Solicitor

Sara Higgs

Sara is Managing Director and Head of our Conveyancing Department. She was born in South Harrow but grew up on the Isle of Wight and in Northampton. She qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and became a partner in 2008 – which is a testimony to both the firm’s meritocratic structure and to her exceptional qualities as a lawyer! Most of Sara’s caseload is in the residential property field. This involves the ordinary through to the more complex and there are not many situations that Sara has not had to deal with. As she has done since 2006, Sara continues to also do some commercial property work.

Sara’s interests include: running (so far up to a half marathon) cinema, reading, theatre, shopping (not food!) and the gym (though everyone else is fairly sceptical on the “gym” point).

Conveyancing Executive

Dawn O’Sullivan

Dawn is a conveyancing executive. She graduated from Plymouth University in 1996 with an honours degree in law. She joined RJR in May 1999 and is a key part of the residential proeprty team. Over the years Dawn has dealt with all aspects of residential sales and purchases. Her current focus is on  getting the transactions exchanged and then taking them through to completion.

Dawn’s spare time is mostly spent looking after her two children and being the “parental taxi”.

Director

Nick Gale

Nick is the head of the Commercial Team. He is a born and bred Islander – but grateful for time spent on the ‘North Island’ and overseas for broadening his horizons. The older reader may remember his father Tony Gale, also a local solicitor (but with another firm!).

A degree in Mathematics & Computer Science from Bristol led him to a job in computing with BP. But after doing the required conversion course and then the Law Society Finals he qualified as a solicitor in 1993 in Yeovil. Nick (now with family) returned to the Island in 1998.

The majority of Nick’s workload relates to commercial property, including residential developments from two units through to much larger sites. About 10% of his time is spent on the sale or purchase of businesses, typically a local business with a few employees. 25% of his time is spent on residential property matters and the rest is spent on a mix of the less common legal issues affecting commercial clients including the occasional, but complex, share sale.

Outside of work Nick’s time is spent running three times a week, long walks at the weekends, keeping track of his three, now adult, children and he is also the long standing treasurer for 2nd Ryde Sea Scouts.

Legal Assistant

Dixie Mitchell

Dixie graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2017 with a degree in Law. She joined RJR in June 2018 and is a legal assistant specialising in property work (both residential and commercial). She is aiming to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, having already passed all the required exams, she is gathering the relevant practical experience.

Outside of work Dixie enjoys cooking and going to music festivals.

Director

Hugh Calloway

Hugh is a Probate solicitor and a Director of the Company. He is a born and bred Islander and a familiar face in legal circles, having qualified in 1997 and worked locally throughout. Hugh joined us in 2011 and has over 12 years’ experience in Wills and Probate work. He was also the Isle of Wight’s Deputy Coroner for several years supporting John Matthews. The majority of Hugh’s work is spent drawing up Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, obtaining grants of probate and administering the deceased’s estate. About 10% of his workload is spent acting as attorney or deputy for people who have lost capacity and not had the foresight to draw up a Lasting Power of Attorney;  resulting in Hugh being appointed by the court to act for them.

In his spare time (much diminished following a new arrival in the family) Hugh enjoys photography, playing the guitar, cricket, reading and camping.

Probate Executive

Lyndsey Denham

Lyndsey is a probate executive and a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). She has been a full member (the highest level of membership) since 1994. Lyndsey was born and raised in Ryde and has been with RJR for over 35 years and has over 30 years’ experience in the Probate department. Most of Lyndsey’s time is spent obtaining grants of probate and administering the deceased’s estate. About 25% of her time is spent drawing up Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. About 5% of Lyndsey’s workload is spent representing attorneys or deputys (a deputy being a person appointed by the Court to represent someone who has lost capacity and not had the foresight to make a Lasting Power of Attorney).

Outside of work Lyndsey enjoys music, watching football, gardening and walking with her pet Jack Russell.

Probate Executive

Lesley Tilbury

Lesley is a probate executive. She was born in Surbiton, Surrey but has lived on the Isle of Wight since she was six years old. She joined RJR in 2004, initially as a legal secretary, then as a para legal in litigation moving to the Probate team in 2013. Lesley spends most of her time working on the administration of estates but also prepares tax returns and reports on deputyship cases.

Lesley is married with two sons and enjoys walking, swimming and cycling.

Director

Nick Gale

Nick is the head of the Commercial Team. He is a born and bred Islander – but grateful for time spent on the ‘North Island’ and overseas for broadening his horizons. The older reader may remember his father Tony Gale, also a local solicitor (but with another firm!).

A degree in Mathematics & Computer Science from Bristol led him to a job in computing with BP. But after doing the required conversion course and then the Law Society Finals he qualified as a solicitor in 1993 in Yeovil. Nick (now with family) returned to the Island in 1998.

