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meet the team - wills & probate
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Paul Rhodes - Head of Division He qualified as a solicitor in 1970 and worked his way through the ranks until he was appointed a partner in February 1973. Paul decided to specialise in private client work having done just about everything else in the "old days". He is the deputy coroner for Telford and can probably tell one or two rather interesting stories. Because of his experience with Court of Protection matters, he was appointed as a member of the Court of Protection Receiver’s Panel, which authorises him to be appointed by the Public Guardianship Office to look after the affairs of someone where there is no one available to do so. He is married to Pat who also assists occasionally in the firm. He has two children, one of whom married a couple of years ago. He has recently become a proud grandfather for the first time but does, however, still find time to have occasional walks around the golf course knocking a few balls about. He also likes walking which is probably just as well as he does most of that around the golf course, also gardening and attending the theatre. Like many of the members of the private client division he used to enjoy sporting activities but now, like most, tends just to watch it. Formerly Paul was the president of the Wellington
Rotary Club but now sits back and lets others do the organising.
He is also a trustee of the Shropshire and Telford Community Trust. |
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Alan Neal MA CTA TEP Alan joined mfg Solicitors in 1974 and is now the managing director and finance partner of the firm. He is also office partner of the Halesowen office. He specialises in finance and tax within the private client division. Alan has a wealth of experience both in the law and in taxation and is named in the Legal 500 . He qualified as a solicitor more than 30 years ago and then obtained dual qualification as a chartered tax adviser some four years later. He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners having previously served on the Birmingham branch of that organisation and on its technical sub-committee. In addition he is clerk to the General Commissioners for Income Tax Purposes for the Kidderminster Division. His professional expertise extends not only to private clients, including high net worth individuals but to owner-managed businesses and the farming and agricultural community. Alan has recently been involved in three high profile inheritance tax cases, namely Antrobus I and Williams, both of which went to the Special Commissioners, and Antrobus II, which went to the Lands Tribunal. All of these cases were groundbreaking in clarifying important issues relating to agricultural property relief for inheritance tax purposes. Alan has built round him a team of tax experts at the Halesowen office. He and his team serve the whole firm in providing high quality advice on taxation issues and are always prepared to travel to whatever location suits the client be it at his home, office, factory or farm. |
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Valerie Robinson Valerie Robinson is a partner at mfg Solicitors, working in the Private client division as the deputy divisional Head. Valerie has specialised in wills and probate and related matters since she qualified as a solicitor in 1994. Her particular areas of expertise are wills, covering areas such as tax planning, providing for disabled beneficiaries and other complex or unusual circumstances, administration of estates, including high net worth cases involving agricultural and business property, deeds of variation and elderly client issues, including community care, asset protection trusts, powers of attorney and court of protection Valerie is a member of the Probate Section of the Law Society and currently acts as the company secretary to Bewdley Festival Ltd. |
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Maria Shakespeare Maria is home grown talent, having trained with the firm and qualifying 6½ years ago. Maria is an Associate who moved from the Kidderminster office to run the Bromsgrove Private Client Department in June 2003. She deals with all aspects of Private Client including Wills, administration of estates, Inheritance Tax planning, trusts and Enduring Power of Attorney documents, Lasting Power of Attorney documents and Court of Protection work. She is a member of the Probate Section of the Law Society and is currently working towards becoming a full STEP member. |
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Amanda Piper Amanda Piper is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives having qualified in 2000 and joined mfg Solicitors in 2003. Prior to this she had worked as a Legal Executive at a practice in Birmingham. Amanda’s original area of expertise was insolvency, which was her main focus at the practice in Birmingham. After deciding that she wanted the opportunity to increase the amount of client work she was undertaking, Amanda decided to specialise in wills and probate. As the sole wills and probate practitioner at the Worcester branch, Amanda undertakes the entire caseload of wills and probate issues, together with cases relating to court of protection. Amanda enjoys the high volume of client work. In her leisure time Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. |
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Christine Neal Associate at the firm Chris Neal joined mfg Solicitors in 1987 as a secretary. She worked her way through the ranks and is now Private Client Manager. Chris was originally based in Kidderminster, were she worked for twelve years before moving to the Halesowen Office in1999. Chris deals with all manner of private client matters including probate, wills, Court of Protection, Asset Protection Trusts and assisting with the financial affairs of the elderly. She frequently undertakes home visits to elderly or disabled clients, and is proud of mfg Solicitors’ commitment to travel into the community where clients have difficulty to attend the office Chris is married to the Managing Director and Finance Partner of the firm Alan Neal and has worked along side him for the past 20 years. She often assists him with the administration of large probate matters. Chris has 2 children, 1 step-son, 3 grandchildren and a rescued psychopathic Jack Russell. Her walls are adorned with photographs of dogs that she has received from clients. Chris enjoys travelling, reading and most of all, cooking. |
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Rachel Summers Rachel joined mfg Solicitors as a school leaver in 1984 as an office junior. Since then she has contributed to the company through many different and varied roles, including work in the accounts department, on reception and as an office administrator. Rachel is now a legal assistant with 12 years experience within the private client department based at the Kidderminster office. Rachel deals with administration of estates, advising on and preparation of wills and matters involving The Office of Public Guardianship in relation to Receivership and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Rachel enjoys client contact, and finds it important to support clients through times of emotional upheaval. Rachel lives with her partner and they have a 19 year old son. Rachel’s spare time is mostly taken up by walking her dog. She enjoys travelling and socialising with her friends. |
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Helen Timson 'Helen qualified as a Solicitor in 1980 and first joined mfg Solicitors (then R Gwynne & Sons) to work in Civil Litigation. She had a long break to raise two children and returned in 1999 after having completed a College of Law Legal Practice Course in Wills Probate and Administration and now specialises in Will drafting and the administration of estates. Helen can also assist private clients with legal issues concerning the elderly, powers of attorney and Court of Protection matters. Helen is currently a trustee with Age Concern Wrekin and Newport |
