B P Collins is pleased to announce that James Carter, family; Charlotte Gavin, private client; Mike Elliott, dispute resolution and Nicola Newton, property have been promoted to senior associates.
– James Carter, family; Charlotte Gavin, private client; Mike Elliott, dispute resolution and Nicola Newton, property become senior associates.
– Rachel Jones, private client; Jeff Kong, employment; Alexander Martiyanov, corporate and commercial and Aisling Dwyer, property are promoted to associates.
– Simone Ganley becomes a principal lawyer.
– Principal lawyer, Sharon Heselton is appointed head of the private client practice.
Senior associates
James advises on divorce, the separation of finances and children matters. As a member of the family lawyers’ group Resolution, he is committed to resolving matters in a constructive and non-confrontational way wherever possible. James is ranked as ‘recommended lawyer’ by Legal 500.
Charlotte specialises in estate planning and preparing Wills, including for clients with business assets and vulnerable beneficiaries. She also provides advice on different forms of Power of Attorney and Trust advice and deals with the administration of estates. Charlotte’s STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estates confirms her technical knowledge is at the highest level, providing clients with comprehensive and pragmatic advice on all aspects of their estates.
Mike undertook his training contract with B P Collins and qualified into the dispute resolution team in 2020. He specialises in all types of dispute resolution with a particular focus on construction disputes, contractual disputes and matters of corporate divorce including shareholder and director disputes.
Nicola advises on a broad range of residential property transactions including sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold properties, new build purchases, mortgages, equity releases and transfers of equity. She also regularly deals with residential development matters including site set ups and subsequent plot sales.
Associates
Congratulations also to Rachel Jones in the private client practice; Alexander (Sasha) Martiyanov in the corporate and commercial team; Jeff Kong in the employment practice and property lawyer Aisling Dwyer, who have been promoted to associates.
Principal lawyer
Simone Ganley, a commercial property specialist with over 15 years of experience advising a wide range of clients including companies, PLCs, charities, lenders and private individuals, is appointed as a principal lawyer. She has extensive experience in the retail sector having acted for both small and large retailers on both sides of lease transactions.
Independent legal directory Legal 500 UK 2025 describe Simone as “outstanding”, “fantastic” and “provided great advice”.
Private client practice group leader
Recognised by both Chambers UK and the Legal 500, principal lawyer Sharon Heselton, becomes head of B P Collins’ 18 strong private client practice where she will lead the specialist team advising individuals and families on wills, estates and long-term planning. She will also oversee complex cases and ensure clients receive clear, practical guidance at every stage. Sharon will continue to specialise in probate applications, complex estate administration including intestacies and cross border estates and independent administration of contested estates.
Simon Deans, senior partner, said:
Each promotion and new role reflects not only outstanding individual performance but B P Collins’ commitment to investing in, and training our people. We are proud to recognise this group of talented professionals whose dedication, leadership and commitment to excellence continue to strengthen our business and the service we deliver to our clients.
For more information on B P Collins, visit www.bpcollins.co.uk or email enquiries@bpcollins.co.uk.
