Our Team

Mark Jewels

Mark Jewels, son of a Stafford GP and educated at King Edward School, qualified as a solicitor in the late 70’s. Mark opened his first business as a sole practitioner in 1980. Mark also trained as a Notary Public and is one of only a handful in the Stafford area.

"Back in the early days the office was quite different, with rooms above Hepworths, now M&S. I always wanted to establish a practice in the local area where I grew up", reminisces Mark, who went on to develop partnership firms with David Kidney the Labour MP and others.

Specialising in criminal law from 1976, Mark took a change of direction after a serious car accident in 1992. On recovering, Mark developed his interest in family law, with specialism in children’s issues. His passion for the work with disadvantaged children, those who have been abused or neglected, resulted in him being first to receive the ‘Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year’ award in 2003.

Mark and his staff, now 32 in total, celebrated 25 years in practice in Stafford in 2006.

Mark says, "We aim to provide the personal touch, to look after our clients and their best interests. I have a great team of staff, without whose enthusiasm and commitment to the highest standards, we would not be able to assist clients in the way we do, when they need it most."

"The firm is flourishing," says Mark, "and we are determined to continue to provide essential, high quality support services to local people, well into the next 25 years."

Dawn Tatton

Dawn was admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives on the 23rd October 1995. Dawn has fifteen years of experience at Jewels Solicitors Ltd and is currently based at the Cannock office.

Dawn's area of expertise include all areas of Family Law, particularly Child Care work, Private Contact and Residence disputes, Divorce and Financial Matters.

Sarah Ann Genner

Sarah trained in Birmingham at Sydney Mitchell Solicitors and then moved to Talbots Solicitors upon completion of her training contract. Sarah moved to Jewels Solicitors Ltd in April 2005.

Sarah's area of expertise is Family Law, dealing with children matters, including Care and Private Law Proceedings. Representing clients going through divorce and resolving financial matters. Also dealing with emergency injunctions and committal proceedings.

Shelley Brydon-Darby

Shelley Brydon-Darby was awarded a BA (Hons) Law at Staffordshire University and from 1980 worked in a private practice in the Stoke-on-Trent area dealing with Family and Matrimonial Matters, Criminal cases, Personal Injury cases and general work in most areas of Law. Shelley moved to Bedfordshire in 1988 to continue working in private practice and specialised predominately in Family Law.

Shelley's area of expertise include Divorce, Separation, Cohabitation Disputes, Financial Proceedings, Children Act Proceedings and Domestic Violence. Shelley has extensive experience in both legally aided and private cases. Shelley is a member of Resolution and has been since 1999.

Shelley has a life-long interest in equestrian sports and regularly participates in showjumping competitions. She has also completed a course in Equestrian Law.

Caroline Carnes

Caroline qualified as a Solicitor in August 1987 and had her initial experience with Stafford Borough Council. Caroline moved into private practice in 1998 working in many areas of the Law until specialising exclusively in the area of Property Law.

Caroline's area of expertise is Property Law (including both Domestic and Commercial Conveyancing, Land Law and Tenant matters (both Residential and Commercial), Land Registry issues and sale or purchases of businesses.

Helen Sargent

Helen qualified as a Solicitor in November 1993, carrying out her training with the firm of Walters and Welch in Stone. Helen continued to work there until the firms amalgamated in 1996.

Helen's area of expertise is private client work, including specialising in working with elderly clients and particularly Wills and Probate and the Administration of Estates and Trusts.

Helen is a member of the Law Society Probate Section.

Sue Ball

Sue has forty years experience as a Conveyancing Secretary and now Conveyancing Manager. Sue's area of expertise is Domestic Conveyancing, particularly domestic conveyancing mortgages.

Marian Seabridge

Marian Seabridge was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in January 2003 having been awarded the Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the College of Law in Chester in July 2001 and previously having been awarded a 2.1 LLB (Hons) Degree at Keele University in Law and Criminology. Marian was also a Justice of Peace from 1994 to 1999 and has spent two years as a Member of the Board of Visitors at HMP Stafford.

Marian's area of expertise is Family Law, including Domestic Violence, Ancillary Relief, Financial Issues, Child Care and Private Law Contact and Residence disputes.

