Meet The Team
A dedicated team of legal experts
Our Partners
Richard Jones
Senior Partner & Head of Commercial/Residential
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Richard Jones
After studying law at the University of Liverpool and completing his post-graduate year at the College of Law Chester, Richard qualified as a solicitor in 1996. He joined Beers LLP in 2005 and became Head of Property in 2007.
Richard deals with a wide range of high-value residential and commercial transactions, including sales and purchases, the grant and surrender of leases, agricultural land transactions, the grant of easements and complex development and leasehold enfranchisement matters.
Away from the office, Richard enjoys spending time with his wife, their 3 young children and their Dalmatian dog. He is a former professional sailor, an indifferent guitar player and an ever slower long distance runner.
Richard is a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association and has previously been recommended in Chambers guide to the legal profession and the Legal500 for commercial property work.
James Canning
Managing Partner & Head of Civil Litigation
Plymouth: 01752 246000
James Canning
James is Managing Partner and Head of Litigation. James qualified as a solicitor in London in 1999 before relocating to South Devon in 2002.
James specialisies in civil litigation advising clients on contract disputes, residential landlord & tenant claims, property disputes, contested wills & inheritance actions and personal injury & clinical negligence claims.
Zoë Le Fort
Partner & Head of Private Client
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Zoë Le Fort
Zoë is Head of our Private Client Department and joined Beers initially as a locum solicitor in August 2021, having relocated from a firm in Hampshire where she was an equity Partner.
Zoë specialises in advising clients on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Administration of Estates, creation and administration of Trusts, Court of Protection and general tax advice. As a fully qualified member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and accredited member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE)), she is able to advise clients on all aspects of their personal lifetime planning and tax queries, including protection for the more vulnerable and elderly clients.
Zoë has over thirteen years’ experience dealing with administration of estates and has advised on hundreds of probate and estate matters since qualifying. She is happy to see clients either in the office or in their homes, to ensure the process is as comfortable as possible for them.
Away from work Zoë can be found with her husband working on their 17th Century North Cornish cottage renovation project.
Michael Le Fort
Partner and Higher Rights Solicitor
Michael Le Fort
Michael started his career outside law when he worked for his family business manufacturing and supplying cosmetics and fragrances to the likes of Superdrug, Tesco and New Look. However, nail polish colours were not for him, and he left the business and qualified as a Barrister. He worked as a Barrister for several years specialising in family law in particular financial remedies and public law matters, civil litigation, contract matters, personal insolvency and crime. He remains a member of Middle Temple and is a fully accredited member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly).
He later cross qualified as a Solicitor and was awarded higher rights of audience by the Law Society. He has spent most of his career acting in divorce, children law and private client work and has been head of three private client departments and so is well versed in all aspects of private client work.
Michael specialises in advising clients in the preparation of new Wills and in reviewing existing Wills both for individuals and couples. He also deals with the question of succession planning which includes advising on Inheritance Tax, Agricultural Property Relief, Business reliefs and Capital Gains Tax issues with a view to helping you think about ways in which tax after death can be mitigated as far as possible. He advises on and prepares Lasting Powers of Attorney and deals with the registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney, this also includes Court of Protection matters including deputy applications. He advises clients in estate administration, deeds of variation and Trust matters. Michael also deals with cases with a more contentious element when necessary. His wide experience of different areas of law and of the Court process allows Michael to bring a different and pragmatic approach to any issue that may arise.
Donna Butler
Partner & Solicitor
Plymouth: 01752 246000
Donna Butler
Donna studied law at Plymouth University and has worked locally for many years and has built a strong local network of connections. She continues her strong affiliation with the University by being part of their Mentoring Programme and is a Case Study for the Law School blog.
Donna has previous experience in Private Client work including Contentious Probate and is an Accredited GDPR Practitioner, but now specialises in Residential Conveyancing. As a result of Donna’s previous experience in other areas of law she is able to deal with all complex and non-complex matters including acting on behalf of Trustees of Trusts and Attorneys or Deputies in a proactive, swift manner but with a dash of sense of humour!
Donna is kept busy out of the office with her family and dogs (a third member of the team with Dachshunds !)
Our Legal Team
Kim Hall
Legal Executive
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Kim Hall
Kim moved to Devon in 1979 from North Yorkshire and worked for a local firm of Solicitors since 1985. Having had her own residential caseload since 1987. Kim qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2002 and became a Fellow in 2004.
Kim has been a Head of Residential Conveyancing in Totnes a Branch Manager in Bovey Tracey as well as working for local Solicitors in South Hams and Teignbridge for many years and is very experienced in dealing with buying, selling, remortgaging, transfer of equity, new builds, Freehold and Leasehold transactions.
