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 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 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, Deputyship matters and general tax advice.
As a fully qualified member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and accredited member of 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 ten 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. When time allows, Zoë likes to escape to the coast for some open water swimming and is also a keen traveller with a love of exploring new countries and cultures.”
Ian was admitted as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 1990, and has over 30 years experience dealing with litigation disputes in the Torbay, Totnes, Exeter, and Newton Abbot areas.
Ian joined Beers LLP in 2013 and specialises in personal injury claims, particularly those relating to industrial disease.
Away from the office Ian enjoys playing music, walking and spending time with his family.
Slade is a Partner and Head of our Employment Law and HR Department. Slade qualified as a solicitor in 2004 in London before relocating his family to the South West.
Slade undertakes all areas of Employment Law litigation including Discrimination claims, TUPE disputes, Unfair Dismissal, Redundancy, Equal Pay and accepts instructions from both employer and employee clients.
Slade also has a busy HR practice assisting our employer clients with advice with day-to-day employment issues as well as providing advice on expansion or preparing for change. Slade has acted for businesses in most sectors and for all sizes of businesses from International to SME’s.
Slade is a member of the Employment Lawyer’s Association and is a registered civil mediator with the civil mediation council. Click here for more information on CMC
Outside of work at the weekends you will probably find Slade on the touchline coaching his son’s football team from U8 to U15’s.
