I spent my childhood in Papua New Guinea and later attended Fettes College in Edinburgh. I completed my Law degree at Kings College London and I qualified as a solicitor in 2007.

I am a Partner in the Family Team, having joined MWB in October 2024. I previously worked for a large corporate law firm, where I acted on behalf of high-net-worth individuals.

As a senior member of the family team, I support clients with complex legal matters including divorce, financial remedies, separation agreements, pre and post nuptial agreements, child arrangements, cohabitation disputes and injunctive remedies.

I have significant experience in advising clients in matters involving business assets, multiple property ownership, inherited wealth and valuable pension arrangements.

I am passionate about helping people who are going through difficult times. I take time to consider my clients’ concerns and explain legal concepts clearly to ensure that they fully understand their options. I strongly believe that knowledge is power when it comes to making impactful life decisions.

When I am not working, my hobbies include watching live music (rock being a favourite), travelling the world, keeping fit and cooking. I am also very fond of cats.

I initially wanted to study computer science and psychology, but in my year out I worked for the Crown Prosecution Service and became fascinated with law. I sat and passed the Executive Office Board and exam when I was 19 and worked as a law clerk instructing counsel in the crown court.

I read law at the University of Sussex, followed by the LPC at Guildford College of Law where I discovered the law of trusts and equity and private client work.

I qualified as a criminal solicitor with the CPS, defended and worked for the magistrates’ court after which I was able to make the leap into Private Client work.

I worked for MWB over 20 years ago before taking a career break to raise my three children. I returned to work as a private client solicitor for a local firm in Arundel whilst my children were small.

When MWB opened their Chichester Office, I was thrilled to be invited to re-join them. Whilst the firm has changed and grown over the years, there are still some familiar faces. What has remained constant is their vision, passion and warmth for their clients and colleagues.

I have over 15 years’ experience in private client work and before I had children sat and passed all the STEP exams and was a member of STEP.

I enjoy helping my clients reach informed decisions in relation to their Wills. There is no such thing as an ordinary family or estate. The drafting of documents is easier than the decision making. I also understand that the administration of estates can be very traumatic and is part of the grieving process so try to shoulder the burden for my clients when I can.

At weekends I can either be found freezing whilst my daughter is ice skating, or in the summer scoring the odd cricket match for my sons.

Occasionally, when we can escape, my husband and I can be found at the theatre or walking in Arundel Park.

I qualified as a solicitor in March 2024 and I have over 5 year’s experience in Court of Protection work.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

My role gives me the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable individuals who lack capacity to make their own decisions by ensuring their best interests are represented in decisions related to their property and financial affairs. I find the work deeply fulfilling.

What are your strengths and skills?

I have specialised legal knowledge in mental capacity law and related legislation, including the complex legal principles related to decision-making on behalf of individuals who cannot do so themselves.

My ability to problem solve enables me to assist Deputies with difficult decisions regarding a person’s property and finances by proposing practical solutions and navigating intricate family dynamics to find outcomes in the best interest of the individual.

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

One of the most rewarding achievements of my career was when I lead a project to adapt a vulnerable client’s property to enable her to move out of a care home and back into her own home. The client was deeply unhappy in the care home, and the building work was all done during the pandemic, which added an extra level of complexity. It was lovely to see her back in familiar surroundings.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy unwinding by watching films, going on walks on the South Downs and running on the seafront in Brighton.

Ross joined Mayo Wynne Baxter as an Employment Solicitor at the start of 2024.

Ross represents both employers and employees and has expertise in all areas of employment law. Ross has a particular interest in discrimination law. He is passionate about supporting businesses to grow and navigate tricky employment issues, as well as protecting the rights of individuals in the workplace.

Ross qualified as a solicitor in 2022. Before joining Mayo Wynne Baxter, he completed his training at a local firm before working for a national trade union firm, advising and representing trade union members on all areas of employment law.

Ross highly values building and maintaining strong client relationships. He prides himself on providing excellent client care skills and being able to expertly guide clients through all stages of the Employment Tribunal process. Ross has achieved a number of successful outcomes, including high-value settlements in complex discrimination matters.

Ross is passionate about equality and diversity. He is a member of the Society of Visually Impaired Lawyers (SoVIL) and the Law Society’s LGBTQ+ Solicitors Network.

Outside of work, Ross’ interests include fitness classes, gaming, yoga and musical theatre!

Sally has been a legal secretary / assistant for 10 years in both Residential Conveyancing as well as Wills, Probate and Lasting Power of Attorney departments.

Sally was originally working at PR Vince Solicitors in Forest Row when they merged in 2013 with Mayo Wynne Baxter. She has completed Level 3 of CILEX and is now Law Associate.

Outside of work, Sally enjoys baking, arts and crafts and walking.

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.

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.

I am a Paralegal in the Private Client Team based at the firm’s Eastbourne office, where I have worked for over 11 years. Whilst I have experience in all areas of Private Client work, latery I have worked more specifically in relation to attorney affairs work within our specialist team.

My role is assisting clients with the running of their personal affairs in order to try and make their lives easier at a time when they are either unable to do so themselves or no longer wish to.

I enjoy helping people, building relationships with clients and understanding more about their lives, past and present. It also allows me to indulge my love of organisation.

I have three children and when I find some time for myself I enjoy a spa day or a West End show and cocktails!

I joined MWB in October 2022 as a Legal Support Assistant and have really enjoyed learning about the legal world. I have now joined the Property team as a Paralegal, and I am excited to build on my experience and learn more.

I have previously worked at Premier Marinas in Brighton where I also had my own yacht and sailed around the UK coasts. I oversaw running the harbour office as well as hands on decks (even in the highest of winds). That gave a me an unforgettable experience in handling and navigating the seas which helped me in my day skipper qualification where I learnt that anything is possible if you really want it.

Outside of work I enjoy going to the gym, running outside in any weather, and visiting my family in Oxford where they run a brewery.

I joined Mayo Wynne Baxter in October 2021 as a Enquiries Executive.

My previous experience is in the financial and banking sectors, both allowed me to assist individuals and businesses in financial difficulty.

Empathy and a high level of customer service is essential during situations like these, and I thrived on the ability to give the best experience possible.

I’m very excited to be here at Mayo Wynne Baxter, where I can support people in a new way.

Outside of work my three cats demand a lot of my attention. But I also enjoy knitting, especially in the wintertime where I donate the scarves I make to local charities.

I have been writing varies novels for many years now and one day hope to be brave enough to try and publish one.

Chris Strutt is a Partner in the Property Department and has been with Mayo Wynne Baxter for more than 30 years, specialising in residential property.

Before joining the firm Chris obtained his Law degree at Liverpool University, after which he completed his Solicitors Finals at Guildford Law School. He then joined the predecessor firm Mayo and Perkins as an Articled Clerk in 1982, and has been with the firm ever since. He qualified in 1984.