Leathes Prior is delighted to welcome five new Trainee Solicitors to the firm
Leathes Prior is delighted to welcome five new Trainee Solicitors to the firm: Alex Robinson, Eleanor Chapman, Georgia Sartin, Kirsty Chaplin, and Maggie Berry.
Leathes Prior is thrilled to welcome five new Trainee Solicitors to the firm: Alex Robinson, Eleanor Chapman, Georgia Sartin, Kirsty Chaplin, and Maggie Berry.
Alex Robinson graduated with a first-class history degree from Durham University in 2017 and completed a Masters in History at the University of Oxford in 2019. He went on to study for the Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies (GDL) at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in 2021 where he obtained a Distinction and was awarded the UEA Law School Prize for best performance in the GDL final assessment. He then received a Distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the University of Law (ULaw) in 2022. Alex starts his Training Contract sitting in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team with Partner, Mike Barlow who specialises in commercial disputes.
Eleanor Chapman graduated from the UEA in 2021 with a 2:1 in Law. During her time at university, Eleanor volunteered at Norfolk Community Law Service as their team leader for the Employment and Discrimination clinic and was Treasurer for the UEA Law Society 2019/20 and 2020/21. Eleanor then went on to study the LPC LLM with ULaw at their Norwich campus part-time, while working at LP assisting Senior Associate, Lily Beel and will now be completing her Training Contract sitting with Partner, Stephen Wilson in the Residential Property Team.
Georgia Sartin studied at the University of Birmingham, obtaining a 2:1 degree in Philosophy followed by the GDL at the UEA. Georgia went on to complete her LPC LLM with ULaw and ended her studies with a trip to Southeast Asia for 3 months.. Georgia joins LP to begin her Training Contract initially sitting in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team with Partner, Darren Bowen who specialises in property disputes.
Kirsty Chaplin graduated from ULaw in 2022 with a first-class honour’s Law degree. During her time at University, Kirsty volunteered with the Citizens Advice Witness Service at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court and received a Provost Award for her commitment and dedication to vulnerable witnesses. Kirsty joined LP in July 2022 assisting Partner, Howard Catherall the Regulatory & Criminal Defence Team and will now be completing her Training Contract in the same team, whilst undertaking her LPC studies part-time with Ulaw.
Maggie Berry graduated from the UEA in 2021 with a 2:1 degree in Law. Maggie went on to complete an LLM in International Commercial and Competition Law, graduating in 2022 and completed the LPC with ULaw in 2023. During her studies at the UEA Maggie was heavily involved with the Mooting competition and was the UEA Law Society President for the year 2020/21. Before joining LP, Maggie worked in-house as a Paralegal. Starting her training with LP, Maggie’s first seat is with the Family Team, with Partner, Alisdair Douglas.
Training Principal Sarah Appleton said “One of the best bits of my job as Training Principal is getting to handpick new talent to join the firm. As a firm we are really committed to growing our own talent who one day will take their places round the partnership table, and the fact that we have five Trainees staring with us this year is a testament to how seriously we are taking that commitment. It is a privilege to nurture our Trainees’ development over the next two years, and I am really excited to see what this group have in store for us – I have no doubt big things!”
The firm is pleased to welcome all five Trainee Solicitors and wish them the best of luck.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
Upcoming changes to bringing employment law claims: What these mean for you
The highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill (ERB) is set to increase the time limits in which employees can bring an employment tribunal claim. Gareth Stevens & Rose Woolterton explain what this means for employers & employees.
