Lucas & Wyllys Solicitors

Lucas & Wyllys Solicitors, a historic law firm in Norfolk

Lucas & Wyllys Solicitors is a law firm with over 190 years of activity and a presence in three Norfolk locations: Gorleston, Great Yarmouth and Blofield. The firm presents itself as a practice that, despite its longevity, invests in technology to offer an efficient and cost-effective service. According to its own data, more than 70% of the firm's work comes from repeat clients or direct recommendations.

The practice works as a single team for clients in Norfolk and Suffolk, and in most areas of law it can also assist clients throughout the rest of England. It is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 00053456.

Areas of practice

The firm structures its activity around several legal specialities, with particular attention to civil, family and property matters:

• Wills and probate: drafting wills, obtaining the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, estate administration, trusts, powers of attorney, inheritance tax and deputy applications.
• Commercial property: buying, selling and leasing property, new leases, remortgages and option agreements.
• Family law: divorce and separation, cohabitation agreements, financial agreements (consent orders), pre-nuptial agreements, living together agreements, arrangements for children including contact, domestic violence and injunctions, and change of name deeds.
• Child care law: with the possibility of legal aid.
• Residential conveyancing: sales and purchases, whether freehold or leasehold, remortgages, transfers of equity, tenancy agreements, new build purchases, repossession properties, matrimonial property transfers, auction sales and purchases, and Right to Buy purchases.
• Wills: drafting and amending.
• Lasting Power of Attorney: with a 10% discount when purchased together with a will.
• Attorney services: the firm can act as your professional attorney.
• Court of Protection.
• Online legal services: online wills, divorce and conveyancing.

Fees and how to instruct us

The practice states that it offers fixed fees in several areas. The material consulted includes the following references: wills start from £225 plus VAT; the initial family law interview has a fixed cost of £175 plus VAT; divorce and probate have fixed fee options; and conveyancing is also offered on a fixed fee basis. Powers of attorney include a 10% discount when purchased together with a will.

Professional team

The firm has a team structured around several partners and professionals with defined responsibilities:

• Nigel Craske, senior partner and partner responsible for the Gorleston office. He studied for his Law Degree at Liverpool University, undertook his training with a Norwich firm and qualified as a solicitor in 1986. He joined Lucas & Wyllys in 1998 and has been a partner since then. He heads up the Wills, Probate/Estate Administration, Trusts & Powers of Attorney Department and acts as the firm's Money Laundering Reporting Officer.
• Amy Church, managing partner and head of the conveyancing department. She is the Compliance Officer for Legal Practice and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration. She studied for her Law Degree at De Montfort University in Leicester, undertook her training locally and qualified in 2009, the year she joined the firm. She has been a partner since 2013 and is based at the Blofield office. Specialising in residential and commercial property, she is the Senior Responsible Officer for the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme and Money Laundering Compliance Officer. She is also one of the firm's Mental Health First Aiders.
• Linda Brady, Practice Manager, with extensive knowledge of accounting and the Solicitors Accounts Rules. She is a member of the Management Board and works from the Great Yarmouth office.
• Robert Kemp, Office Manager for Great Yarmouth since 2016. He joined the firm in 2007 as an office junior and has held various roles. He is a member of the Management Board and responsible for IT. Together with Amy Church, he has driven the firm's technological renewal over the last three years and is responsible for the firm obtaining Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation.
• Candice Barfield, partner and head of the family department. She studied for her Law Degree at the University of Kent, undertook her training locally and qualified in 2009. She joined the family department in 2016, is based in Great Yarmouth and has been a partner since 2020. She offers fixed fee initial appointments and divorces, and legal aid for certain matters. She also offers appointments at the Gorleston office.
• Emma Benest, consultant specialising in child care law. She studied for her Law Degree at Reading University, undertook her training locally and qualified in 1992. She joined the firm in 1999 and, after retiring from the partnership, continues as a consultant. She is based in Great Yarmouth and is an experienced member of the Law Society Children Panel.
• Lauren Poll, chartered legal executive in the residential property team. She joined the firm in May 2019 after gaining experience in residential conveyancing at a local firm. She works from Great Yarmouth and is one of the firm's Mental Health First Aiders.

Technological and environmental commitment

The firm highlights its commitment to legal technology: over the last three years it has significantly renewed its systems, which has enabled it to obtain Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation. In addition, the site includes a specific section on its status as "Environmentally Friendly Solicitors", although the available material does not detail the specific measures adopted.

Equality and diversity

Lucas & Wyllys declares its commitment to equality and diversity, and publishes updated diversity data available to interested parties.

Offices and locations

Great Yarmouth office: Telephone: 01493 855555

Gorleston office: Telephone: 01493 663124

Blofield office: Telephone: 01603 542254