Sara is originally from Manchester but migrated to London to join Osbornes as a trainee in 2001. She liked the firm so much that she stayed on after qualifying in 2003 and now works in the family department. She was made an associate of the firm in 2008.

Sara works on all aspects of family law, with a special interest in public law children work, and has gained a wealth of experience representing parents, and on occasion other family members, in care proceedings. Sara is also experienced in divorce and associated financial proceedings and in private law children work. 

Sara is a member of Resolution and of its Legal Aid Committee. She is also a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and the Law Society Children Panel Accreditation Scheme.

Please note: Sara is currently on maternity leave

After qualifying as a solicitor Maria joined Osbornes in March 2001 to specialise in family law. Maria has experience in children work, both public and private, financial relief on divorce and other matters arising from family breakdown.

Maria represents parents in care proceedings and has experience in cases concerning non accidental injuries to children. Maria has particular interest in complicated children cases, recently acting in a dispute about residence of children as a result of their father allegedly murdering their mother. Many of Maria's cases involve children who have been subject to emotional abuse.

When Maria is not working hard she enjoys spending time with her family.

Justine is an Associate Solicitor in the property law department. After completing her training at Spearing Waite in Leicester, she joined a Cambridge firm to undertake agricultural property work before joining Osbornes in January 2004.

She specialises in residential property work, including sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold properties, re-mortgages, transfer of equity, new builds, unregistered land, freehold management and shared ownership.

Alongside private residential property work she also acts for a large housing association.

Justine is a member of the Law Society’s Property Section, Young Solicitors Group and Association of Women Solicitors.

When not at work Justine enjoys spending time with friends and family.

What clients say about Justine

"I would and have recommended Justine to friends as she is very good"
Conveyancing client

Justine is currently on maternity leave

Maria Elliot is an Associate Solicitor in the Property Department. Maria completed her Law degree and Masters in Law at the London School of Economics in 1997. She trained with a private West End practice and was admitted as a solicitor in September 2002.

Maria joined Osbornes in 2004 and specialises in residential property work. Her workload varies from straight forward sales and purchases to complex land transactions and also includes some probate work.

As a member of the Law Society’s Property Law Section and the Association of Women Solicitors, Maria is always up to speed with property law developments. In her free time, Maria enjoys reading and going to the theatre.

Maria is currently on maternity leave

Ruth Camp is an associate solicitor in the Social Welfare and Property Litigation teams. Ruth qualified as a solicitor in 2004 after studying at The University of Warwick and the Inns of Court and training as a solicitor with Osbornes between 2002 and 2004. In 2009, Ruth became an associate of the firm.

The 2011 edition of the Legal 500 described Ruth as "committed to her clients" and achieves great results"

Ruth specialises principally in representing tenants in disputes with their landlords. She represents clients with a range of housing difficulties.  These include where the landlord is seeking possession, where there is disrepair of property, clients who face homelessness and other situations where problems with housing has led to very difficult situations.

Housing problems can affect people from many different circumstances. Some of Ruth's clients are protected or regulated tenants with rights under the Rent Acts and who have lived in accommodation for many years and have special rights because of their tenure. Other clients are housing association or local authority tenants with a variety of housing problems. In recent times Ruth has seen an increase in the claims for possession for tenants of all different kinds of tenure, and on a varied number of grounds including rent arrears, succession, breach of tenancy terms and conditions, and allegations of subletting  Many of Ruth's cases include cases where there are a number of complex issues including possession, disrepair, community care issues, discrimination, human rights and welfare benefits.

Ruth assists clients in the County Court and has assisted in the Court of Appeal.  In addition Ruth progresses cases as necessary to the High Court and has worked on cases varying from injunctive relief to judicial review. In all litigation Ruth advises her often vulnerable clients sensitively and in their best interests, and where possible seeks practical and reasonable solutions to resolve her clients' legal problems.

Ruth also assists clients who have problems with their benefits, including income support, incapacity benefit or employment support allowance, disability living allowance, pension credit, and housing benefit.

