Leathes Prior delighted to announce that all three Trainee Solicitors qualify at the firm
Leathes Prior is delighted to announce that the full 2019 cohort of trainees have been admitted to the roll of solicitors. Well done Ellie Davies, Nick Price and Matthew Hodgson.
Leathes Prior is delighted to announce that the full 2019 cohort of trainees have been admitted to the roll of solicitors. Ellie Davies, Nick Price and Matthew Hodgson have thoroughly impressed teams across the firm over the course of their training contracts, despite the extraordinary challenges that the past two years have brought. They will now begin their careers as solicitors with the firm, having accepted contracts with our Family, Commercial Property and Employment Teams.
Ellie Davies graduated with a Law and Criminology degree from the University of Sheffield in 2017. After attending the firm’s Vacation Scheme in June 2019 Ellie impressed our teams and was offered a training contract to start the same year, finishing her Legal Practice Course (LPC) alongside the training. During her training contract Ellie spent time in three teams, Residential Conveyancing, Family and Employment. Ellie also returned to the Residential Conveyancing team for her fourth seat, supporting them during the busiest months in the Stamp Duty holiday period. Ellie has qualified into the Family Team and will continue to grow the team’s outstanding reputation.
Nick Price’s journey with Leathes Prior began in 2018 when he completed a week of work experience and later applied to the 2018 Trainee Recruitment Day. Nick initially obtained a Training Contract offer to start in 2020 after his LPC. After graduating with a Law degree from the University of East Anglia in 2019 Nick joined the firm during the summer holidays in a support role, providing very valuable support to our busy Commercial Property team. Not ready to part ways, the Partners offered Nick an earlier training start date in 2019 and he completed his LPC alongside his training contract. During his training contract Nick trained with Commercial Property, Corporate & Commercial, Employment and Commercial Litigation teams. As a qualified Solicitor, Nick will work with our Employment Team alongside our recently recruited James Conley. Together, they will be bolstering one of the largest Employment teams in East Anglia.
Matthew Hodgson completed a week of work experience with Leathes Prior in February 2017 and attended the Trainee Recruitment Day later the same year. After landing a Training Contract with a 2019 start, Matt finished his Law degree at the University of East Anglia and joined the firm after his LPC. Training with our Commercial Litigation, Commercial Property and Corporate & Commercial Teams, Matt returned to the Commercial Property Team to focus on the firm’s Agricultural offering for his final seat. As a qualified Solicitor, Matt will remain part of the Commercial Property Team, continuing to grow the Agricultural Team within, alongside Lucy Chambers and Julia Routledge.
Everyone at Leathes Prior are delighted to see Ellie, Nick and Matt take this exciting next step in their career with our teams.
Leathes Prior Training Principal, Sarah Appleton said “I am so proud to see three fantastically talented young lawyers qualify and take the next steps in their careers with us. Ellie, Nick and Matt have had anything but a “normal” Training Contract with us and all of them have gone above and beyond in different ways in their support of the firm and their teams. I have no doubt that the hard work, resilience and adaptability they have shown so far will stand them in good stead for long and successful careers.”
.jpg)
Spring Statement 2026 - An Overview
With the Government having restricted itself to one fiscal event a year in the form of the Autumn Budget, the Spring Statement is perhaps not the dramatic moment it used to be. It is more a chance for the Government to respond to events and economic forecasts than to set policy for the future.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
Spring Statement 2026 - An Overview
With the Government having restricted itself to one fiscal event a year in the form of the Autumn Budget, the Spring Statement is perhaps not the dramatic moment it used to be. It is more a chance for the Government to respond to events and economic forecasts than to set policy for the future.
Charity of the Month: Sue Lambert Trust
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting the Sue Lambert Trust as our Charity of the Month for February 2026. Sue Lambert Trust is a leading charity in Norfolk offering free therapeutic counselling and support services to survivors of sexual violence and abuse.
Supreme Court ruling set to impact NHS - Children injured by NHS can claim damages for lifetime lost earnings
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a ruling which is set to significantly increase the amount of damages the NHS may have to pay for claims brought in respect of children injured at birth, as a result of medical negligence.
.jpg)
The Value of Planning Ahead: LPAs & Court of Protection
Putting LPAs in place allows you to choose trusted people to make decisions for you if you lose capacity in the future. This avoids the need for loved ones to make a costly and time-consuming deputyship application to the Court of Protection. With more people likely to experience conditions affecting capacity, more families may need to turn to the Court for support where no LPAs are in place.
The case of the fake cases: another judgment on AI-hallucinations in litigation
The use of AI Large Language Models in litigation continues to generate headlines (and consternation from the judiciary). In 2025, it seemed that rarely a month went by without a new case on fake AI-generated case law. December was no exception, and the High Court has now issued a further warning regarding the use of AI by litigants.
Autumn Budget 2025: Agricultural Property Relief & Business Property Relief Changes
It was announced in the 2025 Budget that from 6 April 2026, changes will be made to agricultural property relief and business property relief. These changes bring APR and BPR in line with the nil-rate band rules, meaning unused allowances can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner. This is a significant step towards making estate planning easier for families who own farms or businesses.
.jpg)
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to come into force tomorrow (18 December 2025)
After an extended period of back-and-forth amendments between Parliament and the House of Lords, on 16 December 2025, the ERB finally received approval from the House of Lords, with the formality of Royal Assent due to take place tomorrow (18 December 2025). Head of LP Employment, Dan Chapman, explains...
Charity of the Month: The Matthew Project
Leathes Prior is delighted to be supporting The Matthew Project as our Charity of the Month for December 2025. The Matthew Project supports young people and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex to overcome issues around drugs, alcohol, and mental health, empowering them to rebuild confidence and lead fulfilling lives.
Leathes Prior’s Milan Pandit appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society
Leathes Prior Solicitors is proud to announce that Milan Pandit, Solicitor in our Corporate & Commercial Team, has been appointed President of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society (NNLS) for 2025/26.
Commercial Lease Renewals: A guide for Landlords & Tenants
Commercial lease renewals are a topic that every commercial landlord and business that rents commercial premises should have at the forefront of their minds. It is essential for good succession planning, though it is often neglected until the expiry of an existing lease term is looming or once the existing term has come to an end and the tenant is holding over. In this article, our newly qualified solicitor, Maggie Berry explores the process that landlords and tenants can expect when navigating this complex area of law.
Our Guidance, Your Legacy: What is a Will, and why should I make one?
Not only is a Will one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure your wishes are respected, but it also limits the likelihood of a claim/dispute following your death. To ensure your loved ones and the causes you care about benefit from your estate, a Will is essential to ensuring this happens. Find out more in this article.
Lease extensions: The essentials to getting started
Extending your lease can seem complex, but taking the right steps early can make the process much smoother. Jake Mowatt, Associate and Harry Smith, Trainee Solicitor in our Residential Property Team outlines the key essentials every leaseholder should understand prior to extending their lease.
