Henal Gautam - (Associate) Qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and joined the Family Department at Breeze and Wyles Solicitors LLP in 2005. Specialising in family law specifically relating to children. Representing parents, family members and children in a wide variety of public law cases. In addition adoption and special guardianship and representing parents in s8 Children Act proceedings. Henal deals with most of her own advocacy, being instructed in a number of complex cases involving cruelty to children and serious allegations of harm, adoption within the UK and overseas.

A member of the Law Society Children’s Panel, Resolution and the Association of Lawyers for Children, Henal is also a Trustee of the Broxbourne East Hertfordshire Domestic Violence Forum and the Hertford Contact Centre.

Karen Johnson - (Associate Solicitor and Family Mediator) – A Graduate of the University of East Anglia who then completed her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London and then Qualified as a Solicitor in 2002 working in a local High Street Firm before Joining Breeze & Wyles Solicitors in 2009 and becoming an Associate with the firm in 2011.

Hannah Collins - (Assistant Solicitor) - Hannah joined the firm in June 2010 after spending 10 years in the City of London as a commercial property solicitor. In the City she spent a number of years in the licensed and leisure sector before gaining experience in the retail, office, telecommunications and residential development sectors. She has acted for large ‘household names’ and smaller niche businesses. She brings to the real estate team a wealth of transactional and technical experience in various areas of commercial property law. Hannah graduated from University College London in 1992 with a BSc in Psychology after which she attended the College of Law in London.

Practice Areas

• Freehold and leasehold acquisitions/disposals of a wide range of commercial property in the industrial/retail/office sectors.
• Acting for tenants/purchasers in the licensed and leisure industry.
• Refinancing and corporate support – single property and portfolio work
• Complex overage/conditional planning contracts for sale
• Advising private and public sector landlords and tenants on estate/portfolio management issues
• Development agreements
• Landlord and tenant
• Planning and s106 agreements.
• Auctions.

Hardeep Nijher TEP (Assistant Solicitor) – Hardeep graduated with an LLB (HONS) degree and then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course at the University of Westminster. He qualified as a Solicitor in 2008 and started off his legal career working at a niche High Street firm in Essex. Hardeep joined the private client department at Breeze and Wyles Solicitors LLP in 2010.

Hardeep specialises in drafting complex Wills, Probate, Court of Protection applications including Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputy Orders. He also specialises in Trust Law and is a full member of Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners (STEP) qualifying in January 2013, to further enhance his reputation as a leading private client Solicitor with STEP accreditation. Hardeep has dealt with large net value estates and can advise on Inheritance Tax issues.

Jinny Brook - (Assistant Solicitor) - Having read Law at Manchester Jinny qualified as a Solicitor in 2004.  Jinny joined Breeze and Wyles  in March 2011 after moving back to Hertfordshire from Norwich.  Whilst in Norwich Jinny worked for one of the largest Firms in East Anglia specialising in Residential Conveyancing and latterly Residential Development acting for individuals developers and dealers.

Jinny’s practice now includes acting for individuals and investors in connection with all areas of residential Conveyancing including freehold, leasehold, new build, transfers of equity and shared ownership.

Ken Sheppard - (Conveyancing Manager) - Ken Sheppard started his career at Abels in Southampton, dealing with Conveyancing and Probate, joining Walker Martineau at their Property Department in Gray’s Inn during 1985. In 1987 Ken joined the firm of Coffin Mew & Clover, one of the Legal 500, gaining a wealth of experience at all levels in Residential and Commercial Property. In 1995 started his own business as a professional locum fitting in travelling and his passion for sailing, when time and opportunity allowed.

Ken was delighted to join Breeze & Wyles LLP in September 2011, having provided locum cover for the firm for some years. Now the Conveyancing Manager at the firm’s Cheshunt branch he looks forward to providing a comprehensive and sympathetic residential conveyancing service to our clients.

