About RDP Law
RDP Law is a multi-disciplinary law firm. We represent clients within the fields of real estate, private client, agriculture, litigation and commercial/corporate law.
We act for businesses, landowners, farmers, charities and individuals from across Wales, the South West of England and the Three Counties.
We are a forward-thinking, progressive business offering a comprehensive legal service to our clients.
Our people
Adrienne Brigden
Job Title: Solicitor
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Testimonials:
"We were very happy with the efficient and professional service"
Adrienne Brigden
Solicitor
Adrienne is a solicitor in RDP’s Real Estate team.
Adrienne first joined RDP as a paralegal in 2018; she then progressed to trainee solicitor in 2019 before qualifying in October 2021.
Adrienne currently works on commercial leases and real estate financing, in addition to commercial and agricultural acquisitions and disposals.
Amber Ellis-Martin
Job Title: Solicitor
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Testimonials:
"Big thank you Amber Ellis-Martin at RDP Law for her help with this. Great to work with a solicitor who works quickly and communicates regularly throughout the process."
Amber Ellis-Martin
Solicitor
Amber is a solicitor in RDP’s Real Estate team.
She joined the firm as a trainee solicitor in September 2018 before qualifying in October 2020.
Amber currently works on commercial leases, acquisitions and real estate financing, as well as providing advice to commercial clients on a variety of complex development deals.
Ceris Clift
Job Title: Associate Solicitor
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Ceris Clift
Associate Solicitor
Ceris is an associate solicitor within RDP’s Real Estate team.
Ceris joined RDP in October 2021 and has experience across a variety of commercial property transactions, with a particular expertise in landlord and tenant work. As well as commercial acquisitions and re-financing, Ceris also has experience in residential transactions, having acted in several high-end residential acquisitions, and assisting in property portfolio management.
Ceris has acted for a variety of clients across all sectors, including property developers and charities. Having qualified in West Wales, Ceris has experience dealing with agricultural landowners and SMEs of all sizes. She also has experience assisting in high-value corporate transactions and advising on property aspects of these complex deals.
Ceris is a fluent German speaker.
Articles here
Charlotte Turner
Job Title: HR & Marketing Manager
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Charlotte Turner
HR & Marketing Manager
Charlotte is responsible for all marketing activity at RDP.
Charlotte has 16 years' marketing experience within the aerospace, financial and legal industries, and currently manages the firm’s marketing initiatives whilst working closely with the wider team to lead the strategy, planning, execution and analysis of a defined marketing plan.
Charlotte is also responsible for the management of Human Resources, overseeing the welfare of staff at RDP.
Danni Bryan
Job Title: Office Manager
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Danni Bryan
Office Manager
Danni is responsible for general office management at RDP.
She has been working at RDP for many years, starting on reception, progressing into accounts, and is now responsible for managing RDP’s facilities. This includes IT, administration, resources and maintenance. Her primary goal is to ensure RDP’s facilities are managed and developed effectively to give the team the resources they need to provide the high level of quality service RDP is proud of.
Delyth Evans
Job Title: Solicitor
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Testimonials:
"First rate guidance, comprehensive and professional service. Objective achieved with minimum disruption to business."
"Extremely happy with the service provided in a complex matter. We were kept informed of progress and always felt our best interests were being pursued."
"Excellent, prompt and expert service."
"Always available to take your calls."
"Excellent communication and advice given throughout the acquisition process."
Delyth Evans
Solicitor
Delyth works within RDP's Commercial and Corporate team specialising in the following areas:
Acquisitions and disposals of private companies:
Delyth has advised on a range of transactions from simple asset sales to high profile sales and purchases of multi-million-pound companies.
General corporate advisory work:
From shareholder and partnership agreements to supply of services agreements, Delyth advises on a variety of corporate and commercial agreements for businesses’ day-to-day trading needs.
Company Secretarial Service:
Delyth established RDP’s Company Secretarial Service, which offers companies a range of services from incorporation to day-to-day filing management.
Delyth is a fluent Welsh speaker.
- Acting for numerous development companies in setting up and transferring management companies to their residents.
