About Us: Team

Directors

Philip Cuerden, BA MPNLA

Philip helped form Bowcock Cuerden in 1993
and is presently its Managing Director. Philip
has over 20 years' practice experience in
commercial and general civil litigation, claims
and dispute resolution; negotiating and drafting commercial contracts and terms of business;
employment law. With a wealth of experience in agricultural matters, commercial litigation, and employment law, Philip has a formidable track
record across a broad range of specialisations, 
losing only two cases during an almost 20-year
period. Philip is a member of the Professional
Negligence Lawyers Association.

Lesley Smith, LLB

Before joining Bowcock Cuerden in 1998, Lesley
was a partner in Baileys Shaw and Gillett in
London, followed by a partnership and head of
litigation at Kuit Steinhart Levy in Manchester.
She became a partner in Bowcock Cuerden in
April 2000.  She brings to the role a range of
specialisations that include employment law
and commercial and general civil litigation, as
well as extensive High Court experience.

 David Thorp, LLB

David qualified in 1989 and formed Bowcock
Cuerden in 1993 with Philip Cuerden and Brian
Bowcock, and now heads the firm's Property Team.
David's areas of specialisation include: freehold
and leasehold commercial work; the firm's property
work for British Waterways Board; large scale
voluntary applications for registration of title.

Solicitors

David Bevan, BA TEP

 
David qualified in 1984.  He joined Bowcock Cuerden in March 2008 to head the Private Client Team, having previously been based in St Helens and, before that, Manchester.   David deals with wills, trusts, probate,
tax and estate planning and legal services for the elderly.   He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.  David combines specialist expertise with considerable management, compliance and supervisory experience.

Susannah Taylor, LLB

Susannah qualified in 1992 and became partner
in her former firm that same year.  She remained
there, until she joined Bowcock Cuerden in 1999. 
Susannah specialises in all aspects of family law
and she also leads the residential conveyancing
section of the Private Client Team.  As a member
of Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association), she is committed to promoting a non-confrontational atmosphere in which family disputes can be resolved.

Sarah Deans, LLB

Sarah joined Bowcock Cuerden as a trainee solicitor
in 1997 and qualified in 1999, becoming first an assistant solicitor and later an associate solicitor. Sarah’s particular specialisations straddle the firm’s
property department and the Private Client Team:

• most aspects of property work (particularly agricultural matters, and also residential property transactions); and
• legal services for the elderly (including, for
  example, powers of attorney and wills).

Mark Grimes, LLB

Mark qualified in 2001 at Pannones in Manchester, transferring to Eversheds in 2004. He joined Bowcock Cuerden’s corporate and commercial department in March 2008.   Mark’s work at BC encompasses all aspects of corporate and commercial legal work as   well as corporate recovery and insolvency

Rachel Phillips, LLB

Rachel was a trainee with Bowcock Cuerden and, following qualification in 2008, joined the Commercial Property Department as an Assistant Solicitor. She deals with all aspects of commercial work, including a wide variety of work for British Waterways Board.

Consultants

Lewis Denton, LLB

Lewis gained extensive experience in planning, environmental, compulsory purchase and highway law as a Principal Solicitor with Warrington Borough Council and Senior Assistant Secretary with Vale Royal Borough Council. He joined private practice in 1990 and was partner in a large North-West firm before becoming a Consultant to Bowcock Cuerden. Lewis represents commercial clients focusing on development proposals ranging from retail and leisure development to mineral extraction and port development projects. Lewis is a member of the Law Society’s Planning Panel and a member of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association.

S C Herbert, LLB

Simon qualified with a Chester commercial firm in 1998, remaining there until 2002 when he formed his own specialist practice dealing solely in corporate transactions.  He acts as a specialist Consultant to Bowcock Cuerden on the more complex aspects of corporate work as and when required.