Following a year of further growth, we’re pleased to announce a round of seven promotions to recognise our top legal talent and strengthen our wills, trusts and probate, family, residential property and real estate offering.
In the wills, trusts & probate team, solicitor Leah Vincent is promoted to associate, while chartered legal executives, Susie Clay and Sian Devereux-Renny are promoted to senior associate and associate respectively. The department – one of the largest in Cheltenham and the surrounding area – is highly rated by national guide, The Legal 500 and headed up by partner, Simon Cook.
In our family law team, solicitor Joeli Boxall is promoted to associate, while solicitor Kristie Silsby is promoted to senior associate. Both Joeli and Kristie, alongside head of department Sharon Giles and partner Jonathan Eager, support clients across Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and beyond with matters including divorce and finances, and pre-nuptial agreements. After nine consecutive years in the top tier for Cheltenham and the surrounding areas, the team achieved a South West ranking in The Legal 500 for the first time in 2025.
Elsewhere across the firm, the residential property team’s Dorcas Guillebaud and the real estate team’s Nancy Battell are also promoted to senior associate solicitors to continue supporting clients with their residential and commercial property needs, both locally and nationally.
These promotions follow the appointment of four new partners over the past 12 months, taking Willans’ partner count to 22. With over 120 people based at our Cheltenham offices, Willans is recognised as a top-tier law firm by Lexcel – the Law Society’s quality mark for client care, compliance and legal practice management.
In its 2025 guide, the internationally recognised legal guide Chambers UK, which provides insight into the country’s best law firms, ranked five of our departments and nine lawyers for their expertise, knowledge and level of service. In the same year, the Legal 500 also recommended 24 of Willans’ lawyers across multiple departments.
“We’re fortunate to have a number of talented lawyers at Willans; many of whom are recognised annually by national independent legal guides,” said managing partner, Bridget Redmond.
“They all share our commitment to providing exceptional and personal client service, and I’m delighted to congratulate the seven lawyers mentioned on their well-earned promotions.”
