Meet Six Women at the top of their field – at Lawson-West Solicitors

 Commercial & Commercial Property – Rebecca Beswick

Rebecca Beswick, Solicitor, Director and Head of Commercial & Commercial Property – manages our team of 9 people.

Lives:  Leicestershire

Rebecca (Becki) is a specialist solicitor in the area of Commercial Property and heads our team acting for landlords, investors, developers, banks, individuals and tenants on a variety of commercial property matters. In October 2020, Becki was promoted to Associate Solicitor and just two years later in October 2022 she joined our firm’s most senior ranks as a Director of the firm and Board. Becki heads the commercial and commercial property teams.

Becki’s experience includes freehold and leasehold acquisitions and disposals, estate management of commercial property portfolios and secured lending. Her well-rounded knowledge and pragmatic approach is a great benefit for her clients.

The commercial property team engages with commercial clients on a daily basis and they pride themselves on their personal service levels and problem-solving skills.

Style: collaborative and empathetic

Dispute Resolution – Sioban Calcott

Sioban Calcott,

FCILEX,

Head of Dispute Resolution – manages our team of 5 people.

Lives: Shipston on Stour

Sioban is a highly capable litigation ‘all-rounder’ with 30 years+ experience in dispute resolution including prosecuting and/or defending high net worth and complex commercial contract disputes for business owners, including partnership/director/shareholder disputes and employment claims.

For individual disputes, her team advises on enforcement of covenants,

boundary/neighbour disputes, professional negligence claims; leasehold residential property disputes, defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment, strict liability claims, UK GDPR/Data Protection Act and confidentiality claims, injunctions, contested probate, employment claims, and contractual claims.

Sioban is a member of Property Litigation Association (PLA), recognised in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners law directories and winner of the Law Society Awards for Excellence – Legal Executive of the Year 2010.

Style:  tenacious, experienced & straightforward

Employment – Vaishali Thakerar

Vaishali Thakerar, Director, Solicitor,

Head of Employment – manages our team of 8 people.

Lives:  Leicester

Vaishali Thakerar qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and she has specialised in employment law for over 20 years. After her promotion to Director in April 2021, she is a valued member of the firm’s Board.

As a confident litigator, Vaishali deals with all aspects of employment law ranging from tribunal claims for unfair dismissal and breach of contract, to more complex claims of TUPE, Working Time Regulations and complex discrimination claims. Vaishali has acted in cases before the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Vaishali excels at building strong client relationships and has significantly grown our team’s client-base as a result. Not only is she a caring and excellent team leader, Vaishali is an excellent negotiator, a skill she puts to good use when consulting on termination packages and undertaking mediation.

Style:  results-driven

Conveyancing – Rachael Mitchell

Rachael Mitchell,

Licensed Conveyancer,

Head of Conveyancing – manages our team of 8 people.

Lives: Oadby, Leicester

Rachael heads-up our residential conveyancing team based in our Market Harborough office. In her 30 years in the legal profession Rachael has gained a vast knowledge and has become an expert in residential property law, dealing with everything from freehold and leasehold sales/purchases, new build properties, shared ownership properties, right to buy properties, help to buy equity loans, transfers of equity and new leases.

Property transactions of any kind can be extremely stressful, plus they are the most expensive transaction most people will ever undertake so it’s important that clients have confidence in their conveyancer and are given all the information about a property to make an informed decision which in turn makes the whole process a lot less stressful. Our team uses InfoTrack, an online system to help maintain transaction documentation with clients.

Rachael’s favourite part of the job is phoning a client to confirm their transaction has completed especially on those occasions when there have been delays or complex issues to resolve. 

Style:  thorough, no stone unturned

Family Law – Fiona Wilson

Fiona Wilson,

Solicitor,

Head of Family Law – manages our team of 9 people.

Lives: Hinckley

Fiona has developed a strong reputation which goes beyond the Leicestershire and Warwickshire area. Fiona has a wealth of experience and knowledge in all aspects of family matters having been a family law specialist for over 25 years. Fiona is comfortable advising in all matters rising from a relationship breakdown whether that be divorce, judicial separation or co-habitation. Fiona can advise in financial matters including those of a more complex nature – involving companies, trusts or inherited wealth. Fiona has developed an excellent child law practice, acting in all aspects of parental dispute. Fiona will also advice clients who are starting-out in their relationships and are looking to protect their assets.

As an Accredited Member of Resolution, Fiona and will always act in a forthright but conciliatory manner.  Fiona will take time to listen to instructions, advise and provide clients with options going forward,

Fiona enjoys the challenges faced in a busy family practice and with a team of five solicitors, boosting over a 100 years of experience between them.

Style:  confident, knowledgeable, empathetic

Probate, Wills & Trusts – Phoebe Skarlatos

Phoebe Skarlatos, Associate Solicitor

Head of Probate, Wills & Trusts team - manages our team of

11 people.

Phoebe has extensive experience in all types of Wills, including Trust Wills, Probate, Deputyship and all matters relating to Wills, LPAs, Trusts and wealth protection.

She particularly enjoys Court of Protection matters and Estate Administration working for people suffering from dementia, loss of capacity, Alzheimer’s, brain damage and their families.

In 2016 after 4 years at university, she began her role as a paralegal at Lawson West and in just 6 years, she now heads-up the department having proven herself.

As well as helping people to put in place plans to protect their future wealth, her team is acutely aware of their important role in the community. Our caring and dedicated lawyers support the vulnerable, those facing loss of capacity and the recently bereaved. We provide much-needed advice and assistance to help people and their families at difficult times and to plan for the future.

Style:  caring, resolute