THE TEAM
please read profiles of our team members below.
COMPANY DIRECTORS
HELEN KIRKHAM
Director
Helen is an experienced family law solicitor who is able to provide advice on many areas of family law. She is a member of Resolution, the country’s leading organisation of family lawyers, and she prides herself in her ability to empathise with her clients. Helen also provides assistance to the Great Dunmow CAB and is involved in providing advice to their clients at their offices on a volunteer basis.
Helen is also an accredited Resolution Family Mediator.
FAMILY & MEDIATION DEPARTMENT
HELEN KIRKHAM
Director
Helen is an experienced family law solicitor who is able to provide advice on many areas of family law. She is a member of Resolution, the country’s leading organisation of family lawyers, and she prides herself in her ability to empathise with her clients. Helen also provides assistance to the Great Dunmow CAB and is involved in providing advice to their clients at their offices on a volunteer basis.
Helen is also an accredited Resolution Family Mediator.
CHRISTINE KETTLEY
Solicitor and Head of Family Team
Christine joined Foort Tayler Solicitors in February 2013 as a Matrimonial Solicitor, joining Helen Kirkham in the Family Department. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2011. Prior to joining us, alongside practising in family law, Christine specialised for 4 years in Mental Health Law, representing vulnerable Client’s who had been detained under provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Due to her expertise in this area, Christine was accepted as member of the Mental Health Accreditation Panel.
SARAH HORSEMAN
FILEX, and Accredited Family and Child-Inclusive Mediator
Sarah is an experienced Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives who joined the team in November 2014. Sarah’s primary role within the family team is dedicated to heading up family and child-inclusive mediation. Alongside having developed our wonderful mediation practise, Sarah can also undertake all aspects of family law, and is a trained collaborative lawyer.
CHLOE RUSSELL
Family Law Solicitor
Chloe is an experienced Family Law Solicitor who qualified in 2013, she joined the firm in 2021. Chloe has specialised in Family Law for eleven years and advises on all aspects of family law, including divorce and separation, financial issues upon separation and children matters.
CONVEYANCING DEPARTMENT
KATIE LANE
Trainee Legal Executive
Katie joined the firm in September 2019 to provide administrative support. She qualified as a paralegal in August 2022 and now supports the conveyancing department. She is currently sitting further exams with the view to qualify as a CILEx Lawyer in the near future.
WILLS & PROBATE DEPARTMENT
CLAIRE BUTTRESS
Solicitor and Head of Wills and Probate
Claire is an experienced Private Client solicitor who qualified in 2003. Claire joined our Wills & Probate team in 2021. Claire is able to offer advice in Wills (including the use of Will trusts to protect assets or to provide for a vulnerable beneficiary), Probate, Intestacy, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection Matters, Trusts and Tax planning.
Claire is a full member of both STEP and Solicitors for Elderly and prides herself on her approachable manner and empathy.
BETHANY OVEN (formerly Carter)
Private Client Solicitor
Bethany joined Foort Tayler in January 2022, to work with Claire Buttress in the Private Client Department.
Bethany achieved fantastic grades throughout her SQE training with us, and qualified as a solicitor in September 2022. Bethany is able to offer advice in Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney and prides herself on her ability to offer friendly and empathetic advice.