Kate is a Wills Drafting Executive working with clients to plan for their and their loved-one's future.
Working in Holmes & Hills Solicitors' Private Client Department, Kate can assist clients with drafting or updating a Will, including Life Interest Trust Wills and Discretionary Trust Wills. In addition to her expertise in Wills drafting, Kate can assist with preparing and advising on Lasting Powers of Attorney in regard to both property and financial affairs, and their health and welfare considerations.
Kate takes a personable and empathetic approach with her clients, ensuring that they feel heard, understood, and supported throughout what can often be an emotionally challenging or complex situation. She strives to ensure that every client feels confident that their loved ones will be cared for, that their wishes will be respected, and that their legacy will be preserved.
Kate has over 15 years of experience in the Private Client sector assisting clients with Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate matters, previously working at another regional law firm. She is also an associate member of CILEX and is continuing her studies to become a Chartered Legal Executive. Kate is also a Dementia Friend.
Kate joined Holmes & Hills Solicitors in 2025, and is based across the firm’s Sudbury and Colchester (Marks Tey) offices.
Jamie Robinson is an Associate Solicitor at Holmes & Hills Solicitors and a member of the firm’s Residential Property Department. He assists clients with a broad range of property transactions, including but not limited to:
Jamie is friendly and approachable whilst maintaining a professional and efficient work ethic to progress transactions. Jamie is pragmatic, he is adept at guiding and reassuring his clients through what can be a daunting process. Throughout a transaction, Jamie maintains constant communication with estate agents and mortgage brokers to ensure that matters are progressed as effectively as possible.
Jamie has nearly a decade of experience in residential property, so holds a wealth of experience on conveyancing matters.
Jamie joined Holmes & Hills in 2025 and is based at the firm’s Sudbury office.
Kayleigh Riordan works closely with Licensed Conveyancer Laura Martin, and assists with various aspects related to residential conveyancing transactions, including but not limited to:
With 16 years of experience in the legal field, Kayleigh boasts over a decade of combined experience as a legal assistant at other local law firms.
Kayleigh combines a friendly, approachable work ethic with a commitment to efficiency, ensuring clients feel supported and well-informed at every stage of their transaction.
Kayleigh joined Holmes & Hills Solicitors in 2024 and is based at the firm’s Sudbury office.
Jakob is a trainee solicitor at Holmes & Hills, who works closely with and supports Partner and head of the Inheritance Disputes Division Rachel Shaw to offer specialist advice on inheritance disputes.
Working with the firm’s inheritance dispute solicitors, Jakob will assist with various claims regarding contentious probate as well as Trust matters; including challenges to a Will such as the validity, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and other claims against Estates.
Jakob takes a personable approach, ensuring he remains both personable and reliable throughout all proceedings. Moreover, he aims to provide easy to understand advice to ensure that matters are dealt with efficiently.
Jakob joined Holmes & Hills Solicitors in 2024 and is based at the firm’s Sudbury office.
Cavelle Leigh works within Holmes & Hills Solicitors’ Private Client Department, alongside specialist contentious probate solicitor and partner, Rachel Shaw.
With Rachel, contentious probate solicitor, Cavelle assists with various claims regarding Contentious Probate and Trust matters; including challenges to a Will such as the validity, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and other claims against Estates.
Cavelle prides herself on being approachable, empathetic, and respectful in nature. She understands that going through a contentious probate claim can be a stressful situation and she strives to communicate personably with her clients to put them at ease.
Cavelle joined Holmes & Hills in 2023 after completing her LPC, and has prior experience in another local law firm as a paralegal and a trainee solicitor; including previous experience working on Wills, Trusts, and Probate matters.
Cavelle is a qualified solicitor as of March 2024 and is based in Holmes & Hills’ Sudbury office.
Kuba advises individuals, couples and families across East Anglia who require expert advice from Holmes & Hills' Family Law Department.
As a family law solicitor, Kuba helps clients regarding family, matrimonial and children matters. The Family Law Department at Holmes & Hills Solicitors is recommended by the Legal 500 directory of the UK’s top law firms and solicitors as a ‘notably strong choice for advice on financial settlements that often involve issues over high-value matrimonial assets, pensions, and business interests’.
