Our Team

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.

Ben attended Northumbria University from 2006, and was part of the University Honour Roll, before graduating in 2010 with a First Class Honours degree in Law. Ben joined the firm in February 2011, and became a Partner in December 2014. He is based at our office in Darlington, but also sees clients at each of our branch offices.

Ben specialises in all forms of dispute resolution, including commercial and civil litigation, contentious probate, personal injury and employment law litigation. His main focus is on complex and high value disputes, where he has helped clients to achieve multi-million pound settlements. Ben’s clients include professional sportspeople, high net worth individuals, SME’s and Large businesses.

In April 2022 Ben obtained accreditation as a Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) accredited Mediator. Ben is able to offer mediation services to his own clients, as well as third parties.

He is responsible for the overall supervision of our Litigation and Employment Law teams.

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.

Kelly Hind is a Partner at Hewitts and head of the New Build Property Team. She has extensive experience of all aspects of property work including shared ownership, help to buy, right to buy, new build and leasehold transactions.

Megan Hamilton is a Partner at Hewitts, having joined the firm in 2017 when she qualified as a solicitor. She started her career in law working in Local Government at Durham County Council, during which time she worked in both the Children and Adult Services Department on a range of matters including public law proceedings.

Megan specialises in children and family cases involving the Local Authority. She is an accredited member of the Law Society’s Children Panel which recognises her specialism and allows her to represent children in such cases.

Sophie is a Partner in Hewitts, having joined the firm in 2008 as an apprentice and qualifying as a Solicitor in 2018.  She is based at our Newton Aycliffe office. Sophie undertakes work primarily in the Family department specialising in family cases involving the Local Authority. She regularly represents parents, grandparents and other family members who require assistance in relation to public law proceedings.

She is an accredited member of the Law Society’s Children Panel which recognises her specialism and allows her to represent children in children and family cases involving the Local Authority.

Sophie also deals with private family matters including child arrangements, divorce, and financial matters.

Sophie is the trainee principal within the firm, having progressed through her own training with determination and focus, she takes great pride in the development and qualifications of the firm’s trainees. Sophie is deeply committed to creating a supportive environment where aspiring legal professionals can build their skills, gain confidence and reach their full potential.

She has links with Family Help, a women’s refuge in Darlington offering support and refuge for women and children fleeing domestic abuse.

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.