In addition, she undertakes litigation relating to property, including disputes in relation to rights to use land. Ruth has acted for landlords in seeking to resolve problems with their tenants and her clients benefit from being advised by either side of the Landlord and Tenant divide.

Ruth helps vulnerable clients by providing representation on the duty advocate scheme at the Clerkenwell County Court. Ruth is a member of the Housing Law Practitioner Association and regularly attends their seminars and conferences

When not in assisting her clients, Ruth spends time with her young family, enjoys recreational walking, cooking, relaxing with family and friends, and reading her kindle.

"Ruth Camp is ‘committed to clients, and achieves great results"
Legal 500 2011 directory

"Ruth is deeply committed to clients"
Legal 500 2012 edition

Ruth Camp is currently on maternity leave

Naomi Angell specialises in all areas of children’s law and in particular international and domestic adoption, children’s cases with an immigration interface, child protection, surrogacy and other fertility law cases.

She joined Osbornes in 2002 as a Consultant having previously been a partner for 20 years in Bindman & Partners and then in Goodman Ray Solicitors. She is recognised as a leader in her field in The Legal 500.

Naomi has always combined her case work with involvement with family policy, working to bring about changes in law and practice that she can see from her case work are necessary.

In 1981, the International Year of the Child, she set up the Children’s Legal Centre. She has sat on many influential committees, including the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Family Law, a national working group establishing standards for adoption practice, and working groups to brief both Houses of Parliament on major law changes in family law such as the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption and Children Act 2002.

Naomi is joint chair of the Law Society Family Law Committee, of the Law Society Children Panel and is accredited as a specialist in adoption and private law children cases with Resolution. She is Chair of the Adoption Panel of a national voluntary adoption agency, and regularly lectures, writes and works with the media on children’s law issues.

"Naomi Angell "is the first person whom applicant adopters should go to for foreign adoption advice," according to sources, and she is also described as "hugely experienced, calm and a good listener." She continues to expand her practice in international surrogacy work"

What the directories say:

"Naomi is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable solicitors on adoption law generally and inter-country adoptions in particular. She is at the forefront of charitable work and policymaking relating to adoption and private law children cases".
Chambers & Partners 2013

International adoption specialist Naomi Angell "is the first person whom applicant adopters should go to for foreign adoption advice," according to sources, and she is also described as "hugely experienced, calm and a good listener."
Chambers & Partners 2012 legal directory

Inter-country adoptions and surrogacies expert Naomi Angell is ‘a highly skilled and competent practitioner’.
Legal 500 2012

Simone specialises in all aspects of private and public law children work. She has particular expertise in domestic and international Child Abduction and is a member of the panel of lawyers instructed in child abduction work by the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit at the Official Solicitor’s Department. Simone is on the Law Society’s Children Panel and represents both parents and children in Care proceedings. She is recognised as a Leader in her field in both Chambers and Partners Directory (2007),where she is noted as being “someone you can trust”, and Legal 500.

In 2004 Simone was appointed as a Deputy District Judge, South Eastern Circuit.

In 2005 the Black Solicitors Network presented Simone with “Outstanding Lawyer of the Year” award.

Simone is a member of Resolution and sits on the Resolution London Region Committee. Simone sits on the Diversity Committee of the Family Justice Council. Simone qualified in 1990 and became a Partner at Hodge Jones and Allen in 1993.

Simone joined Osbornes as a Consultant in January 2007.

"Simone McGrath handles both public and private children work, and is particularly skilled in international child abduction"

Chambers & Partners 2012 legal directory

SIMONE IS RANKED AS A LEADING LAWYER IN CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2013 DIRECTORY

Andrew has specialised in family law for over thirteen years. Originally employed as a non practising barrister, he qualified as a solicitor in July 2001. He is a Resolution accredited specialist in both financial remedies and cohabitation, a member of Lincoln's Inn and became a partner in June 2012.