Kim lives in Totnes with her family and assortment of pets including sausage dogs and has become an active member of the dachshund community in South Devon.
Andy Lugger
Property Consultant
Plymouth: 01752 246000
Andy Lugger
After studying law at Exeter University and completing his post-graduate training there, Andy completed a Masters Degree and a higher Research Degree in Law (Restrictive Covenants).
He has over 20 years’ experience in private practice and a former partner in a law firm. Andy deals with a wide range of high-value residential and commercial transactions, including sales and purchases, the grant and surrender of leases, agricultural land transactions, the grant of easements and licenced trade sales and purchases together with liquor licensing matters.
Away from the office, Andy is keen legal historian and writes on a number of topics. He published his first book in 2006 on Restrictive Covenants and is about to complete his latest one on Victorian Legal History.
Helen Saunders
Chartered Legal Executive
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Helen Saunders
Helen Saunders is a family lawyer. She joined Beers in 1988 and has been practicing solely in family law since about 1995. She is approachable, straight talking and will aim to achieve the best possible outcome taking account of all the circumstances. As a mother of two children, Helen fully appreciates the pressures placed upon a marriage by modern family life.
Helen has a special interest in dealing with cases involving children with special needs. Areas in which she is regularly giving advice include:
- Divorce, Judicial Separation, Dissolution of Civil Partnerships, breakdown of unmarried relationships and resolving all the associated financial matters
- Children Act cases
- Domestic violence
- Cohabitation Agreements, Separation Agreements, Pre-Nuptial Agreements
Helen was brought up in Kingsbridge and continues to live locally. She enjoys working for clients in the South Hams and Plymouth areas but also for those based further afield.
Kate Shute
Associate Member of CILEx
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Kate Shute
Kate joined Beers in July 2000 as an office assistant following her graduation from Agricultural College. Since joining Beers, she has progressed through the ranks and has been part of the Private Client team since 2002. She is a valued and trusted member of the team. Kate continued her education with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) and became an Associate Member of CILEX in 2012. Kate is also a member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly).
Kate currently deals with all aspects of private client work to include Administration of Estates and Trusts, preparation of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, registration of Enduring Powers of Attorneys, applications for Deputy Orders and management of clients’ financial affairs. This includes dealing with clients’ day to day finances, arranging payment of their bills and household expenses, settling their tax position and ensuring that their investments are properly managed.
Carolyn Thomas
Legal Executive
Plymouth: 01752 246000
Carolyn Thomas
Carolyn has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives since 2012 and has specialised in residential conveyancing since 2016. She deals with a wide range of conveyancing matters including: New Build purchases; Equity loans; Transfers of Equity; Declarations of Trust as well as freehold and leasehold sales and purchases. Her career in law spans over 11 years and she has experience in a wide range of areas, including family law and litigation. Prior to that she held managerial roles in Administration. Her wide-ranging experience allows her to take a more holistic view to property transactions and advise clients accordingly.
Carolyn has a busy home life with her husband and four adult children which she has combined with her studies and work. Her experiences have enabled Carolyn to empathise with clients in stressful situations and assist them in a calm, measured way.
Helen Tuck
Licensed Conveyancer
Plymouth: 01752 246000
Helen Tuck
Helen has grown up in the Plymouth area and joined at Beers in 2015, with a background previously in the equine industry. Since then Helen has qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer and is experienced in dealing with residential sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold land, unregistered land and remortgages. Helen particularly specialises in dealing with shared ownership properties from purchases of the new build plots through to final staircasing. Away from work Helen enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her horse, and has a keen interest in historical buildings.
Elliot Brooking
Solicitor
Kingsbridge: 01548 857000
Elliot Brooking
Elliot graduated from Swansea University in 2023 and achieved an Upper Second-Class Honours degree in LLB Law. During his degree, Elliot volunteered for the Miscarriage of Justice project which aims to correct clear miscarriages of justice for individuals who cannot afford legal advice and achieved a Silver HEAR award for his contributions. He is passionate about making sure that clients feel supported throughout the legal process and ensuring that client’s concerns are dealt with compassionately.
Elliot started his role as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2023, working within the Property team and now in the Private Client team. Elliot is currently enrolled with Exeter University undertaking the LPC and is on route to qualify as a Solicitor in September 2025.
In his free time, Elliot enjoys playing football on the weekends for his local team, as well as playing golf and watching the GT World Challenge.
Our Legal Assistants
Bhesaj Patel-Hellyer
Paralegal
Our Business Support Team
Legal Services for Businesses & organisations
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