Approach.
A characteristic many people do not attribute to lawyers is kindness. I appreciate that clients rarely come to a solicitor’s office when everything is going well, and so I treat each matter with professionalism, care and attention. This is particularly true when handling matters involving a deceased loved one, where a dispute can deprive you of the necessary headspace to grieve.
I take a deep, academic interest in the law; however, my priority when meeting with clients is to translate that in-depth knowledge into clear, accessible guidance.
I consider my style of litigation to be firm, but fair. I will always advocate strongly for your position and seek the best possible outcome on your behalf, but equally, I recognise that it is not my role to gamble with your money or reputation. The steps I advise will always be proportionate to the matter at hand. I promise honesty and transparency about both the merits and, crucially, any risks involved in taking your case forward.
Patrick never considered a career in law growing up, and his entry into the legal profession took an unconventional path. After studying modern languages at the University of Southampton, he began his career as an in-house translator specialising in intellectual property (IP). His clients included international Non-Governmental Organisations and some of Europe’s most recognisable scientific and industrial organisations, for whom he translated patents and patent application decisions, primarily from German into English.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant turning point in his career trajectory. His previous exposure to intellectual property documents had sparked his interest in law, but he sought a role that would allow him to work more closely with clients. A personal dispute with his letting agents prompted him to seek legal advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau and a relative working for the Crown Prosecution Service. The call to become a solicitor grew louder the deeper he researched.
In 2022, Patrick graduated with distinction from the MA Law programme at the University of Sussex. He immediately began working with a historic Brighton-based firm and undertook the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations. While studying and working, he also maintained a small business as a freelance IP translator. He qualified as a solicitor in January 2025 and subsequently joined Britton & Time Solicitors in the litigation department.
His training as a translator has proven invaluable throughout his legal career, whether reviewing a sale contract drafted in French, translating an expatriate’s will in Spanish, or communicating with Dutch lawyers in German when English was not an option.
2023
Patrick began his legal career in the wills and probate department of a Brighton-based firm. He drafted wills ranging from simple arrangements for married couples to complex trusts for high-net-worth individuals. He assisted in the administration of numerous estates, including those worth millions of pounds and those of celebrities and their families, maximising asset recovery while meeting strict deadlines to avoid inheritance tax penalties.
He then progressed to the firm’s commercial property and enfranchisement department, managing statutory lease extensions under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. In one notable case, he negotiated with a freeholder to secure a lease extension after the statutory deadline had expired, saving his client’s property sale from collapse.
Patrick also drafted and completed numerous commercial leases for properties, including popular bars and restaurants in Brighton’s tourist district.
2024
Prepared a claim against major betting operators for negligence in preventing a self-excluded client with a gambling addiction from accessing their services.
Served a section 25 notice to terminate a commercial tenancy for clients who were both landlords and pension fund trustees. Despite the tenant’s persistent late rent payments and complex legal arguments, Patrick secured a mutually favourable settlement.
Successfully obtained possession of a property from squatting family members, securing increased costs against the defendants due to their poor conduct throughout proceedings.
Represented two vulnerable clients with learning difficulties and physical disabilities in bringing a claim against their parental figure under the Inheritance Act 1975, achieving reasonable financial provision through successful mediation.
Navigated possession proceedings in East London against a tenant lacking mental capacity, which typically means litigation is avoided. This matter required creative problem-solving to balance the landlord’s interests with fairness toward the vulnerable party.
Obtained possession and evicted a trespasser with severe mental illness, requiring careful handling by both Patrick and enforcement officers.
2025
Patrick advised a commercial landlord on a dispute regarding building insurance contributions, evaluating lease forfeiture prospects and arbitration options to minimise risk.
Advised a leaseholder in a dispute with their freeholder, who was unreasonably refusing to execute a deed of variation to resolve a defect in a previously completed deed. Patrick explored various options with the client, including to issue a claim under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA), seeking an order of the court that the freeholder execute the new deed of variation.
Prepared and served a notice to quit for a licensee not paying rent, and thereby excluded from the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, on behalf of a landlord who had inherited the property from her deceased parents. This matter came with the prospect of a claim being brought against the estate, and so a balance was needed to assert our client’s rights while minimising the risk of further costs to her and the estate.
- Contentious probate
- Contentious trusts
- LGBTQ Rights