 Andrew's caseload is dominated by financial disputes with an asset base generally between £1,000,000 - £10,000,000. Andrew tends to focus on the more complex areas of financial disputes, such as those with issues related to confiscation, bankruptcy, non-disclosure or international issues.

 Andrew also has a niche specialism in the interface between financial proceedings and confiscation proceedings under either the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 or its precursors. He has successfully represented spouses / relatives in a number of cases where the Crown has been seeking to enforce Confiscation orders running to many millions.

Andrew's caseload also includes advising parties in cohabitation cases, children cases and in relation to pre-nuptial agreements.  

Outside of work Andrew can be found training for the next triathlon or half marathon (he has managed one full marathon, which he feels was more than enough) and following Manchester City, the England Cricket Team and, randomly, the Green Bay Packers. 

 Andrew's reported cases are:-

 FG v MBW [2011] EWHC 1729

 C v C (Appeal: Hadkinson Order) [2011] 1 FLR 434

 Rossi v Rossi [2007] 1 FLR 790

Siobhan has worked in the Personal Injury Department since 1998, when she started as a paralegal, before qualifying in 2001, and deciding to specialise in personal injury law, which she has been practicing now for over 8 years (with two years out on maternity leave.)

Siobhan was made a partner of the firm in January 2012 and deals with a wide variety of cases including accidents at work, road traffic accidents and tripping and slipping cases.

Outside of work Siobhan enjoys reading and spending time with her three young children.

Siobhan is currently on maternity leave.

Sophie is a senior lawyer in the personal injury department. Sophie was made a partner of the firm in January 2012. Sophie has specialised in personal injury for 9 nine years and has a wide ranging caseload. Recent successes include recovering over £500,000 for a client badly hurt by the driver of a stolen car.

Sophie is on the Law Society Personal Injury Panel and is a member of APIL, belonging to the procedure and child injury special interest groups. Many of Sophie’s clients are children and she has a particular interest in this area of practice.

Outside work Sophie finds that all her free time belongs to her two young sons who keep her on her toes!

Safiye joined Osbornes in June 2004 and is an Associate Solicitor in the Social Welfare and Litigation department . Having completed the CPE and BVC she was called to the bar in October 2004 and cross qualified in January 2007. Safiye specialises in Judicial Review in Social Welfare law.  She also has expertise in defending possession proceedings  and suspending warrants for eviction, and can also assists with unlawful evictions and other property disputes.  Safiye has represented clients at appeals tribunals and at various Court duty schemes.

Safiye is fluent in Spanish, and can order ice cream in Turkish.

William Ford joined Osbornes in October 2004 as a trainee after studying at Kings College London and the College of Law. William qualified as a solicitor in the Housing and Litigation team in October 2006.

The 2011 edition of the Legal 500 described Will as "committed to his clients" and achieves great results"

William specialises in all aspects of housing law, acting predominantly for tenants involved in disputes with their landlords. His work involves acting for clients faced with eviction, for people making homeless applications to the Local Authority, and for people whose homes are in a bad state of repair. William also takes on cases involving community care, asylum support and welfare benefits issues, and can advise on the entitlement to benefits and housing for people of other nationalities. Many of William’s cases involve a number of complex issues and he is committed to providing quality legal advice to people from vulnerable backgrounds and ensuring that clients have access to justice.

William also undertakes some property and general civil litigation and has experience of fast track and multi track cases as well as High Court litigation. He recently successfully defended a client in a complex multi-track case involving allegations of fraud and conversion of money. William also has experience in bringing applications for Judicial Review of decisions of Local Authorities or other public bodies. He has, for example, brought cases against the Home Office in relation to the level of support provided to asylum seekers.

William represents clients at the duty desk schemes at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch and Central London County Courts as well as doing advocacy for clients at appeals tribunals. He also volunteers at the Camden Law Centre. He is a member of the Housing Lawyers Practitioners Association and Young Legal Aid Lawyers.

Outside of work William enjoys travelling, music and socialising. He also enjoys various outdoor sports such as climbing, hiking and the occasional triathlon!

