself, he understands the commercial and practical realities of setting up and running a business.
James was made Partner with the firm in April 2021.
James has had a varied career: he founded the Institute of Paralegals; was the first lay member of the City of Westminster Council’s Standards Committee and helped establish an Equality and Human Rights Commission working group to promote diversity in the professions.
He has made numerous presentations, including to the Vietnamese government on anti-counterfeiting law and was a member of a Hong Kong government advisory panel. He has published many articles and edited an FT Law & Tax book on management.
James has been very active in legal education, having been an Adjunct Professor to Syracuse University’s law school, an Associate Professor of Law at City University in Hong Kong and a law tutor for ICE at the University of Cambridge.
When not working James likes to relax to the point where, on occasion, he seems to be half man, half sofa. This doesn’t happen too often as he has a young family and Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society to contend with.
Specialisms:
- Business law
- Vineyards & Wineries
- Crypto-currencies & block chain