A 52-year Suffolk firm at 18 Angel Hill, beside the traffic-lit junction with Northgate Street, two minutes' walk down the cobbles from the Abbey Gate. Founded 1973 by Clive Willett, after a partnership in a City of London commercial law firm. Conveyancing, wills, probate, litigation, employment, agriculture. Conveyancing Quality Scheme accredited.
The view down Angel Hill from the firm's door. 52 years on the same cobbles.
Residential sales, purchases, re-mortgages, transfers of equity, leases, landlord-and-tenant work, agricultural conveyancing, commercial property, Bury conservation-area title work. Conveyancing Quality Scheme accredited. Alla Zubenko, Alison Ridewood and Senior Partner Clive Willett between them carry the desk, which runs to its own fax line (01284 702742) for completions.
Will drafting, lasting powers of attorney (property-and-affairs and health-and-welfare instruments registered separately), trust work, estate planning for older clients, asset-protection arrangements, lifetime gifts, inheritance-tax planning. Elizabeth Holmes leads the desk; Clive Willett drafts the more involved wills himself.
Obtaining grants of probate, full administration of estates, deeds of variation under s.142 IHTA 1984, contentious probate, inheritance disputes. Some of the wills under administration today were drafted in this same building in the 1970s and 1980s, by the same firm. The continuity is the point.
Commercial litigation, contract disputes, debt recovery, dispute resolution, business-related crime, criminal defence, employment for employers and employees, settlement agreements, Tribunal work, personal-injury claims. David Shipman heads the desk with over 50 years of legal experience, and takes the court appearances himself.
Clive Willett was admitted as a Solicitor in 1966. Before opening his own door at 18 Angel Hill in 1973, he was a partner in a commercial law firm in the City of London, advising business clients on complex property and commercial transactions. He brought that practice north to Suffolk and never moved the door. Fifty-two years on, the firm still runs from the same shopfront, beside the traffic-lit junction with Northgate Street, two minutes down the cobbles from the Abbey Gate. Some of the wills the firm administers today were drafted in this same building in the 1970s and 1980s, by the same firm.
You're never just another case. You're a valued client, and we're committed to helping you achieve the best possible outcome. From the firm's own About page
Admitted as a Solicitor in 1966. Before opening his own door at 18 Angel Hill in 1973, Clive was a partner in a commercial law firm in the City of London, advising business clients on complex property and commercial transactions. Today still leads the agricultural and commercial property desk, and drafts the more involved wills himself.
Schooled at Lancing College in Sussex. Re-routed into law after time in the wine trade, admitted in 1971, gained court experience in Cambridge and Ipswich, joined Willett & Co in 1982 and made partner in 1985. Heads litigation, criminal defence, employment for employers and employees, and personal-injury work. Takes the court appearances himself.
Heads the private-client desk. Will drafting, lasting powers of attorney (property-and-affairs and health-and-welfare), obtaining grants of probate, full administration of estates, deeds of variation under s.142 IHTA 1984. Mr K, in a recent review: "Elizabeth Holmes assisted with the creation of my Will, explaining the process and answering all questions."
Consultant on the business and property side. Banking and finance, business contracts, commercial property, landlord-and-tenant, corporate finance. Continuity rather than retirement, a familiar pattern in long-established East Anglian firms.
Consultant Solicitor. Available for matters across the firm's practice areas.
Licensed Conveyancer. Residential sales, purchases and re-mortgages across Bury St Edmunds and the wider Suffolk market. Mrs K, in a recent client review: "Alla Zubenko helped me throughout the process of purchasing a house. Very efficient and enabled us to complete in a short time frame."
Licensed Conveyancer. Residential sales, purchases, transfers of equity. Ms S, in a recent client review: "Given my experience of your professionalism in helping me out nearly 9 years ago (Alison Ridewood), I wouldn't go anywhere else unless I had to."
Clive Willett's previous practice was advising business clients in the City of London on complex property and commercial transactions. He brought that work to Suffolk in 1973. Fifty-two years later, the firm has handled half the long-leasehold transactions on Abbeygate Street and Cornhill, much of the title-split work on the rural smallholdings out toward Stowmarket, and a generation of listed-building consents inside the Bury conservation area.
★★★★★“Alla Zubenko helped me throughout the process of purchasing a house. Very efficient and enabled us to complete in a short time frame.”
JK · Conveyancing
★★★★★“Elizabeth Holmes's time was greatly appreciated. She assisted with the creation of my Will, explaining the process and answering all questions.”
JK · Wills
★★★★★“Given my experience of your professionalism in helping me out nearly 9 years ago (Alison Ridewood), I wouldn't go anywhere else unless I had to.”
SS · Returning client
Most matters we can scope and quote on inside the first half-hour, including whether you actually need a solicitor or whether a one-off letter or a Land Registry form will do. In person at Angel Hill, or by phone on 01284 701323.
Appointments outside our regular hours and home visits are available on request, particularly for Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and probate where mobility is a factor.
Number 18 sits at the north end of Angel Hill, beside the traffic lights on the junction with Northgate Street. Walk south down the cobbles and you reach the Abbey Gate in two minutes, the Norman Tower and the Abbey Gardens directly after. The Athenaeum sits on the opposite side of the square. Parking on Angel Hill itself, or at the Ram Meadow car park five minutes' walk away.
Clive Willett opened the firm at 18 Angel Hill in 1973. The firm has been at the same address ever since, beside the traffic-lit junction with Northgate Street, two minutes’ walk down Angel Hill from the Abbey Gate. That is 52 years at the same shopfront.
Yes. The first half-hour is free of charge, in person at Angel Hill or by phone. Most matters we can scope and quote on inside that half-hour, including whether you actually need a solicitor or whether a one-off letter or a Land Registry form will do.
Licensed Conveyancers Alla Zubenko and Alison Ridewood lead the residential desk; Senior Partner Clive Willett handles commercial and agricultural conveyancing personally. We are Conveyancing Quality Scheme accredited (Law Society CQS). The conveyancing desk runs to its own fax line (01284 702742) for completion-day exchanges.
Yes. Appointments outside our regular hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:30) and home visits across Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and the wider Suffolk villages are available on request, particularly for Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and probate matters where mobility is a factor.
Number 18 sits at the north end of Angel Hill, beside the traffic lights on the junction with Northgate Street. Walk south down the cobbles and you reach the Abbey Gate in two minutes, the Norman Tower and the Abbey Gardens directly after. The Athenaeum sits on the opposite side of Angel Hill. Parking is available on Angel Hill itself and at the Ram Meadow car park five minutes’ walk away.