Lindsay Wilford (RL Wilford Ltd)
Lindsay Wilford was educated at Loughborough Grammar School, read law at Sheffield University and qualified as a solicitor in 1977. He became a director in the firm shortly after qualifying and has remained with the firm through its many stages of growth since that time.
He has a wide range of experience in property, company and commercial transactions of all kinds. He deals regularly with commercial property acquisitions and disposals, particularly the residential development of brown-field sites and site assemblies.
He also has extensive experience in Landlord and Tenant, Town and Country Planning and the sale and purchase of company share capital and business assets. He regularly advises both private and public limited companies and advises foreign companies upon U.K. property acquisitions.
In his spare time, he enjoys driving his old motor cars, pretending that he knows how to repair them.
John Sale (JE Sale Ltd)
Honours Degree in Law, trained with this firm from 1978 and worked here since admission as a solicitor in 1980 acquiring expertise and specialisation in private client non-contentious matters particularly Probate, Wills, Tax and Law for the Elderly.
Member of the Solicitors for the Elderly Association and on Mencap's List of Solicitors specialising in law for persons suffering from disabilities.
Stephen Roberts (SJ Roberts Ltd)
Stephen Roberts was educated at Queen Elizabeth I Grammar School, Tamworth, Staffordshire. He lived in Nottingham for three years taking a degree in Law.
Thereafter he undertook the Law Society's professional examination at Guildford in Surrey, after which he returned to the East Midlands to undertake vocational training with the practice between 1983 and 1985.
He qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and was invited to remain with the practice as an assistant solicitor and then an associate.
Having, in the early years of his career, experienced both non-contentious and contentious matters, he developed a particular interest in litigation. He has a wide experience of advocacy before the criminal and civil courts (including liquor licensing) and employment tribunals. He has presented cases of short duration through to several full days. In recent years he has developed an interest in, and has considerable experience of, large asset matrimonial cases including pension rights and related issues. His experience of non-contentious matters provides a broad spectrum of knowledge that has proved valuable in litigation matters.
He is a trustee of a local charity, The Abbeyfield (Loughborough) Society Limited, with which the practice of Bird Wilford & Sale has had a long association.
Keith Vaughan (KJ Vaughan Ltd)
Keith Vaughan was educated at Bablake School in Coventry and subsequently read law at Birmingham University, where he was awarded the Pettit Prize for best student in his year. After studying at the College of Law in Chester, he qualified as a solicitor in 1979.
Keith became a director in a leading East Midlands practice in 1983 and joined Bird Wilford & Sale in 2001. He specialises in company, commercial and commercial property matters (dealing with business sales/acquisitions, shareholders' agreements, joint ventures and partnership agreements) and has a particular interest in e-commerce, including computer software contracts.
Keith’s extensive experience, having been a commercial specialist for 30 years, enables him to bring a commercial approach to transactions to the benefit of his clients.
He has held a wide range of external positions and is a former member of the East Midlands Regional Council of the CBI and currently the honorary solicitor to the Leicestershire branch of a national charity. Keith lists photography, sport and carriage-driving amongst his interests.
Richard Minifie (RC Minifie Ltd)
Richard was articled to a law firm in Weston-super-Mare and he attended the College of Law in London. After a few years in a partnership in Weston, Richard moved to the East Midlands in 1978 when he worked in industry until returning to private practice in 1983. He joined Bird Wilford & Sale in 2004.
Richard is a Trustee of two large local charities and is a member of the Shepshed Rotary Club. He deals with a wide range of work including both residential and commercial conveyancing, Wills and Probate and also contentious work including matrimonial.
James Belderbos (JA Belderbos Ltd)
James was educated at Ratcliffe College in Leicestershire. He read law at Northumbria University, obtaining an honours degree, remaining in Newcastle to undertake The Law Society Finals in 1993. James qualified as a solicitor in 1996 having trained in Leicester and on qualification spent the first six years practicing in Leicester, latterly as a partner.
James joined Bird Wilford & Sale in 2002. He predominantly advises on dispute resolution, employment, matrimonial, cohabitation and regulatory work.
James also has extensive experience as a criminal advocate. He aims to advise his clients on the most practical and cost effective way to achieve the result they seek.