"William Ford is ‘committed to clients, and achieves great results"
Legal 500 2011 directory

"William is deeply committed to clients"
Legal 500 2012 edition

Lisa is an experienced family lawyer specialising in all aspects of family law including:

• Pre Nuptial and Post Nuptial agreements
• Financial settlements on divorce (including cases with complex elements such as international assets/court proceedings in other jurisdictions/family trusts)
• Disagreements over contact and living arrangements regarding children
• Unmarried couples who break up and disagree as to the ownership of property
• Separation Agreements

For some clients, court proceedings are the only way to protect them and achieve a fair result.  For others, mediation is appropriate – and is a cheaper option.  Lisa also operates one of the largest Collaborative Law practices in London.

Lisa is a committed member of Resolution, having been elected to its Board of Directors by other family law solicitors, and she sits on a number of Resolution Committees.  

Lisa Pepper is constructive and smiling whatever the challenges
Legal 500 2011 

Lisa Pepper is bright and engaging
Legal 500 2012

What clients say about Lisa 

I found the collaborative process very productive and a fast way of solving problems in such a sensitive subject like divorce. The lawyers helped us to turn an otherwise painful situation into a simple and organised way of dealing with the issue.
Collaborative client

As far as possible Lisa worked very hard to make this a painless process.
Family client

I have been very impressed by your work, your attitude (and understanding), and friendliness. And I value your assistance in finally bringing this drawn out matter to a close.
Alex Golding, Family client

Lisa was always extremely thorough and diligent even though our situation must have been extremely trying to her on many occasions. Frustrating and exasperating no doubt! I also found her to be a great friend at a time of real difficulty for me. Whenever I lost track of the complexities of the situation, it was nothing to Lisa to take her time to explain and put my mind at rest.

Collaborative Law must be a sensible route for any divorcing couple to follow if they have any wish to avoid real animosity. I would like to say that Lisa understands this all too well and also understands her clients' needs without being partisan
John Dabney, Collaborative law client

Shilpa joined Osbornes in May 2002 and became a Partner in September 2008. She specialises in residential and commercial property litigation and undertakes work for housing associations and co-operatives.

Shilpa has expertise in  collective enfranchisement and lease extensions acting for both landlords and tenants . Shilpa advises on claims under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (as amended) and the Leasehold Reform Act 1967. She also advises on the right of first refusal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.

Shilpa heads up a successful housing department and is known by her team for running a tight ship. She is a tenacious litigator who relishes hard work but also enjoys life to the utmost.

Outside work Shilpa enjoys keeping fit, DIY and spending time with her family.

Guy is the Head of the Property Litigation Department. Having qualified in 1998 he joined the firm in August 2001 and became a partner in June 2006. Guy deals with all types of property disputes both commercial and residential but has a particular interest in Collective Enfranchisement and Lease Extension work. Outside work Guy enjoys eating, drinking and keeping fit, but not so that you would notice.

Stuart runs the Personal Injury department with Senior Partner Wendy Wright.

After a spell with the Crown Prosecution Service he joined the firm in 1994 in order to specialise in PI work. He has built a thriving practice representing clients in head injury and high value work accident and road accident cases.

Stuart is actively involved in the campaigning group the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, which champions the rights of accident victims. He lectures regularly for APIL and was recently appointed a Fellow of the organisation. He is also on the Law Society PI Panel.

In April 2007 Stuart was elected to APIL’s national Executive Committee and then re-elected for a second term in 2010.

He was also appointed to the Law Society’s policy making body the Law Society Council in 2010 and to its Civil Justice Committee.

Stuart was recognised as a leading lawyer in the field of Claimant Personal Injury in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 editions of the independent legal directory Chambers & Partners.

The 2010 edition of Chambers described Stuart as "earning a number of glowing recommendations in the past year.”

The 2011 edition of Chambers described him as “well regarded in the personal injury world for his handling of head injury and workplace accident cases”.

