Leathes Prior welcomes five new Trainee Solicitors to the firm
Leathes Prior is delighted to welcome five new Trainee Solicitors to the firm, Dylan Owen, Eleanor Feltwell, Harry Smith, Zumiqo Johnson, and Imogen Fraser.
The five trainees will rotate through four seats throughout the duration of their two-year training contract, working in various departments across the firm. This will give them the opportunity to gain experience and exposure to different areas of law during their training, preparing them to become well-rounded solicitors and deliver the best service to clients.
Dylan Owen graduated from the University of Durham with a degree in Theology and Religion in 2023 before going on to study for the Graduate Diploma in Law at Cardiff University. Whilst undertaking the GDL, Dylan was a volunteer team leader for Support Through Court at the Cardiff Civil and Family Justice Centre. Dylan obtained a Distinction in his Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at BPP University. He also has previous experience working as a Paralegal in insurance claims. For his first seat, Dylan will be sitting in the Corporate & Commercial Team with Jack Horwitz.
Eleanor Feltwell graduated from the University of East Anglia with a degree in Law, during her time at UEA, Eleanor volunteered with the Business Law Clinic, and was among the first set of students to volunteer with this new program, which offered free legal advice to SME's in Norfolk and Suffolk. In March 2023, Eleanor joined us for the LP Easter Vacation Scheme, before going on to study the LPC at the University of Law in Norwich. Eleanor will be sitting in the Regulatory & Defence Team with Howard Catherall for her first seat.
Harry Smith graduated from Newcastle University in 2019 with a degree in Law before completing the LPC and LLM at BPP University in 2023. Since completing his studies, Harry has worked as a paralegal focusing on litigation and dispute resolution, particularly in construction disputes. For his first seat, Harry will be sitting in the Residential Property Team with Jake Mowatt.
Zumiqo Johnson graduated from the University of East Anglia with a degree in Law in 2023 before going on to complete the LPC at the University of Law in Norwich in 2024. During her time studying, Zumiqo volunteered with the Norfolk Community Law Service in the Family Department. Before beginning her training contract with us in September 2025, Zumiqo joined LP in September 2024 as a Paralegal in the Residential Property Team. In her first seat, Zumiqo will be sitting with Polly Langford, Partner in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team, with a focus on commercial disputes.
Imogen Fraser graduated from the University of East Anglia in 2024 with a degree in Law, before completing the LLM Law Masters and LPC at the University of Law. Imogen joined Leathes Prior in June 2025 as a Paralegal in the Residential Property Team, before starting her training contract in September 2025. For the first seat of her training contract, Imogen will be sitting in the Residential Property Team with Parter Lily Beel.
Training Principle, Sarah Appleton commented: “I am very excited to welcome Dylan, Eleanor, and Harry to LP, and welcome Zumiqo and Imogen back as Trainee Solicitors. Having shone during the recruitment process, I am confident that each of them will be valuable assets to the firm during their training and beyond. At Leathes Prior, we are passionate about developing the next generation of legal professionals, and I look forward to seeing their careers flourish over the coming months and years.”
The firm is delighted to welcome all five Trainee Solicitors, and we wish them all the best of luck with their training and their futures at Leathes Prior.
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.
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...
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.
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.
Service Charges in Residential Leases: FAQs
Service charges are forever a hot topic in the world of property disputes, and it remains one of the most contentious areas between freeholders and leaseholders, particularly in long residential leases. Danny Turpin, Associate, discusses frequently asked questions regarding service charges on long residential leases.
Leathes Prior winners in nine categories in the prestigious Legal 500 Future Laywer Survey
We are thrilled to announce that the firm has placed once again in the Legal 500 Future Lawyer survey as No.1 in the UK for our Social Life; a ranking we have held in the survey for seven years out of the past nine years.
Jess’s Rule – New Guidelines for GPs
A new initiative is being rolled out across GP practices across England in the hope of preventing serious illnesses being missed by GPs where patients present with the same, or deteriorating, symptoms on multiple occasions. Kimberley Nelson in our Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence Team discusses new guidelines for GPs.
Leathes Prior are excited to announce that four Trainee Solicitors qualify at the firm
Leathes Prior is excited to announce that four of our amazing trainees, Eleanor Chapman, Maggie Berry, Alex Robinson, and Georgia Sartin, have successfully completed their training contracts and are now qualifying as Solicitors at the firm.
