Lindsay Wilford has acted for my companies, and for me personally, for the last 30 years. He has a wide knowledge of various branches of the law but specialises mainly in Property Law at which he must certainly be amongst the best in the Midlands, if not the country. A splendid and wise backstop, Lindsay is a very safe pair of hands - whilst meeting deadlines and missing little.
Leonard Dobson MBA FCCA FRSA Managing Director, Calico Quays Ltd, Shire Properties Ltd et al
Read more of Lindsay’s testimonials
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.
If you want good advice and someone who has a real interest in you and not your money get down to this great company and ask for Mr Wilford.
Keith Lewis, Loughborough
Dear Mr Sale, thank you and all your team for excellent, professional, compassionate and comprehensible service. We strongly recommend you to all.
Steve and Jackie Hewitt
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.
I recently appointed John Sale of Bird Wilford & Sale to handle the writing of my mother and step father’s will. John visited my mum at home because she had only just come out of hospital after suffering a heart attack. She has a deep mistrust of solicitors and felt vulnerable because her husband was in hospital at the time and she wasn’t feeling very well herself.
We feel that John really made her feel at ease and talked her through putting her will in place with patience and care. John also re-visited the house once my step dad came home from hospital to explain what was in the draft wills and to ensure he was comfortable with the content.
It can be difficult to select a solicitor to deal with sensitive matters such as will writing but I would not hesitate to recommend this group of solicitors.
Joan Edwards
Dear Mr Sale, Thank you and all your team for excellent, professional, compassionate and comprehensible service. We strongly recommend you to all
Steve and Jackie Hewitt
I always know that I will get from Steve realistic no nonsense advice when I need it.
Zoe Joseph
Heritage Personalised Stationery Ltd
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.
Stephen Roberts has acted on our behalf for many years now. His technical knowledge is without question and when coupled with bags of experience and commonsense, we know that we will always get the best advice.
Mr Michael J Ottway - Director, Whelan & Grant (Contractors) Ltd
Thank you also for you help and valued advice, I believe your nose instinctively knew from the outset that this deal smelt somewhat fishy and the final outcome was certainly in our best interest.
Nigel
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.
Once again thanks for all your help with APT and client matters. We will continue to sing the praises of the team at BWS and look for opportunities.
Mike Rowe - APT
Keith Vaughan has been involved with the legal affairs of both ourselves and our clients for many years. Keith has an excellent and enviable reputation in his field. Keith has an amazing ability to balance the law with a cost effective commercial strategy. His approach is refreshingly pragmatic and he is able to explain ‘legal jargon’ in plain English. Keith takes the time to understand our issues and this best places him to give considered and wide-reaching legal counsel. Keith is professional at all times, conscientious, and takes a real interest in our affairs. Keith gives me a sense of comfort that he is protecting our legal interests. I would have no hesitation in recommending Keith.
Mike Rowe - APT
I very much appreciate your diligence in the management of the process and friendly advice in times of uncertainty.
Very best regards.
Gary
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.
I just wanted to say a massive thank you from me and Diane for what you both did for us today. For a while I thought we weren’t going to make it but in the end you "showed ‘em". Well done and thank you.
Richard and Diane
James Belderbos acted for us after our brothers will was contested. He acted professionally and was honest about the cost of fighting the case. It was a traumatic time for everyone concerned and James was understanding and sympathetic of our situation, he felt more like a friend than a solicitor.
C W Marrable
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.
I have to pay tribute and say a huge thank you to James Belderbos of Bird Wilford & Sale. Not only did he recover a large sum of money from a previous business associate, but now he has also managed to persuade a badly behaved former employer to pay their dues. I urge anyone with a dispute to hand it to James and he will do his utmost to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. Thank you James
Ben Callaghan - BGC Events.
Lizzie is a hard working and conscientious lawyer, who deals professionally on behalf of clients in respect of third party discussions and negotiations to seek the best outcome for the client.
Sarah Milward, Senior Strategic Planning Manager Taylor Wimpey UK Limited
Lizzie Bird
Lizzie was educated at Loughborough High School and Leicester Grammar School. Lizzie studied Law at The University of Birmingham and obtained a Diploma in German Law at the University of Bayreuth in southern Germany. After undertaking the LPC at the College of Law in York, Lizzie qualified with international law firm Eversheds LLP and undertook training in both the Development and Planning Teams and rose to the position of Associate in their Birmingham office.
As a specialist planning lawyer, Lizzie’s recent experience includes non statutory village green inquiries, a s288 planning challenge in the High Court and complex s106 planning agreements for major development areas. Lizzie deals with planning and highway and infrastructure agreements of a standard or complex nature for developers, Regional Development Agencies, education clients and Local Authority clients. Lizzie has been involved in negotiations with the Highways Agency and was part of a HBF working group analysing charging provisions in highway infrastructure agreements. Lizzie has experience of Planning Inquiry work and CPO procedure. Furthermore Lizzie regularly compiles planning reports on both smaller sites and large projects concerning retail and residential developments and conducts referral work on general planning queries. Lizzie has been responsible for managing and directing the planning contribution to large due diligence transactions for the sale of large real estate portfolios. Lizzie has contributed articles to ‘Housebuilder’ and ‘Planning’ Magazines.