The majority of Nick’s workload relates to commercial property, including residential developments from two units through to much larger sites. About 10% of his time is spent on the sale or purchase of businesses, typically a local business with a few employees. 25% of his time is spent on residential property matters and the rest is spent on a mix of the less common legal issues affecting commercial clients including the occasional, but complex, share sale.

Outside of work Nick’s time is spent running three times a week, long walks at the weekends, keeping track of his three, now adult, children and he is also the long standing treasurer for 2nd Ryde Sea Scouts.

Solicitor

Sara Higgs

Sara is Managing Director and Head of our Conveyancing Department. She was born in South Harrow but grew up on the Isle of Wight and in Northampton. She qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and became a partner in 2008 – which is a testimony to both the firm’s meritocratic structure and to her exceptional qualities as a lawyer! Most of Sara’s caseload is in the residential property field. This involves the ordinary through to the more complex and there are not many situations that Sara has not had to deal with. As she has done since 2006, Sara continues to also do some commercial property work.

Sara’s interests include: running (so far up to a half marathon) cinema, reading, theatre, shopping (not food!) and the gym (though everyone else is fairly sceptical on the “gym” point).

Legal Assistant

Dixie Mitchell

Dixie graduated from the University of Portsmouth in 2017 with a degree in Law. She joined RJR in June 2018 and is a legal assistant specialising in property work (both residential and commercial). She is aiming to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, having already passed all the required exams, she is gathering the relevant practical experience.

Outside of work Dixie enjoys cooking and going to music festivals.

Director

Mark Samuel

Mark has been a solicitor for far too long. He is the Head of the Family Department and a Director of the Company. He was born in Brighton and then lived in London before finishing his secondary education in Worthing. He attended Birmingham University, where he obtained an honours degree in Law and Politics, before moving to the school of Law in Guildford to complete the academic side of his legal training.

Mark specialises in Care Proceedings – cases involving children and social services in which he represents parents or the children (about 60% of his time). Mark has a particular interest in cases of alleged non-accidental injuries to children. He has been a member of the SRA’s Children Panel for over 20 years. This means that he is recognised as a specialist in the law relating to children.

In addition to the law relating to children, Mark also specialises in dealing with the financial arrangements following a separation. Both following a divorce or a dissolution of a civil partnership and where the parties were not married. He spends about 30% of his time on such cases. About 10% of Mark’s workload is related to other contentious matters, whether that is disputes over a jointly owned property or contested Wills.

In his spare time Mark enjoys reading (History, Politics and Economics) and writing and cooking.  He also enjoys cinema and theatre – and when sufficiently motivated – can tolerate some gentle exercising.

Chartered Legal Executive

Catherine Young

Originally from Yorkshire, Catherine moved to the Isle of Wight in August 2010 – although her northern accent remains! Since when she has been doing family work. She qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2012 and as a Chartered Legal Executive Advocate in 2016 so she can represent and guide her clients through the entire process from initial instructions, to negotiation and at court.  Catherine then attended university on a part time basis and is well on her way to qualifying as a solicitor.

She covers all aspects of family work and particularly enjoys representing parties in childcare proceedings involving Children’s Services.  Catherine has been a member of the SRA’s Children Panel since 2017 which means that she is recognised as a specialist in the law relating to children and she can represent children within court proceedings and can also take instructions from a Children’s Guardian. Catherine will typically deal with between 70 – 90 cases a year, most of which come with their own complexities. She regularly acts for clients with learning difficulties/disabilities or mental health issues and her calm and measured approach ensures that they fully understand all aspects of the proceedings and can participate to the best of their abilities.  Catherine has also dealt with several cases which have involved the Official Solicitor due to her client’s capacity issues.

In her spare time Catherine enjoys socialising with friends but her main passion is running (including completing the London Marathon in a very reasonable time) and the odd sky dive!

Chartered Legal Executive

Karen Legg

Karen is a Chartered Legal Executive, who, for close on 30 years’ has been assisting clients in family matters with South Coast Law Firms. She has been trained in Mediation and remains optimistic that sensitive issues that follow relationship breakdown can be resolved with civility and real respect for those directly concerned so appreciating the impact on the family as a whole. Her experience includes advising, assisting and representing clients in divorce, co-habitation breakdown, financial, domestic abuse injunctions and child related matters. Karen prefers to help her clients find their own resolution amicably and cost effectively, but equally will provide the organisational skills and expertise to guide her client through the court process, including instruction to barristers and experts when required. Karen appreciates that sometimes clients need time to reflect and empathy to guide them through tough times in their family life.  Karen believes listening to her client’s individual needs is paramount to seeing them through their difficulties. Karen moved to the Island in 2016 to enjoy the rigours of rural living, indulging her beloved labrador and pony in regular hikes across the Downs and beaches. Her family life with grown up sons and their families is her pride and joy. Karen hopes you will feel that you can approach her for a relaxed discussion of your aims in confidence and to appreciate her advice may at times be forthright but always understanding.