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Christopher Sykes |
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Chris qualified as a solicitor
in 1984. He is a co-founder of Sykes Anderson.
He is the head of the Commercial Department and deals with a wide range of commercial matters including general advice to businesses, commercial contracts, company sales and acquisitions, commercial property and development including secured lending. Chris works closely with the French Department on the international corporate elements of purchases of high value property in France. He advises high net worth clients on contracts for purchasing private jets and yachts. He has developed a specialist area in the firm of leasehold enfranchisement and his book on the subject has been published by the Law Society. Chris’s hobbies include skiing, sailing and opera. He is a committee member and Past President of the Rotary Club of the City and Shoreditch; Chairman of a local group of Disability Snowsport UK (which provides ski instruction and holidays for the disabled) and a BASI qualified adaptive and alpine ski instructor. |
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| Email contact chris.sykes@sykesanderson.com | ||
David Anderson |
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David Anderson qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and co-founded Sykes Anderson in 1989. He is married with two young children. He heads the tax department which is strong in offshore and non-domiciled tax planning. David is well known nationally for French tax planning for UK individuals and UK property investors and advises on the French tax as well as the UK tax position. He is a legal adviser with the French embassy in London. He also deals with tax planning in Switzerland including Swiss federal and cantonal tax on a bespoke basis for high net worth individuals. David is involved in investments and estate planning well into 8 figures. His articles on French and Swiss taxation are published in numerous magazines and internet sites both in Europe and the United States.
Education and Qualifications
Interests
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| Email contact david.anderson@sykesanderson.com | ||
Benjamin Hopps |
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Ben Hopps qualified as a solicitor in June 2002 and joined Sykes Anderson in April 2003. He was invited to become a partner in November 2005.
Since then he has headed the Litigation & Dispute Resolution team which specialises in high value Chancery and Commercial Court disputes, employment law, commercial contract litigation, property quarrels, insolvency, contentious wills & probate and civil litigation work. Ben has developed and maintained a core client base of medium sized businesses, property developers, high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs. Ben advises a number of the firm’s business clients on their commercial contract and employment disputes. His key concern at all times is to manage and resolve disputes quickly. His expertise extends to advising company directors on dispute resolution methods, employee exit strategies, the resolution of boardroom stalemate, unfair prejudice issues and breach of fiduciary duties. Ben also deals with high value contentious probate matters and property litigation. Within the firm, Ben provides professional support to other departments on contentious issues and is dedicated to the continuing development of the L&DR team. Ben has also had articles published on a number of commercial legal issues including company share-sale disputes, protecting money lent to friends and associates, debt recovery and insolvency. Ben is a dedicated and experienced networker and is ex-Chairman of BRX Liverpool Street where he was a committed member for 3 years. Outside work, Ben enjoys foreign travel, reading political biographies and playing football for Old Actonians AFC in the Southern Amateur League. | |
| Email contact ben.hopps@sykesanderson.com | ||
Alan Massenhove |
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Alan Massenhove is a solicitor with 15 years previous qualified experience practicing in corporate, commercial and employment law. Alan’s wide range of knowledge and expertise ensures that he can undertake most business related legal work.
Until September 2008 Alan was a long established and well respected associate at a large Essex law firm, where he was a senior member of their corporate & commercial department and the head of their employment unit. In September 2008 Alan was recruited by Sykes Anderson LLP to join their corporate & commercial department, and to create and develop an employment unit. In addition to his legal practice, Alan is a popular lecturer who has presented a great many seminars to local businesses and organisations on a wide range of topical legal subjects. Until his move, Alan was a principal lecturer for The Essex Business Partnership, in association with Essex Business Link. Alan has a wife and two young children and particularly enjoys travel, classic cars, air shows, and supporting Arsenal FC. | |
| Email contact alan.massenhove@sykesanderson.com | ||
Diane Weinstock |
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Diane Weinstock trained in the West End of London. She then worked for a major regional firm before returning London to work in the City. She is Head of Residential Property at Sykes Anderson and deals with freehold and leasehold transactions, remortgaging, transfer of equity, leasehold enfranchisement and commercial property matters. Many transactions involve high value Central London Properties. She has written many articles on property related subjects both technical such as Money Laundering and Landlord Responsibilities and on SDLT savings schemes and on technical general interest for property magazines.
In a former life Diane lectured in architectural history and theory and has a strong personal interest in architecture and art. She enjoys ‘walking cities’, reading and tending her tiny town garden. | |
| Email contact diane.weinstock@sykesanderson.com | ||
Catherine Smith |
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Catherine Smith joined the firm as Practice Director in 2007 and manages the firm including dealing with financial and human resources matters.
On completion of her Chartered Accountancy training with a top international accountancy firm, Catherine spent over twenty five years working for London law firms as their financial controller and then as the Practice Manager of a major regional law firm. She is a Fellow member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Accounts Managers and a Lexcel Consultant. Catherine’s role at Sykes Anderson is to ensure the strategic link between the many aspects of financial, business, risks, corporate social responsibility and human resource strategies at Sykes Anderson. She is committed to proactive HR policies which encourage personnel development, flexible working and work-life balance. Catherine plays a key role in the development of Sykes Anderson and in ensuring the delivery of a top rate service to our clients. Her private interests include oriental cuisine, walking and working with charitable organisations. | |
| Email contact catherine.smith@sykesanderson.com | ||
9 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YF Tel 020 3178 3770 Fax 020 3178 3771 DX 729 London/City E-mail: |
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