Lizzie has travelled extensively and has ultimately decided that Florida is the best place in the world, after Loughborough, of course.
Perhaps at one time employing a planning lawyer may have seemed a bit of a luxury but with the ever changing and more complex planning system it has now become essential. We have employed Lizzie Bird on a number of schemes from small sites to SUE’s and have found her to be very cost effective and efficient. Her experience with one of the leading firms in the field on major projects has equipped her to be able to deal with complex planning agreements and she works well as a team player and she is commercially aware. Lizzie has proved to be an asset to our team in obtaining consents and has a flexible approach to ensure costs are proportionate to the outcomes achieved.”
Adrian McInnes, Director William Davis Limited
At Barwood Homes we use Lizzie for specialist legal planning matters because she fits in superbly with us and our consultant team. Lizzie is commercially aware and proactive, with an excellent background at a major law firm, great local connections and sound advice at flexible and competitive rates”
Jamie Gibbins, Director Barwood Homes
Lizzie is a hard working and conscientious lawyer, who deals professionally on behalf of clients in respect of third party discussions and negotiations to seek the best outcome for the client”.
Sarah Milward, Senior Strategic Planning Manager Taylor Wimpey UK Limited
Lizzie Bird has been personally involved with my legal affairs. I have found Lizzie to be a breath of fresh air. Her manner is courteous and friendly and her legal advice is well considered, insightful and very practical. Lizzie took the time to understand my issues and was able to develop a strategy that gave me ‘legal guidance’ and ‘legal comfort’. I feel so much better now that Lizzie is handling my affairs and would have no hesitation in recommending Lizzie.”
Mike Rowe, Alan Pink Tax
I wish it to be known that I, David Armes of Fairmeadow Ltd, Shire Properties Ltd, Fairmile Developments Ltd and lately working under my own name, have benefited enormously from the planning knowledge and proactive approach to my projects that Lizzie Bird of Bird Wilford & Sale has provided. She has proved to be an excellent team player, with a superb array of both industry connections and those within the planning legal circle including Local Authority and County headliners. I have found her approach and awareness to be very cost effective, she also has the ability to bring to the party an attitude that reflects a large company expertise although flavoured with the bonus of regional prices. Her very personable nature makes it extremely easy for a whole host of consultant specialists to enjoy the experience of communication with Lizzie, which in itself is a huge advantage when one is pulling together a team of many to achieve a single result. I will willingly recommend Lizzie to anyone who may be promoted to search for " just that right catalyst" and for "just that right project", I suggest you meet the young lady and give yourself a treat.”
David Armes
“I find the legal team at Bird Wilford and Sale to be friendly, accessible, professional and very practical. For years I have been looking for a legal firm with like minded people that are willing to give practical advice and give ‘legal guidance’ and ‘legal comfort’. I am extremely happy to have found Bird Wilford and Sale.”
Mike Rowe, Alan Pink Tax
Thank you for your email and your help. It gave me the confidence to hold my ground
Graham Bettany, Managing Director for Receptor Ltd
Tom Bird
Tom joined Bird Wilford & Sale after ten years at large national firms, where he was a specialist banking lawyer with a particular emphasis on property finance and corporate banking. Nowadays, Tom has settled back in Loughborough with his family and carries out a wide range of commercial property and corporate work here at BWS.
Tom also acts as a consultant banking solicitor to a large firm in the West Midlands.
Tom’s previous specialist experience includes funding across the residential, retail and commercial property sectors as well as corporate acquisitions and management buyouts, corporate refinancings and restructures and development and investment funding. Tom has acted for the corporate and commercial divisions of most of the UK’s major clearing banks and has also advised borrower clients of all sizes from owner-managed businesses to full-list PLCs.
Examples of legal experience:
- Extensive experience of large-scale property development and investment finance for major UK clearing banks, mezzanine lenders and development/investment vehicles. Typical sites have included large residential schemes, retail parks, office developments and investment portfolios.
- Lead adviser to a prominent UK FTSE-250 company on the structure and negotiation of £55m refinancings in 2007 and 2009.
- Lead adviser to a number of major UK clearing banks on various management buyouts and corporate acquisitions.
- Advising UK PLCs and large corporates on negotiating ‘distressed’ debt situations.
- Advising venture capitalists and private equity houses on debt facilities for new investments and renegotiation of facilities for existing investments.
- Advising a major European bank on funding projects in Eastern Europe.
Career Experience:
- 2006-2011 Shoosmiths, Nottingham and Birmingham
- 2004-2006 Cobbetts LLP, Manchester
- 2000-2004 DLA Piper, Manchester
Education:
- 1999-2000 LPC, College of Law, Chester
- 1996-1999 LLB, Law, Manchester University
- 1994-1996 BA, Economics, Manchester
- 1987-1994 Loughborough Grammar School
From the start this was a tight timescale and I want to record my thanks to you and your team for getting through all the work in the required time.
I don’t think many other lawyers would have got this deal over the line. You have done a month of work in four days.
Tom, I wanted to thank you for having delivered the legal side of our refinancing as swiftly and painlessly as you have. It’s been a pleasure working with you and I appreciate the effort you’ve put in to achieve a result.