Kuba is able to support clients with:
Kuba is transparent when guiding clients through Family Law proceedings and helps to break down often complicated process, terminology and legislation into simple and easy to understand terms.
Kuba regularly advises clients on divorce and separation issues taking into consideration the needs of all those involved throughout the process. His membership to Resolution, a community of family justice professionals demonstrates a commitment to a better way of resolving family issues through a constructive approach considering the needs of the whole family.
Kuba joined Holmes & Hills in late 2023 and will be working in both the Colchester office and the Sudbury office.
As a trainee solicitor and member of the Holmes & Hills Residential Property Department, Tai works closely with Associate Jamie Robinson on a broad range of property transactions, such as:
Tai remains proactive throughout the property transactions she works on. She ensures that regular updates are provided to all parties involved, as well as ensuring she listens to her clients’ requirements.
Tai joined Holmes & Hills Solicitors towards the end of 2023 as a paralegal in the firm’s Family Law Department assisting the firm’s family law solicitors on a varied range of matters. She has since progressed to start her training contract. Tai is based at Holmes & Hills Solicitors in Sudbury.
Laura works with those looking to buy or sell a property, whether they are an individual, a family, an investor, or a first-time buyer.
As a member of Holmes & Hills Solicitors' Residential Property Department in Sudbury, Laura is an experienced licensed conveyancer, with a broad range of experience in advising on and dealing with many aspects of conveyancing, such as:
Laura has a friendly smile, is well-mannered, and understands her client’s needs whilst guiding them through the purchase or sale of their home. As an experienced conveyancer, Laura remains proactive throughout the property transactions she works on. She ensures that regular updates are provided to all parties involved, as well as ensuring she listens to her clients’ requirements.
Laura is very experienced in the field of conveyancing having worked within the residential property market locally for over 20 years.
Laura joined Holmes & Hills as a licensed conveyancer in 2022 and is based at Holmes & Hills Solicitors in Sudbury.
Melanie works with clients having to sell their property because of a compulsory purchase (CPO) or development consent order (DCO). A CPO or DCO usually occurs due to the need to purchase a property (or the land the property is on) to facilitate and for the benefit of an infrastructure project such as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) or for a public regeneration scheme in the area.
Melanie has a strong background in residential property and is experienced in supporting clients through the conveyancing process. Moreover, she has experience in communicating with local authorities and dealing with the additional concerns that can arise in these circumstances, Melanie can negotiate the issues and find a solution that is acceptable to both parties.
Melanie prides herself on her friendly, approachable service ensuring that her clients are kept up to date and that their matter is resolved as quickly as possible.
Melanie understands that clients moving as a result of a CPO or DCO are often in a situation that is not of their making, which can lead to a transaction being stressful and, on occasion, upsetting for her clients. Melanie aims to build strong relationships with her client, support them through the selling process and find resolutions that are agreeable to them.
Melanie qualified as a solicitor in 2016, working exclusively in residential conveyancing until joining the firm’s Compulsory Purchase and Development Consent Division in 2023.
Melanie spends her time split between the Holmes & Hills Solicitors Colchester (Marks Tey) and Halstead offices.
Nicola works with individuals and couples in planning for their future and protecting their and their loved-ones' interests.
As a Chartered Legal Executive in Holmes & Hills Solicitors' Private Client Department, Nicola advises clients from Halstead and the surrounding area on their personal legal affairs, including clients with extended families, those who are in a long-term relationship but are not married or in a civil partnership, new parents and those with children from a previous relationship.
Recognising that your circumstances and wishes will be unique to you, Nicola will listen to what you want to achieve, be it providing for a spouse, children, grandchildren, or a cause, and advise you on how this can be achieved and how best your interests can be protected in line with current legislation. Nicola advises on and provides services relating to:
Nicola started her career at a Suffolk-based firm. Shortly after joining, she began studying with CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) and progressed very quickly, moving into a role as a paralegal where she undertook work in both the Wills and Estates and Family Law Teams. Nicola worked at another regional law firm, gaining an additional five years of experience and during this time, in 2016, was admitted as a Fellow of CILEX. Nicola joined Holmes & Hills Solicitors in June 2019 and is based across the firm's offices in Halstead and Sudbury.
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