Founders' Relief, Budget 2026: what we know on day one
Founders' Relief is only at consultation stage, but the draft rules need £10m turnover, 15 full-time staff and fast growth, ruling out most owner-run firms.
Read itI am a consultant solicitor with Nexa Law, so if you instruct me you become a client of Nexa. I do business law. When a client needs something I do not do (a dispute, a will, a commercial lease), I refer them to one of my colleagues at Nexa, and these are the ones I use most.
The consultant solicitors at Nexa are much like me. Most were partners or at senior level in firms around the country before going out on their own. Each of them runs their own practice, so I have linked to their websites and LinkedIn profiles where they have them.
The consultants
Amit Kapoor
Solicitor, assistant to Steven Mather
An experienced technology professional turned business owner, and a solicitor since qualifying in 2024. Amit assists me with contract drafting and dispute resolution work, mostly technology and outsourcing, recruitment, employment and public procurement.
Alistair Haggerty
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
An experienced commercial dispute resolution solicitor who qualified in 2013, with a specialism in financial litigation. His day to day work covers receivership and insolvency proceedings, breach of contract, breach of facility and loan agreements, the enforceability of personal guarantees, asset based recovery, financial documentation, lease renewal and service charge disputes, landlord and tenant disputes, and rights of way. He is also who I refer shareholder disputes and landlords' possession claims to.
Samantha Downs TEP
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
A private client solicitor who qualified in 2007, TEP qualified and a fully accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly. Samantha previously headed a wills and probate team at a leading East Midlands firm, and covers everything from a simple will to complex trusts and inheritance matters. She is one of my go-to solicitors for wills and probate.
Andrew King
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Andrew has a wide litigation background (personal injury, medical negligence, contentious probate, commercial litigation) but sports law is where he is in his element. He advises players, clubs and sports businesses on player and club disputes, transfers, league promotions, regulatory decisions and brand protection, and sits as a disciplinary panel member for the FA's National Serious Case Panel. I also send Andrew contested probate claims and disputes over who owns a property. I recommend Andrew because he is calm, strategic and very good with clients.
Donna Taylor
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Donna helps my business clients with wills, estate administration, trusts and inheritance tax planning, and makes tricky things feel manageable. I recommend her because she is good with clients, gives superb service and knows her subject. She also has a love of food and travel, like me.
Louise Sackey
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Louise is a litigation solicitor whose work covers contentious probate and property litigation. She is who I send clients to when there is a dispute over a will or an estate, or an argument about who owns a property.
Femi Ogunshakin
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Femi qualified as a solicitor in 2011 after a long first career in tax and accountancy, including time at HMRC. He is who I refer directors and companies to for insolvency advice, including winding up petitions, HMRC time to pay arrangements and director disqualification.
Abby Minns
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Abby is an intellectual property solicitor who trained at Bird & Bird and then worked in the IP team at Osborne Clarke. I refer contentious IP work to her, which covers disputes over patents, trade marks, copyright and database rights.
Rachel Garton
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Rachel is a property litigation solicitor who qualified in 2007. I refer landlords to her for residential possession claims.
Ailsa Fairchild
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Ailsa is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management. I send her my clients' debt recovery work, and construction disputes are also in her area. She works with her assistant, Connor Dolan.
Connor Dolan
Assistant to Ailsa Fairchild
Connor works with Ailsa on debt collection matters.
Jonathan Jacobs
Consultant solicitor with Nexa
Jonathan is a corporate lawyer who focuses on the dental sector and leads Nexa's dental work. If you are buying or selling a dental practice, NHS or private, he is who I would send you to.
Your name here
I am always interested in hearing from solicitors who are thinking about becoming a consultant rather than working for a firm. I have written a long piece on what it involves, including the fees, the platforms and the bits that are harder than they look: why becoming a consultant solicitor could be your best career move. If you have read that and still fancy it, get in touch.
Related writing
Where this goes wrong in practice
Who can sign a guarantee for a company? Lessons from Ion Surety v Shapoorji Pallonji (2026)
A Dubai company said the man who signed its £3.5m indemnity had no authority. The High Court held it bound. What to check before you accept a guarantee.
Read it
Do I still have to pay my adviser's success fee? Lessons from Moelis v Emirates (2026)
A financial adviser told to stop work still won its US$3m minimum fee. What Moelis v Emirates means for the success fee in your broker's engagement letter.
Read itSwipe for more