Bishop Auckland

Helen became Managing Partner of the firm in December 2022. She obtained a 2:1 honours degree in Law & Politics before qualifying as a Solicitor in February 2006. She joined the firm in August 2007 and became a Partner in December 2011.

Helen specialises in representing children in complex public law and private law children proceedings and has been a member of Law Society Children Panel since 2012. She has represented children in cases involving non-accidental injuries, fictitious illness, parental alienation and implacable hostility. She strives to advocate on behalf of children who require an independent voice within the complexities of these Court proceedings. She is also a member of Resolution.

Alistair joined Hewitts in 1991 and worked in all aspects of private practice, finally specialising in Private Client work. He was appointed the role of Senior Partner at Hewitts in June 2021.

For the last twenty years he has worked solely in the Private Client department of Hewitts, becoming the head of the department in 2007. Alistair is a Trust & Estate Practitioner being a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP). STEP is a global professional body comprising specialist lawyers, accountants, trustees and other practitioners with recognised levels of expertise and experience.

He specialises in Wills and Probate, Trusts and Court of Protection. Within his caseload he advises clients on Inheritance Tax planning, succession planning for family businesses, club constitutions, trustee arrangements and trust management.

He works closely with Hewitts Litigation Department to advise on Contentious Probate issues and he advises on Will drafting to avoid future disputes.

Callum joined Hewitts in 2000, becoming a Partner in 2008. He specialises in complex public law children proceedings and became a member of the Law Society accredited Children Panel in June 2025, recognising his expertise in this area.

He is also a member of the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme and has developed expertise in road traffic offences and transport law.

Ian joined Hewitts in 2015. Ian is head of the Property team at Hewitts and has built a highly experienced team of commercial and commercial property solicitors with extensive knowledge and experience across a range of sectors.

Specialising in commercial property, Ian has acted for North East and national clients ranging from NHS organisations and charities to developers and leisure operators as well as small businesses and entrepreneurs. Ian is experienced in the sale and purchase of land for development, planning agreements, agricultural land as well as landlord and tenant matters.

Ian is also experienced in advising on commercial matters such as buying and selling of businesses, shareholders agreements and partnership deeds.

Recent highlights include:

• Acting for a boutique leisure operator in its expansion from the North East across England
• Acting for a PLC lender to provide advice on securing finance on portfolio of properties
• Acting for landowners in the sale of land for development by way of option agreements including mineral rights and planning agreements
• Acting for farming clients on diversification into Solar Farm Projects

Melanie graduated from Northumbria University in 2002, joining Hewitts and qualifying as a solicitor in 2005. After a career break, Melanie re-joined the firm, and became a Partner in 2018. She is responsible for the supervision of the private family law team.

Melanie is primarily based at our Newton Aycliffe office but also sees clients at our Bishop Auckland office. She advises and represents clients in Divorce, Civil partnerships, Financial matters and Private Children Law.

She also assists in negotiating financial matters following relationship breakdowns including drafting separation agreements and pre-nuptial agreements. In addition, Melanie advises in complex matters involving extensive assets and has helped clients achieve financial settlements ranging from straightforward property transfers and pension sharing orders to multi-million pound settlements.

In February 2020 Melanie achieved Resolution Accreditation, specialising in Complex Financial Remedies and Private Children Law. Resolution is a national organisation of family solicitors committed to a non-confrontational approach to family law.

Melanie has a calm, pragmatic and empathetic approach when dealing with family law matters.

Kerri joined Hewitts in 2017 and became a Partner of the Firm in 2019. She has a vast experience of preparing Wills, dealing with the Administration of Estates, creating and administering Trusts, preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection work. She is a full accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly, a specialist group of Lawyers established in 1996 to support and assist older and more vulnerable clients.

Kerri is also Trust & Estate Practitioner being a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).

STEP is a global professional body comprising specialist lawyers, accountants, trustees and other practitioners with recognised levels of expertise and experience.

Kerri also has a solid property background and deals with all the Transfer of Equity and Equity release matters for the firm.

Danielle Sullivan joined the firm in August 2019 as part of the residential property department and became a Partner in December 2023 . She is the Head of the residential team and has built up strong relationships with clients and other businesses in Bishop Auckland and surrounding areas.  She handles a range of property transactions including sales, purchases, help to buy, re-mortgage and leasehold transactions.

