Stevens Solicitors Swas set up in 1982 by Jeffery C. Stevens at the main office in Haverhill. The Saffron Walden office was opened in 1984. Stevens acquired our Cambridge office in July 2011 after incorporating Somerton and Fletcher. Alan Caldwell joined Jeff as a partner in 1989 followed by Caroline Dixon in 1994 who sadly passed away in December 2010.
Alan Caldwell is the senior partner. Alan is a criminal advocate who is based at our Saffron Walden office. Alan is on the Duty Solicitor Scheme and spends a good deal of his time in Court. He also specialises in the licensing of public houses and business premises. Alan is one of the firm's compaints officers.
Rebecca Dedman is a solicitor who is on the Law Society Children Panel. Rebecca is based at Haverhill and specialises in family and child care law.
Stephanie Halford is a solicitor specialising in family and child care law who is on the Law Society Children panel.
Jennifer Denham is a solicitor in the Family and Child Care department.
Sarah Jones is a solicitor who specialises in Employment law and Civil Litigation.
Rachel Hirst is a secretary / paralegal who is currently assisting Sarah Jones in the civil department in Haverhill and Julia Turner in the conveyancing department in Saffron Walden.
June Reynolds is a senior paralegal and matrimonial litigator specialising in family work and wills at Haverhill.
Sarah Horseman is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives working in the Family and Child Care departments at Haverhill.
Stefonie O'Marra is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives who specialises in personal injury matters and family cases. She is based at Haverhill.
Julie Indaco-Plumb is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives who deals with Wills, Probate and Services to the Elderly at Haverhill.
Lynn Wilson is a paralegal who works in the family department in Haverhill
Michael Lambert is a paralegal / trainee legal executive who works across all departments at Haverhill and Saffron Walden but in particular in the Wills and Probate deparments.
Kate Douch is the head of the Conveyancing Department. She is a senior solicitor and former partner in the firm who deals with both domestic conveyancing and commercial work. Kate is based at our Haverhill office but is responsible for conveyancing throughout the firm. She is also one of the firm's complaints officer.
Margo Robinson is a Licensed Conveyancer in the Haverhill conveyancing department.
Julie Phillips is a Secretary / Paralegal in the Haverhill conveyancing department.
Alan Caldwell is the Saffron Walden partner working on criminal matters, motoring offences and licensing.
Anna Kennerley is a paralegal and trainee legal executive assisting Alan Caldwell in the criminal department.
Simon McKay is a solicitor specialising in Family work at our Saffron Walden office.
Julia Turner is our Saffron Walden conveyancing solicitor working on house sales and purchases and commercial conveyancing.
Penny Absolom is a Wills and Probate Executive / Senior Paralegal who covers the Wills and Probate department and Services to the Elderly. Penny is mainly based at Saffron Walden but also works out of Haverhill.
Peter Fletcher is a solicitor who specialises in Conveyancing and Wills and Probate at our new Cambridge office.
Anne-Marie Christie is a solicitor who specialises in Commercial Property, Contentious Probate and General Litigation at our new Cambridge office.
Deryn Coe is a solicitor who specialises in Wills and Probate and Conveyancing at our new Cambridge office.
There are many different kinds of qualified lawyers working at Stevens most of whom have studied for many years to attain their qualifications. Our costs structure is based on qualifications and length of experience and our professional rules require us to inform our clients of the status of the lawyer dealing with their file. The categories are often misunderstood, so here is an explanation below.
Unlike many other businesses, solicitors practices are run as a business partnership rather than as a limited company. The partners are therefore qualified solicitors who not only look after the interests of their clients but are also responsible for running the business.
Solicitors are qualified lawyers who have undergone a lengthy legal training. Commonly this involves a degree, followed by one or two years at Law School and a further two years' on the job training as a "Trainee Solicitor". Solicitors are a separate profession from Barristers (Counsel) but the distinction is becoming increasingly blurred. At Stevens we have many Solicitor Advocates who will deal with cases from start to finish and are happy to represent clients at Court when the need arises. Equally we are happy to work in collaboration with Barristers when for example, a case is complex, or when it would be more cost effective for a Barrister to be instructed.
A Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives "FILEX" is a lawyer who has undergone a rigorous training very similar to a solicitor. The main difference is much of the training is done while working in a solicitors' office and the exams are spread over a period of years. FILEX usually have many years of experience and will look after your interests in exactly the same way as a solicitor. They may well represent you in preliminary hearings at Court but they do not usually have the right to appear in "open court" neither can they represent you in criminal proceedings in a Magistrates' Court. A Member of the Institute of Legal Executives is a lawyer who has completed some of the exams required to be a FILEX but who has yet to complete a further period of on the job training before attaining the full qualification.
Licensed Conveyancers are a relatively new body of the legal profession. Like FILEX they usually train on the job and have to endure taking many exams. Their expertise is however focused on Conveyancing, Land Law and related subjects. Licensed Conveyancers are entitled to practice independently but they are not allowed to call themselves Solicitors.
This is not a separate profession but it is recognised by the Courts there are lawyers practising within the legal profession who lack formal qualifications but are nonetheless qualified by experience to provide high quality legal advice and services. At Stevens, we have several very experienced lawyers who have done the job for many years and who fall within this category. We consider them every bit as good as a Solicitor or FILEX but for one reason or another they have not taken all their exams. We charge for their services on a similar basis to a FILEX because we have every confidence in their ability to look after our clients. Our senior paralegals may be described as Senior Litigators, Executives or Lawyers but they all fall within this category.
We also employ more junior Paralegals who are training on the job to become a FILEX or who work in a similar capacity. They are often (but not always) former secretaries. At Stevens we try to encourage every member of our staff to reach their full potential. Distinctions are often blurred. Solicitors are often to be found doing their own typing and secretaries may well be engaged on legal work. Our flexibility and teamwork is one of our strengths.