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Spotlight on…. Lorraine Walker

Lorraine Walker joined Mander Hadley in April this year and brings with her a wealth of litigation and dispute resolution expertise.

In particular, she specialises in matters relating to property, contractual disputes, contentious probate, landlord and tenant issues and personal injury claims.

Lorraine explained: “The thought of litigation often causes stress and alarm. I am very aware of this and I like to try and put my clients at ease as much as possible by working collaboratively and supportively with them.

“When you are facing a dispute or the prospect of going to court, it can feel overwhelming but I work with my clients to come up with a practical solution in order to achieve the best possible outcome.”

Lorraine is an expert in all aspects of dispute resolution including:

Contentious Probate

Although an individual has the right to dispose of his or her estate as they choose, if you expected to inherit and, for no obvious reason, appear to have been left out of a Will or are unsure a Will made by a family member is valid, you may wish to challenge its contents.

These types of disputes are often between family members and are increasingly common as people are more aware of their legal rights and more willing to litigate over them. The values of estates have also increased as property prices have risen and family structures are often more complicated than they used to be, for example, with children from different relationships.

A dependant can also bring a claim for provision from the deceased’s estate if it did not make reasonable financial provision for them under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

Property disputes

Property disputes cover a wide range of areas including:

ownership of residential and commercial property
disputes between landlords and tenants
disputes between neighbours,
claims to force or avoid the sale of a property
party wall issues

They can frequently arise and, unless you deal with the issue promptly, they can become both costly and stressful to resolve.

A minor disagreement or disturbance between parties can quickly spiral out of control into a bitter legal battle if advice isn’t sought early on and become a major drain on your time and resources unless handled quickly and efficiently.

Depending on the nature of the dispute, it might not always be necessary – or sensible – to pursue a lengthy court battle to reach a resolution.

For those reasons it is imperative that you have the right advice to hand to try and prevent the dispute from escalating.

Contractual disputes:

Disputes over contracts can affect both individuals and businesses and typically arise when one party fails to meet the terms of a contract or does not perform their obligations under a contract leading to a claim for breach of contract being made against them.

There are a number of ways to resolve contractual disputes including:

Negotiation
Mediation and arbitration
Court proceedings

Contract disputes can be costly and time consuming to resolve and often damage a party’s reputation, so it is wise to seek early legal advice.

Personal injury claims:

If you suffer an injury in an accident that was someone else’s fault, the law says you’re entitled to seek a compensation payment from the person or organisation that was to blame.

Suffering a personal injury can have a devastating effect on the life of an individual and their family. Injuries can range in severity and depending upon how the accident occurred, from slips and trips, to accidents at work or on the road, to life limiting illness and fatalities.

In addition to making a claim for the injuries suffered in the accident, claims can be brought for other losses suffered as a result, such as a loss of earnings or for items to help your recovery such as special equipment or rehabilitation therapy.

For more information about our litigation and dispute resolution services or to arrange a meeting with Lorraine, please get in touch.