- Acting on a buyout of a shareholder from a multimillion pound development company.
- A share sale and an asset sale of subsidiaries of a multimillion pound group company in the care industry.
- Delyth has also advised a number of business of their restructure, be it through creating new classes, creating a new group structure or the exit or introduction of new shareholders or partners to the business.
- Sale of Bird Enterprises Limited to The Bannatyne Group
- Acting on the sale of a multi-site petrol station business based all-around South-East Wales.
- Acting on the acquisition of a pharmacy chain located within South Wales on behalf of the buyer
- Demerger of leading estate agency business based in South Wales
Hannah Curtis
Job Title: Solicitor
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Hannah Curtis
Solicitor
Hannah is a solicitor in RDP’s Family team.
Hannah joined RDP in May 2019 as a paralegal and progressed through the firm as a trainee, qualifying as a solicitor in April 2022. Hannah specialises in family law, qualifying into the Family team and bringing with her experience built in corporate, commercial, private client and property. She supports RDP’s clients sensitively when navigating complex and personal matters including divorce and financial settlements, child arrangements and wealth protection agreements.
Hannah works closely with our Charity of the Year, St David’s Hospice Care, and in her spare time she enjoys volunteering at a local Girl Guiding Rainbows group.
Henry Clarke
Job Title: Consultant
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Henry Clarke
Consultant
Henry is a consultant who works with RDP’s Commercial and Corporate team on corporate transactions and on general corporate commercial advisory work.
He also supports the Real Estate team and other teams with his banking and finance law and construction law expertise.
Henry qualified with a Magic Circle law firm and has worked internationally in central Europe and in the Gulf with leading law firms. On returning to the UK he became general counsel for a growing investment firm before completing his MBA with a distinction, and then continuing his legal practice.
- Sale of a retirement village business
- Restructuring of a multi-site care home group
- Refinancing of a hotel business
- Construction documentation for a 40 residential unit project in a historic warehouse
- Finance advisory work for a residential housing development funded by Homes England
- Shareholder agreements for various start-ups, scale ups and family businesses
James Davies
Job Title: Director
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Testimonials:
"James Davies' ability of structuring deals whilst fully considering all legal and practical matters relating a scheme is exceptional. With a working knowledge of agriculture, development and real estate applications, what you get is a first-class one-stop-shop" Legal 500 2022
"Exceptional" Legal 500 2022
“James Davies has been excellent, especially in relation to development land related matters. He is always responsive and communicative, with superb attention to detail and practical legal advice to reassure clients and fellow professionals.” Legal 500 2021
“Excels in handling commercial real estate work for developers” Legal 500 2020
James was shortlisted, in 2018, for a Law Society Award for Excellence in Practice Management. He also spoke at the 2019 Lexcel Conference on the subject of legal practice management.
James Davies
Director
James is head of RDP’s Real Estate team.
He practices in all areas of commercial real estate but with a particular focus on three core areas:
Development:
James acts for both landowners and developers on the acquisition, sale and strategic assembly of development land. He also advises developers on planning / infrastructure agreements and site assembly.
James’s experience covers both commercial and residential land and ranges from smaller schemes to those spread over large acreages, often with multiple landowners.
He also advises on more complex development joint venture agreements, forward funding agreements and forward purchase agreements.
Real estate financing:
James acts for both lenders and borrowers on real estate finance transactions, with particular expertise on portfolio refinancing.
Portfolio strategy and management:
James advises clients with large land holdings on the administration of their portfolios. This includes day-to-day management (which often revolves around landlord and tenant law) but also on more strategic mid-to-long-term advice.