Kim joined Hewitts in 2017 and was promoted to Partner in 2023. She is a valued member of the firm’s Litigation Team, primarily based at the Bishop Auckland office, while also seeing clients across all office locations.

Kim advises on all aspects of Dispute Resolution, with particular expertise in Personal Injury, Employment Law, and Contentious Probate matters. She is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and has successfully resolved a number of high-value personal injury claims. More recently, Kim completed her accreditation with the Association of Contentious Trusts and Probate, recognising her as a specialist in contentious trusts and probate work.

She is also a driving force behind the firm’s community based charitable efforts and co-ordinates the Hewitts team in numerous fund raising events for charity.

Hollie joined Hewitts in February 2020 as a Paralegal and qualified as a Solicitor in December 2022, progessing to an Associate Solicitor in 2026.

Hollie works in the Private Client department specialising in all matters involving Wills and Probate, including the Administration of Estates, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the Court of Protection.  She works within our Bishop Auckland and Stockton offices.

Hollie is also a Dementia Friend and an Accredited Lifetime Lawyer, which is recognised as a national accreditation for her expertise in legal support for older and vulnerable clients, their families and carers. The accreditation is awarded by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers, the organisation which sets the standard for the highest quality legal advice in specialist areas, such as Wills, Powers of Attorney and inheritance tax.

Rebecca joined Hewitts in January 2022 and qualified as a Solicitor within the Dispute Resolution Team in December 2024. Rebecca is based in our Bishop Auckland office and has experience dealing with all areas of Dispute Resolution including personal injury, landlord and tenant disputes and TOLATA claims.

Stephanie joined Hewitts in 2007 after completing her Law Degree. Stephanie works in the Probate department at the Bishop Auckland office and Newton Aycliffe office specialising in all matters involving Wills & Probate including Lasting Powers of Attorney and the Court of Protection.

Christine joined our team in 2020, having worked in the conveyancing industry for six years.  She works within our Property law team and deals with company buy to let investment properties as well as residential sales, purchases and re-mortgages

Tom joined Hewitts’ Graduate Law Programme in 2025 after completing his law degree at Northumbria University. He is currently working as a Paralegal within the Commercial Property team and will be growing his experience whilst studying for the Solicitor Qualifying Exams.

Anna joined Hewitts Solicitors as a Business Administration Apprentice in 2018. She quickly realised that she had a passion for the law and progressed through secretarial work to become a fee earner within the Mental Health Team. During this time, Anna supported patients detained under the Mental Health Act throughout the Tribunal process and she also represented patients at Hospital Managers’ Hearings.

Anna then joined the Public Family Team to widen her area of legal practice. She used advocacy skills that she had acquired to represent parents involved in Public Law Proceedings. This included representing parents in Child Protection Conferences, Public Law Outline meetings and throughout Care Proceedings.

Anna is currently in the Private Family Team where she advises and represents clients in relation to divorces, civil partnerships, financial matters and private children law.

Academically, Anna is continuing her studies on the Solicitor Apprenticeship Scheme with Northumbria University. This will allow Anna to qualify as a Solicitor whilst continuing in legal practice. Anna was a finalist in the “Apprentice of the Year” category at the Northern Law Awards in 2024.

James joined Hewitts as an Administrative Apprentice in 2019.  Since then, he has progressed within the firm, first becoming a Secretary in our Criminal Department in January of 2021 and eventually progressing to a Paralegal in July of 2022.

James went onto become a fully accredited Police Station Representative in December 2023. During that time James would attend Police Stations and assist clients through their detention and in interviews under caution. James now works within the Public Family Department assisting clients in Child Protection Conferences and Public Law Outline meetings.

In September of 2024 James joined Northumbria University in which he is working towards completing a 6-year Solicitor Apprenticeship.

Holly joined Hewitts as a Business Administration Apprentice in 2023 which she completed in November 2024. Since then, she progressed to be a Legal Secretary and has been gaining experience on all aspects of Residential Conveyancing with the team at Bishop Auckland. In September 2025 Holly joined Northumbria University, working towards completing a 6 year Solicitor Apprenticeship.

Kate joined Hewitts as a Business Administration Apprentice in 2023 which she completed in April 2025. Since then, she has progressed to be a Paralegal, working closely with the Probate team at Bishop Auckland and in September 2025 Kate joined Northumbria University, working towards completing a 6 year Solicitor Apprenticeship.