Dispute resolution

Rachel joined the team from Aviva where she was Senior Counsel for 14 years.  Prior to that she worked for a major international law firm.  She has extensive experience in providing dispute resolution advice across a significant commercial real estate investment portfolio, covering tenant insolvency, dilapidations, forfeiture, opposed and unopposed lease renewals, contested break options, construction disputes and breach of covenant claims.

Prior to joining Aviva she regularly acted for Housing Associations in a number of contentious matters including possession actions based on anti-social behaviour grounds.

Rachel has recently handled disputes relating to pensions, life policies, critical illness and income protection policies, equity release products, financial services claims and disputes with IFAs and intermediaries.  She has been involved in high profile securities class action litigation.

She has significant experience of advising in a variety of commercial/contractual disputes and has been involved in large number of mediations including a number of complex multi-party mediations.

Damian joined Steeles Law in May 2018 as a litigation solicitor following a relocation to Norfolk and is recommended in the Legal 500 as being “bright and thorough”.

Damian was educated at the University of St Andrews having studied for a Masters in Medieval history. He later converted to the law at City University before being called to the Bar in 2009. Damian cross-qualified as solicitor in 2012.

Damian specialises in property litigation and financial services litigation. His general property litigation work for private individuals encompasses acting for clients in boundary disputes, Party Wall matters, actions for interference with rights of way and rights of light. Damian acts for residential private landlords on possession and rent arrears claims. For commercial clients, Damian is experienced in: opposed and unopposed business lease renewals; terminal dilapidations claims; and forfeiture of commercial leases. Damian also has a wealth of experience in lease extension and collective enfranchisement matters.

Denise joined the company in 2002 and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, having specialised in litigation and dispute resolution throughout her time at Steeles Law.

Denise manages the bespoke debt recovery service within the team as well as assisting the dispute resolution team with its general litigation matters.

Denise deals with a wide variety of matters on behalf of individual, commercial and local authority clients including small claim, fast track and multi-track cases.  These cases include claims for unpaid invoices, contractual disputes, commercial agency claims, enforcement of covenants in contracts of employment and possession claims, including obtaining urgent relief to remove trespassers.