Marian is also a member of Resolution and a member of the Business Committee of the Family Justice Council for the Stoke-on-Trent Care Centre.

Cathie Seville

Cathie trained with JJ Law and Paul Jenkins Solicitors. Initially she practiced in Family, Prison and Criminal Law.

In 2005 she moved to join the team at Jewels Solicitors. Since then Cathie has focused on Family Law, in particular, complex children matters.

In January 2008, Cathie was made partner in the firm. Cathie has been a Director since the firm incorporated in July 2008.

In recognition of her work with children in Family Proceedings Cathie was appointed to the Law Society Children’s Panel in December 2009.

Cathie is a member of Resolution and the Association for Lawyers for Children.

Jemma Norton

Jemma graduated from the College of Law, Chester in 2009 with an LLB (Hons) degree and qualified as a solicitor in March 2010.

Jemma has worked in the firm's Conveyancing Department for nearly ten years and has gained a sound working knowledge of residential Conveyancing transactions. Jemma will now build on this knowledge by gaining experience in commercial property transactions.

Ruth Bradshaw

Ruth Bradshaw is a Family Law Executive based at our Stafford office.

Ruth worked in the field of Personal Security operations from 1996 to 2001 whilst studying law on a part time basis.

Having started her legal career as a Legal Secretary at Beswicks solicitors on 2001 she quickly progressed to Personal Assistant and Paralegal to a Partner of Walters and Plaskitt Solicitors in 2002.

Ruth joined Jewels Solicitors in 2005 and went on to qualify in Family Law and Practice in October 2005.

Ruth practices various areas of Family Law including Divorce, Ancillary Proceedings and Private Law Children Act Proceedings. However, Ruth specialises in proceedings including aspects of domestic violence.

Ruth is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Pathways Project and operates a monthly legal clinic at the Hope Centre in Lichfield.

Since joining Jewels Solicitors in 2005 Ruth has established a close working relationship with the Pathways Project and Staffordshire Women's Aid. She also has links with Staffordshire and West Midlands Police, the NHS, Local Authority and various Housing Associations.

After four years of dedication to protecting victims and children of domestic abuse. In 2009 Ruth launched the Domestic Violence Task Force of Jewels Solicitors.

Ruth is an Associate of the Institute of Legal Executives and has an application pending to be accepted as a member of Resolution.

Rhonda Bradshaw

Rhonda joined the firm during September 2006 and is based at our Cannock office. She brings with her a wealth of experience in dealing with family matters having previously worked at A&H Solicitors in Pelsall and before that at Woollastons Solicitors in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, where she dealt with particularly complex divorces, competently resolving financial aspects of clients of a high net value.

With a particular emphasis on her abilities to address the financial issues arising from the breakdown of a relationship, Rhonda has made many successful representations in Court and out on behalf of her clients achieving early and realistic settlements. Her working ethos is to ease the client through what is ultimately a very difficult and emotional time and to resolve the various issues as swiftly as possible.

In addition to dealing with divorce and financial matters, Rhonda also assists client with matters regarding their children and applies a sensitive and conciliatory approach to this delicate issue.

Rhonda's areas of expertise are divorce and financial proceedings, both for married and unmarried couples, matters regarding children to specifically include contact and residence issues, as well as advice and representations in matters of domestic violence.

Rhonda is a member of Resolution - First for Family Law and an Associate of the Institute of Legal Executives.

Garfield Wallett

Garfield completed his training contract in Staffordshire with Paul Jenkins Solicitors and upon qualifying as a solicitor on the 1st July 2009 Garfield moved to Jewels Solicitors Ltd.

Garfield's area of expertise is family law, primarily dealing with a whole spectrum of disputes arising through private and public law proceedings. Garfield also works in partnership with the Pathway Project in relation to providing support for women who suffer abuse as a result of domestic violence; in addition, Garfield currently holds the position of a trustee for the charity.

Lucy Grimsley

Lucy was awarded a BA (Hons) Degree in Criminology and Law from the University of Lincoln in 2003 and went on to complete her Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 2004, after studying at the College of Law Bimingham. Lucy previously worked for A&H Solicitors, Walsall, where she worked in the wills & probate, conveyancing and family departments.

Lucy, qualified as a solicitor in November 2007 and has joined the Wills and Probate department.