Manish Patel (Assistant Solicitor) - Manish qualified in 2006 and has since specialised in all areas of residential and commercial conveyancing. He graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 1999 with a BSc in Biomedical Science after which he attended University of Westminster.

Outside of work, Manish is a family man, and enjoys cooking, travelling, and hiking. He recently completed a 2 week charity challenge up to Mt Everest Base Camp.

Nick Gething - (Assistant Solicitor) - A Commercial Property Solicitor, Nick qualified as a solicitor after gaining experience in the engineering and commercial fields having originally qualified with a BSc (Hons) in Metallurgy and Materials Technology.  He obtained his LLB (Hons) in Law at the University of Hertfordshire in 1995 on a 2 year “Accelerated” Course.  He has an interest in Local Government, being a Cabinet Member of Spelthorne Borough Council.

Practice Areas

• Sales and purchases of freehold commercial property
• Granting and Assignment of Leases
• Option agreements, easements
• Sales and purchases of SMEs, including Companies
• Acquisition and Sale of Development Plots
• Landlord and tenant estate management
• Planning agreements
• Auctions

Maria Koureas-Jones - (Assistant Solicitor) – Maria is our Business Development Manager for our Business Services Team as well as being a Commercial Litigation Solicitor with responsibility for managing all defended actions that arise from our debt recovery service.

Maria is actively involved in the marketing of legal services and helps to identify potential opportunities for new and existing clients. Maria identifies new potential products for our clients and helps the firm continue to be innovative in its approach to delivery of legal services.

Maria has been qualified as a Solicitor for 6 years and in that time has advised large companies, SMEs and Professional Bodies in relation to claims of varying values and complexity. Maria has experience in advising clients in contractual and construction disputes, negligence claims, company disputes (e.g claims against directors) and insolvency.

Maria works closely with the undefended debt recovery team to ensure that where a client’s matter becomes defended, the client receives timely and accurate advice so that a client understands the merits of proceeding with their claim.

Unusually, Maria has been actively involved in a number of cases that have settled successfully by way of alternative dispute resolution; including Mediation and Adjudication. Maria is very commercially aware and understands the pros and cons of a company litigating through to trial. She is always keen to identify whether there is a better way, than protracted and costly litigation, to resolve a dispute thereby producing a better outcome for her client.

Rita Wright - (Chartered Legal Executive) - Rita joined Breeze & Wyles in 1997.  Rita is a Chartered Legal Executive and Head of Undefended Debt Recovery Department.  Rita manages the volume undefended debt collection process, ensuring that the client is given the best possible service at a cost effective level. In addition to her process management responsibility, Rita is the client relationship manager responsible for ensuring that client transactions are handled speedily and efficiently. 

Rita also specializes in Property Litigation and in particular Landlord and Tenant and Mortgage repossession matters as well as service charge and ground rent collection.   She acts for a number of Managing Agents and Lettings Agents nationwide advising on issue of proceedings right through to Leasehold Valuation Tribunals and forfeiture of leases.

Damian Pitts - (Assistant Solicitor) – Damian joined Breeze and Wyles in 2011 having graduated from the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in 2009 and was admitted as a solicitor in August 2012 by way of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test. Damian is a Commercial Litigation Solicitor and he has acted for clients in claims involving construction disputes, breach of contract, and company law disputes. Damian deals with all aspects of litigation in both the County Court and the High Court. Damian has the ability to quickly understand the issues involved with a case and can effectively manage a case to a successful conclusion with consideration of all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Damian also advises on company restorations, other company law matters, insolvency, civil fraud and asset recovery matters. In addition, Damian works closely with the firm’s Debt Recovery Department to be on hand to give timely advice should a case become defended.

Before converting to the law, Damian graduated from the University of St Andrews with a Masters degree in Medieval History and then worked for 5 years in the sports industry. Damian’s experience of business gained in his previous career allows him to bring a practical approach to a case in order that the best commercial outcome can be obtained by his clients. Outside of work Damian continues to play golf to a high level and also enjoys playing hockey and skiing.