Who we are
Rajan Berry
Managing Partnerrb@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319105
Rajan joined Woodfords in 1997 and has been the Managing Partner since 2003. He is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of the firm.
Richard Hemingway
Partner, Property, Landlord and Tenant, Leasehold Enfranchisement and Licensingrh@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319104
Richard is the head of the Woodfords property department. His expertise in this area is extensive, encompassing residential and commercial transactions of all types, including: property sales and purchases and assignments; grant of new leases; lease extensions; licences for alterations or other consents required under freehold or leasehold property; development-site acquisition and finance; and Help to Buy sales and purchases.
Claire Larnder
Partner, Litigation and Dispute Resolutioncl@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419087
Claire is the head of the dispute resolution department of the firm and is experienced in handling a range of disputes for both companies and private individuals in the Court of Appeal, High Court, County Court. Claire assists clients on a broad range of contentious matters, including commercial contract disputes, partnership and company disputes and financial services disputes. Claire also acts for property management companies and claims involving property and building contracts.
Tharwat Alsanawi
Partner, Immigrationta@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419088
An immigration solicitor with nearly 15 years’ experience, Tharwat joined Woodfords in 2013 and became a partner in 2018. She established our immigration department, covering both corporate and private immigration. Tharwat also undertakes family work and advises her clients on property matters.
Marina Boggi
Partner, French Property, Residential Propertymb@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419075
Marina is a dual qualified solicitor who practised as an avocat au Barreau de Paris before moving to London in 2011. She joined the Woodfords property team in 2015 and has extensive experience in dealing with all aspects of residential property, including freehold and leasehold transactions, mortgages, equity transfers, lease extensions and the collective purchase of a freehold (enfranchisement).
Madeleine Bailey
Partner, Commercial Propertymrb@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319100
Madeleine’s main focus is on commercial property and landlord and tenant work, acting for either landlord or tenant and specialising in all aspects of portfolio management, lease renewals, acquisitions, financing and disposals of leasehold and freehold property and changes of use.
Roger Wilkinson
Professional Support - Commercial and Mixed-Use Propertyrw@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7310750
Roger was the Senior Partner at Woodfords and has been in property and commercial practice for over 35 years. He advised on complex transactions for residential, commercial and mixed use properties and development sites. He is no longer practising and provides support to colleagues on strategic and professional conduct issues.
Alasdair MacDonald
Company and Commercialam@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419081
Alasdair was admitted as a solicitor in Scotland and spent his first 11 years as a litigator there before moving to England where he dual qualified. Alasdair went on to become partner in the Company/Commercial Department of a Central London firm, and then moved in-house in pharmaceutical services and became Head of Legal, Europe, at Quintiles Transnational Corp, now part of Iqvia Inc. He provides expert advice on a wide range of company and commercial matters.
Jane Ootam
Head of Probatejo@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319102
Jane is head of our probate department and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Jane trained with a leading Chancery Lane Practice and worked for Ashurst in the City as a private practice solicitor before joining Woodfords in 2014.
Sheila Rowland
Private Clientsr@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419072
Sheila qualified as a solicitor in 1976 before setting up her own practice (Mackworth Rowland) based in Kensington & Chelsea and Fulham. She is an experienced private client solicitor specialising in estate administration, wills and inheritance tax planning, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyships with the Court of Protection and also has considerable expertise in residential property matters.
Robin Lawrence
Dispute Resolutionrl@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419072
Robin works as a solicitor in the dispute resolution department of Woodfords, handling disputes for both companies and private individuals in the County Court, Employment Tribunal and First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
Jaysal Patel
Propertyjp@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319109
Jaysal is a solicitor in the Woodfords property department, advising on a wide range of matters relating to both commercial and residential property, as well as the securitisation of property.
Jeremy Liu
Property and Immigrationjl@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419074
Jeremy is a Graduate Trainee Legal Executive with extensive experience acting on personal and business immigration applications on behalf of individual and commercial clients. He has been working in the immigration field since 2014, and joined Woodfords in 2015.
Divna Gakovic
Head of Familydg@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419077
Divna joined Woodfords in September 2020 having worked in-house for a FTSE 250 company. She is now the Head of the Family Department advising on all key stages of relationships including matters relating to living together, arranging pre and post nuptial agreements, divorce and child custody. Divna also advises on private client matters such as wills and lasting powers of attorney. Divna is a proud member of Resolution, the organisation of family justice professionals who work with families and individuals to resolve issues in a constructive way.
Louis Sarginson-Bloom
Residential & Commercial Propertylsb@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419709
Louis joined Woodfords in 2021, having completed his Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at BPP University. He is a graduate from Exeter University, where he achieved a BA in History & Politics and an MA in History, and has experience working in Housing Law. He currently provides assistance in both the residential and commercial property departments.
Harry Apostoli
Residential Propertyha@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419083
Harry joined Woodfords in 2022, having achieved a First-Class in his Law degree and graduating with a Masters in Law. Harry currently provides assistance in both the residential and commercial property departments.
Peter Hodgson
Residential & Commercial Propertyph@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319101
Peter graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Law LLB Degree and completed the Legal Practise Course at the University of Law. Peter is currently assisting the commercial property department.
Antonia Abela
Residential Propertyaa@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 7319103
Antonia completed her Law LLB degree and the Legal Practise Couse at the University of London. Antonia is currently assisting the residential property department.
James McLaren
Litigation and Dispute Resolutionjm@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 141 9078
James graduated from Durham University with a Law LLB degree and subsequently completed a Master of Laws at BPP University London. Prior to joining Woodfords, James gained experience in litigation and legal research in chambers, as well as working in private practice and in-house. He is currently assisting the litigation and dispute resolution department
Olivia Williamson
Residential Propertyow@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 731 9107
Olivia graduated from Nottingham Trent University with an LLB in Law 2023 and went on to complete the Solicitors Qualifying Exams and a Master of Laws (LLM) Corporate pathway at BPP University last year. She is currently assisting the Residential Property department.
Cameron Clark
Private Client & Commercialcc@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 731 9106
Prior to joining Woodfords, Cameron graduated from the University of Warwick with First Class Honours and obtained a Master’s degree from City St George’s, University of London. He subsequently worked as a journalist and editor across several national newspapers, before securing his Legal Practicing Certificate at the University of Law in 2024. He is currently assisting with both Private Client and Commercial matters.
Lanah Kahn
Trainee Accountantlk@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0203 1419071
Lanah joined Woodfords in 2023, having previously been a scholar of a ‘Magic Circle’ law firm and a prominent global investment bank. Lanah’s commercial outlook and desire for positive change informs the work she does at Woodfords, where she works closely with the Accounts department and provides administrative support.
Selina George
Assistant (Property)sg@woodfords.co.uk
Tel: 0207 7310750
Direct: 0207 3141 9076
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