Partners
Sandy Schofield
Email SandySandy Schofield is the firm's senior partner. He joined May May & Merrimans in 1978 having trained with Simmons and Simmons. Sandy specialises in commercial property work (including development land sales), mineral leases, VAT on property transactions and agricultural holdings law. He is listed as an expert in agriculture and estates in the current edition of UK Legal Experts.
Richard Taylor
Email RichardRichard Taylor trained with May May & Merrimans, qualifying in 1982. He was made a partner in 1988. Richard's specialisation is commercial and domestic property transactions, including Landlord and Tenant.
Alexandra Sarkis
Email AlexandraAlexandra Sarkis has been a partner since 1987, having qualified with the firm in 1984. She specialises in estate planning, wills, trusts (on and offshore) and probate. She also handles business and private company law matters.
David Smyth
Email DavidDavid Smyth joined the firm as a newly qualified solicitor in 1983 and was made a partner in 1987. He specialises in estate planning, wills, trusts and personal taxation.
Mary Elliott
Email MaryMary Elliott trained with the firm, qualifying in 1990. She was made a partner in 1995 and specialises in probate, wills, settlements and related tax and property issues.
Ian Layzell-Smith
Email IanIan Layzell-Smith qualified with May May & Merrimans in 1992 and was made a partner in 2001. He handles a wide range of commercial and agricultural property transactions, and is listed in the current edition of Legal Experts as an expert in agriculture and estates.
Julia Richards
Email JuliaJulia Richards joined the firm as a partner in 2007, following six years with Farrer & Co LLP. Julia qualified in 1999 and advises on a broad range of private client issues. She has strong tax and trusts expertise and a particular interest in estate planning and heritage property.
Charlotte Simm
Email CharlotteCharlotte Simm joined the firm as a partner in 2009 from Rooks Rider. She trained with Allen & Overy and qualified in 1993. Charlotte specialises in estate, tax and succession planning and advises on wills, trusts, administration of estates, post-death planning, powers of attorney and capacity issues. Charlotte contributes regularly to Trusts and Estates Law and Tax Journal.
Maeve O’Higgins
Email MaeveMaeve O'Higgins qualified in 1978 and joined the firm as a partner in January 2012, to head up the family department. Maeve deals with all aspects of family law including separation and divorce, finance and property issues, cross jurisdictional issues and children matters. She has particular expertise in relation to prenuptial agreements and international leave to remove/relocation of children cases. She is also an experienced family mediator and collaborative lawyer. She is a member of Resolution and the Law Society's Family Law and Family Mediation panels.
Susan Black
Email SusanSusan Black qualified in 1976 and joined the firm as a partner in 1994. Her practice encompasses all aspects of family law including marriage breakdown and related financial ancillary claims, disputes involving children and inheritance claims. She has particular expertise in complex money cases. Sue is an accredited member of the Advanced Law Society Family Law panel. She has a Family Mediators Association qualification in mediation and is a qualified collaborative lawyer.
Pauline Smith
Email PaulinePauline Smith joined the firm in May 2004 from Bird & Bird. She qualified in 1974 and deals with a broad range of private client work including pre and post-death inheritance tax planning, wills and administration of estates, and the creation, administration and distribution of trusts. She has wide experience in the specialist area of charity law and advises a number of charities which are active in the health and research fields.
Marie Bermingham
Email MarieMarie Bermingham joined the firm in 2001 and was made a partner in 2003. Since qualifying in 1985, she has acquired significant experience in property law matters. She now specialises in estate conveyancing.
Angela Togher
Email AngelaAngela Togher joined the firm in 2004, bringing with her ten years’ experience in the field of civil litigation, and became a partner the following year. She handles a broad range of dispute resolution including property related matters, trusts and commercial disputes and defamation. She is also able to advise on employment issues.
Rosemary Milns
Email RosemaryRosemary Milns qualified in 1984 and joined May May & Merrimans as an Assistant Solicitor in 1989. She became a partner in 2007. She specialises in trusts, Wills and probate and related tax issues.
Paul Camfield
Email PaulPaul Camfield joined May May & Merrimans as an Assistant Solicitor in 1988 having qualified in 1984. He became a partner in 2007. His specialist areas are trusts, Wills and probate.
Consultant Partners
Roddy Steen
Email RoddyRoddy Steen qualified with May May & Merrimans in 1975. His practice encompasses estate planning (including tax planning for Irish domiciliaries), wills, trusts and charities. He also handles commercial and agricultural property work for private clients.
Consultants
Giles Gostwick
Email GilesGiles Gostwick spent his entire legal career at May May & Merrimans specialising in estate planning, wills, trusts and general private client business. He retired as a partner in 2008 and is now a Consultant
Christopher Walsh
Email ChristopherChristopher Walsh served his articles with the firm, qualifying in 1970, and was made a partner in 1972. He subsequently became the Firm's senior partner for many years before retiring and becoming a Consultant in 2009. Christopher's specialisation is estate and tax planning for landed estates/heritage property, in which fields he is an acknowledged expert.