The 2011 edition of The Legal 500 also describes Stuart as being ‘effective and helpful’, and ‘focuses on the needs of the individual’.

The 2012 edition of Chambers comments that Stuart  commands respect for his "energetic, intuitive" approach to cases.

The 2012 edition of The Legal 500 comments that Stuart is 'firmly resolute yet pragmatic' and is the 'first choice for referrals in the profession'.

The 2013 edition of Chambers & Partners comments that Stuart is  "immensely impressive" and "focuses on serious head injury cases and gains high praise from top claimant solicitors and clients alike".

STUART IS RANKED AS A LEADING LAWYER IN PERSONAL INJURY BY CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2013

Case Highlights over the last year

• Road accident below knee amputee case where liability completely denied but case settled at round table meeting just days before a High Court  liability trial for £700,000 gross.
• Multiple injuies case, including head injury and psychiatric damage, where Claimant cyclist knocked down by drunk driver.  Main issue was the Claimant’s loss of a chance of qualifying as a UK doctor; case fixed for 6 day High Court  trial but settled by solicitors’ negotiation for £460,000.
• Work accident where Claimant suffered severe degloving injury to the foot and risked future amputation; liability agreed a day befrore trial and case settled by solicitors’ negotiation for over £500,000 gross.
• Head injury to 15 year old girl where a rehabilitation and case management package set up with insurers supported her studies and early career to maximise her potential before case settled in a solicitors’ meeting at £300,000 gross.
• Head and spinal injury case, where claimant fell from a window to escape a house fire.  Liability eventually established and main issue on value was the extent to which the relatively mild effects of head injury together with residual back pain would compromise the claimant’s future ability to work as a graphic designer. Case settled at round table meeting for £300,000.
• Currently acting for the victims of the Oxshott train crash in 2010

When not at work he will be running or cycling far away.

Mark studied at Manchester University and joined the Osbornes Family department in 1996 and has remained there ever since, gaining promotion to partner in 2000. He is the Firm’s managing partner and has overseen its rapid expansion over the last 8 years.

Mark has run a number of recent court of appeal cases and has been recognised as a leader in his field by Chambers & Partners’ legal directory. The 2011 edition of Legal 500 also described him as a "tough negotiator"

Mark specialises in all areas of family law, especially complex financial proceedings and children’s proceedings with an international flavour. He is accredited by Resolution as a specialist family lawyer and is a trained mediator. 

MARK HAS BEEN RANKED AS A LEADING LAWYER BY CHAMBERS & PARTNERS - 2013 DIRECTORY

Mark's recent testimonials

"Mark Freedman receives a lot of instructions from clients based abroad, often relating to complex divorce proceedings. Sources say: "His main strengths are his enthusiastic passion for the job in hand and his total dedication to his clients."
Chambers & Partners 2012 legal directory

"Mark Freedman is a ‘tough negotiator"
Legal 500 directory

"Mark Freedman fights the whole way"
Legal 500 2012 directory

Outside work, Mark is married with 3 sons who share his love of tennis and Leeds United. He has recently been appointed a school Governor.

Some of Mark's leading reported cases included the following:

XvX 2005 EWHC 296 Fam (Ancilliary relief)
Re_L_(Residence_Jurisdiction)_-_[2007]_1_FL
RE_S_(CHILD_FINANCIAL_PROVISION)_-_[2005]_2
ReW 2008 ECWA Civ 638 (relocation)
F_and_others_v_Legal_Services_Commission

Bridget has been a partner at Osbornes since July 2000. A New Zealander, she is a graduate of Otago University, where she graduated in Law and History. Bridget qualified as a lawyer in 1985, she practiced originally in New Zealand before transferring to the UK in 1992.

Bridget is a member of The Law Society Children's Panel and The Resolution Accredited Panel.

Bridget practices in all aspects of family law. She has a particular interest in representing children or parents in complex children act cases and has also developed a practice in adoption work.

Bridget is mentioned in the Legal 500 2012 directory as a recommended lawyer and is described as a "fine exponent of care proceedings"