Recent Real Estate Work:
- Assembly of 120-unit residential site in South East Wales on behalf of a leading Welsh developer
- Acquisition and assembly of numerous residential development schemes across Wales during the past 12 months
- Sale of 10 acre greenfield development site in the West of England to a national house builder
- Acquisition of a large brownfield site for a close care / retail scheme in the West of England
- Assembly and sale of 10 acre mixed retail / leisure scheme in the Midlands for a leading regional property developer
- Acquisition of 85,000 sq ft industrial complex in South East Wales for leading Welsh transport group
- Sale of large retail centre in the South West of England on behalf of joint owner
Recent Commercial Corporate Work:
- Real estate element on the acquisition of Bird Enterprises Limited by The Bannatyne Group
- Acting on the acquisition of a pharmacy chain located within South Wales on behalf of the buyer and lender
- Acting on the disposal of a multi-site care home business based in West Wales
- Advising Santander UK Plc in respect of a pharmacy deal based in South Wales
- Acting on the acquisition and disposal of two estate agency businesses based in South Wales
- Acting on the acquisition and disposal of hotels based in Monmouthshire and the Vale of Glamorgan
Recent Rural Work:
- Re-finance of large estate in the West of England over multiple titles/land holdings
- Acting on the sale of a country estate in South Wales incorporating diversified business elements. One of the highest value land sales in Wales during 2017
- Acquisition of Grade II* manor house in West of England with parkland and outbuildings
- Advising on both wind and biomass projects to land owners within South Wales and the South West of England
New phosphate guidance in Wales - a red flag for developers
Use it or lose it - 'Right to Regenerate' consultation issued by Housing Secretary
Freezer clauses in options - landowner's guide
Planning Agreements Explained...
Minimum Energy Efficient Standard - A Guide for Landlords
Katie Love
Job Title: Associate – GCILEx
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Testimonials:
"absolutely amazing service - cannot recommend highly enough."
"excellent service, very professional"
"prompt and friendly service"
"very approachable, clear detailed explanations and efficient"
Katie Love
Associate – GCILEx
Katie is a Graduate of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and a member of RDP’s WIQS-accredited Private Client team.
She is an Affiliate of the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners and a student member of Solicitors for the Elderly. She acts for individuals on a range of matters and also acts for charities in relation to legacy management.
Katie has strong links with other professionals, accountants and independent financial advisors throughout South Wales. She practices in all private client areas, including Court of Protection matters, but with a focus on three core areas:
Estate planning
Katie acts for individuals in relation to all aspects of estate planning, including wills, lasting powers of attorney and later life planning. She also advises in relation to ongoing attorney management.
Estate administration
Katie has a breadth of experience in estate administration with an emphasis on intestacies and complex estates. She deals with both excepted and high-value estates and has experience handling estates consisting of agricultural and business assets.
Trust implementation and management
Katie advises individuals in relation to various trusts with a focus on inheritance tax planning and management. She also advises and acts for trustees.
Lewis White
Job Title: Trainee Solicitor
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Lewis White
Trainee Solicitor
Lewis joined our Dispute Resolution team in April 2021 as a paralegal and started his period of recognised training in April 2022.
Lewis works closely with Sarah, Liz and Robert on various types of litigation including property, commercial, contentious probate, intellectual property, unfair prejudice petitions and shareholder disputes.
Lewis is also an alumnus of the Lord Edmund Davies Legal Educational Trust.
Lisa Steele
Job Title: Finance Manager
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Lisa Steele
Finance Manager
Liz O'Connor
Job Title: Senior Associate Solicitor
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Liz O'Connor
Senior Associate Solicitor
Liz is a senior associate in the Dispute Resolution team.
Liz returned to RDP in December 2021 after initially training and qualifying at the firm in 2008.
Liz has over 14 years’ experience in dispute resolution matters and has a wide experience working for commercial and agricultural clients. Her areas of expertise are:
- Commercial disputes including breach of contract and supplier disputes
- Partnership and shareholder disputes
- Construction disputes
- Property litigation including landlord and tenant, adverse possession and commercial lease disputes
- Contentious probate disputes
- Agricultural disputes including planning and environmental issues
Marjha Golding-Evans
Job Title: Partner
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Testimonials:
"Marjha is diligent, sensitive and committed to very high work standards. She is always honest, open and candid. She handles difficult conversations sensitively without soft-peddling the tough issues that have to be addressed."
"Marjha has been incredibly helpful, really thorough and so professional with what has been an extremely difficult situation. Her advice has been easy to follow and very useful. I am incredibly grateful to her for all her hard work."
"Brilliant service from Marjha."
