The team behind the advice

Lucy was admitted as a solicitor in 1993 and joined Copleys in 1999, becoming a partner in 2001. She has over 30 years' experience in all areas of matrimonial law and divorce, particularly in complex financial disputes and settlements. Her wealth of experience includes:

• High value financial settlements and pensions
• Co-habitation agreements and disputes
• Disputes involving children, including residence and contact
• Court of Appeal proceedings

Lucy adopts an understanding and conciliatory approach but aims to achieve the best outcome for her clients, mindful of costs at all times. She is a member of Resolution and is Copleys' Compliance Officer for Financial Administration (COFA).

"Thank you for all your hard work and excellent communication. This has not been an easy case but I appreciate all your hard work and the result you got for me." (Mr A)

Paula is a solicitor with over 30 years' experience, based at the firm's St Ives office. She joined Copleys in 2009 and was made Partner in 2013. She specialises in all areas of family law including divorce, complex financial and property matters and cases relating to children, and is a trained Resolution Collaborative Lawyer.

Not only is Paula a highly experienced lawyer, she is also approachable, professional but sensitive, and able to provide advice and support in a pragmatic and compassionate manner. Her particular focus includes:

• Divorce
• Divorce finances: negotiating and drafting settlements in Consent Orders, from straightforward agreements to complex cases involving property portfolios, business assets, pensions and pension sharing
• Children: disputes over where children live, parental responsibility, relocation, change of name and taking children abroad

Mark joined Copleys in June 2013, having spent the first decade of his career as a Local Government solicitor specialising in commercial law and commercial contracts, also gaining expertise in planning law and process. He is now a partner responsible for the firm's residential property department while also undertaking commercial work, bringing high-quality drafting and negotiating skills to both teams. Mark can assist with:

• Buying or selling your home or investment property
• Re-mortgages, transfers of equity and deeds of gift
• Planning issues and lease extensions
• Commercial leases and buying and selling businesses

"Mark and the team were friendly, professional and helped guide us through buying and selling our property with great efficiency." (Mrs N, Cambridgeshire)

Samantha specialises in commercial property and commercial work and heads the department from our St Ives office. She has been a solicitor with Copleys since 2007, became a Partner in 2013, and holds a Master's Degree in Legal Practice. She and her team act for landlords with large portfolios as well as single properties, and for tenants, providing practical commercial solutions tailored to each business. Their work includes:

• Landlord & tenant: leases, lease renewals, licences to occupy and agreements to lease
• Buying and selling commercial property, both leasehold and freehold
• Buying and selling agricultural land
• Development work: option agreements, conditional contracts, overage, promotion and joint venture agreements
• Business sales and purchases, acting for lenders and borrowers in securing finance

Alan specialises in Wills, Probate and Estate Administration and is a full member (TEP) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He gained a law degree from the University of Northumbria, completed the Legal Practice Course there, and initially qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive before cross-qualifying as a solicitor. He has worked with Local Authorities as well as the Citizens Advice Bureau in Cambridge. His particular expertise includes:

• Inheritance tax planning
• Probate and the administration of estates
• The creation and administration of trusts
• Lasting Powers of Attorney and registration of Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Court of Protection applications and Deputyship appointments