Marjha Golding-Evans
Partner and Head of Family
Marjha heads up RDP's Family department.
She joined RDP in March 2021 from a national Legal 100 firm and brought with her almost 15 years of specialist family law experience.
Marjha’s specialism is in high-net-worth financial matters which often involve business interests, international property, trusts and inherited wealth. Her personal interest in farming and agricultural matters brings a niche specialisation and grounded realism to her work. In addition to her thriving matrimonial finance practice, Marjha undertakes complex children matters such as Special Guardianship applications and contested Child Arrangements Orders including a change of residence. She also brings her forensic approach but empathetic demeanour to challenging financial claims for maintenance, financial support for disabled children and school fees orders.
Marjha also works closely with RDP’s Private Client team, offering advice on wealth protection, including pre- and post-nups, cohabitation agreements and disputes between unmarried partners.
Michelle Watts-Curnow
Job Title: Solicitor and Compliance Officer for Legal Practice
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Michelle Watts-Curnow
Solicitor and Compliance Officer for Legal Practice
Michelle joined RDP in January 2020 as the Compliance Officer for Legal Practice.
A solicitor with over 11 years’ experience in litigation, Michelle also has over four years’ experience dedicated to risk & compliance. She is highly skilled in promoting and ensuring compliance with the SRA regulations whilst ensuring excellent client care and exceptional service standards.
Michelle was previously at a top 100 law firm, where she worked within the Risk & Compliance team supporting over 1000 employees with regulatory, statutory and legal obligations.
Michelle’s background enables her to understand the commercial aspects and needs of RDP’s varied client-base, whilst ensuring the firm complies with the latest principles of ethical behaviour balanced with a commercial, client-focused approach.
Furthermore, Michelle has been appointed by CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) Regulation as a Professional Member on their Appeals Panel, dealing with appeals to decisions made by the CILEX professional conduct panel, the CILEX disciplinary tribunal and the admissions and licensing committee.
Natasha Bunclark
Job Title: Associate Solicitor
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Testimonials:
"I feel that we must write and express our huge thanks and gratitude for Natasha. Her work ethic is amazing, she has acted above and beyond our expectations in a super professional manner. She is a credit to your company and her efficiency is spectacular. We will remain forever in her debt for the work on our behalf and she is the type of solicitor that as a client you dream of."
"I really cannot thank Natasha enough. She is a credit to herself and to RDP Law. I hold both Natasha and RDP in very high regard and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Natasha in the future."
"Natasha was exceptional in every aspect. As we have not previously moved house, she held our hands throughout the process, kept us updated and generally tried to push things along as much as she possibly could. I have received excellent feedback from my Estate Agent, my buyer and the seller (via their Solicitor) regarding Natasha, each of them being fully aware that Natasha was driving the pace. They were all equally impressed with her."
"A huge thank you for arranging and executing our legal side of the property purchase and sale. Everything amazingly, went well in all departments, considering the current [COVID-19] situation. Your approachable professionalism by far exceeded our expectations and we're very grateful for that."
"I wish all solicitors I deal with were as good as Natasha. Superb." (Estate Agent, October 2020)
"At no point have I had to chase Natasha, she is so on the ball."
"Unrivalled skill, support, service, knowledge and speed. Thank you."
Natasha Bunclark
Associate Solicitor
Natasha is part of RDP’s Real Estate team.
Natasha is a commercial real estate lawyer who also deals with high-end residential acquisitions and disposals.
Her residential expertise includes:
- Acquisition and disposal
- Remortgaging
- Transfer of equity
- General land law
Her commercial expertise includes:
- Acquisition and disposal
- Refinancing
Natasha undertook her training contract with a Newport firm while completing the Legal Practice Course part-time, in which she was awarded a distinction and the Leicestershire Law Society Award. Natasha qualified as a solicitor in September 2018.
Rachel Brown
Job Title: Associate Chartered Legal Executive
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Testimonials:
"Very prompt and efficient on the sale of our house"
"Rachel was efficient, approachable and reliable, I was very pleased with the work completed by RDP."
"Rachel, James and Amy have been excellent throughout all transactions showing diligence, patience and professionalism throughout."
Rachel Brown
Associate Chartered Legal Executive
Rachel is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and a member of RDP's Real Estate team.
She specialises in:
Residential and commercial conveyancing
General land law
Assembly and sale of development plots
Robert Davies MBE
Job Title: Chairman
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Robert Davies MBE
Chairman
Robert is the chairman of RDP Law. He has practised in South East Wales since 1974, and has connections across the commercial sector and throughout the agricultural community.
He practises company and commercial law and also works closely with Sioned Thomas in RDP’s agricultural department.
Robert has particular expertise in commercial and residential property development and is regularly instructed in relation to some of South Wales’ larger and more interesting development proposals.
In 2007 Robert was appointed MBE for his contribution to legal services in South East Wales.
Sam Saysell
Job Title: Trainee Solicitor
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Sam Saysell
Trainee Solicitor
Sam became a trainee solicitor in April 2022, having worked within RDP’s Real Estate and Private Client teams since September 2020.
Sam currently remains within the Private Client team, dealing with areas such as wills, lasting powers of attorney and estate administration services.
Samantha Pocknell
Job Title: Conveyancing Practitioner
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Samantha Pocknell
CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner
Samantha is a CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner who deals with high-end residential acquisitions and disposals.
Samantha has over 20 years' experience in residential conveyancing and became a CILEx Conveyancing Practitioner in 2019.
Her residential expertise includes:
- Acquisition and disposal
- Remortgaging
- Transfer of equity
- General land law
Sarah Porter
Job Title: Partner
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Sarah is Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution at RDP.
She qualified in 2008 and has almost 15 years’ experience working in dispute resolution. She has been involved in a variety of types of litigation matter, both for private individuals and commercial clients, including:
- Consumer disputes, breach of contracts etc.
- Contentious probate
- Negligence claims
Sarah specialises in property litigation, with a focus on boundary disputes, trespass claims, rights of way, restrictive covenants, and adverse possession. She also has significant experience in dealing with both private and commercial, landlord and tenant disputes.
Sarah has been a Board Member of the Wales and West Housing Association for a number of years and uses her legal knowledge and experience to help the board in its decision-making.
Sarah is also a qualified mediator, having trained with the London School of Mediation.
Sioned Thomas
Job Title: Director
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Testimonials:
Sioned is listed as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500 and ranked in the Chambers & Partners for her Agriculture work.
"Very proactive" Legal 500 2022
"Sioned Thomas has always been very easy to approach and has shown us a great deal of patience" Legal 500 2021 client testimonial
"thorough and approachable" Legal 500 2021
"very detailed, meticulous and knowledgeable." Chambers & Partners
"professional, very approachable and efficient." Chambers & Partners
“provides a highly personal service and always strives to understand the detailed background to all the issues” Legal 500
“provides a first-class service when dealing with rural matters” Legal 500"
Sioned Thomas
Director
Sioned is head of RDP’s Private Client and Agricultural teams.
Private Client:
Sioned deals with succession planning for high-net-worth clients, including advising on wills and setting up and administering trusts.
She deals with complex estate administration, with a particular focus on the agricultural sector.
She also deals with lasting powers of attorney and deputyship applications.
Charities:
Sioned is well-versed in setting up new charities, and advising existing charities on matters such as sale and purchase of land and legacy management.
Agriculture:
Sioned deals with acquisition, sales and refinancing of farms and farmland, farm business tenancies and partnership agreements and, because of her private client experience, is able to take a holistic approach to farm succession planning and the impact of changes to the future of the farming business.
Sioned is STEP-qualified and a fluent Welsh speaker.
- Dealing with an application for succession tenancy under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986
- Purchase of 200-acre land holding in South wales with complex access and easement provisions
- Acting in the administration of an estate of clients with various land holdings and business assets with successful agricultural relief claim
- Sale of various barns forming part of a large farm holding for development
- Sale of 100-acre farm with listed farmhouse and buildings
- Succession planning for farming family who had diversified to include partnership agreements, farm business tenancies, shareholders agreements, wills, lasting powers of attorney and sale of property