The team

Sabrina joined Manolete in November 2023 as a Finance Administrator, she has previously worked within the property industry. Sabrina has considerable experience in accounts and assists Manolete’s accounts team.

• Sabrina@manolete-partners.com

Stephen joined Manolete as a senior adviser in 2017 and was appointed as an independent non-executive director the following year. After 15 years in practice as a solicitor and 12 as an appointment taking insolvency practitioner he was appointed as a bankruptcy registrar (now insolvency and companies court judge) of the High Court in 1996 and as chief bankruptcy registrar in 2004. Stephen is a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, an honorary member of the Insolvency Lawyers Association and an honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management of which he is also president. He sits as a deputy ICC judge in London and acts as a mediator.

Tanya joined Manolete in July 2018. Before joining Manolete she was part of the Insolvency team at Moon Beever where she qualified as a solicitor in September 2010 and largely acted for Insolvency Practitioners. Tanya has experience of a broad range of contentious insolvency matters, including both personal and corporate insolvencies and from low value to multi-million pound claims.

Legal journey in the UK?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2010 into what was then Moon Beever’s insolvency practice, specialising in contentious insolvency law mainly acting for Insolvency Practitioners. I was initially supposed to join the property team however my training contract started in September 2008, just when the property market slowed following the market crash. One day I was roped into assisting the insolvency team by faxing multiple banks on the back of a freezing injunction and there began my journey into the world of insolvency.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in July 2018 working alongside the London team. At the time there were six lawyers in the company, we have tripled in size since! I will be returning to work at the start of April following maternity leave.

Initial impressions?
One aspect that stands out to me is everyone’s willingness to share ideas and support each other, despite any geographic distance. The Manolete Board is also incredibly approachable whether it is offering guidance and technical advice on new case reviews, strategy or settlement decisions.

Beyond the professional realm, I've enjoyed the team's social activities outside of office hours, which are always well-attended, good fun and often involve late nights. It has been great to collaborate with other solicitors who may have once been opponents but are now valued clients and to continue the relationships in the industry that I have built throughout my career as well as develop new ones.

Career highlights?
A few months after joining Manolete, I had the opportunity to attend the London Stock Exchange market open ceremony on the day when the company was listed on the AIM market. It allowed me to gain insight into what really happens on the day a private company becomes publicly listed. As our team stood on a balcony, we witnessed the event unfold on a massive screen amid a backdrop of futuristic music. It was an exciting moment.

I once participated in a mediation which settled by lunchtime. The first offer was made before 10am and counter-offers followed in quick succession. Not all mediations settle so quickly but it is always gratifying when opponents are well advised and decide to contain the risk and put the matter behind them, rather than incur the financial and emotional implications associated with prolonged litigation.

What do you do outside of work?
One of my greatest passions is traveling and immersing myself in different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. I try to visit at least one new place each year in between regular visits to Italy to visit my in-laws. I enjoy collecting unique items and crafts and fashion from around the world and incorporating them into my home décor and wardrobe. Some my favourites include a hand-woven basket made from telephone wire made in a village in Durban, South Africa, a pair of wooden carved turtles from Cape Verde and a hand embroidered kaftan dress from the Amalfi coast.

I enjoy live music, especially performed outdoors. There is something special about enjoying a live band under the open sky. The recent addition to the family, my young son, has brought a whole new dimension and I am excited to experience these activities through his eyes as he grows.

• Tel: 0203 859 3494
• Mob: 07949 085933
• tanya@manolete-partners.com

Jean is an Associate Director for the North West region. Prior to joining Manolete in January 2023, Jean spent 32 years in senior roles with Addleshaw Goddard where she specialised in insolvency and fraud related litigation, including breach of directors' duties and unlawful dividend claims. Jean has held positions on a number of professional committees in the region, including R3 and she is recognised as a rising star in the 2023 issue of Legal 500.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1987, initially working in Employment Law, before joining specialist insolvency practice William Prior & Co (subsequently Dibb Lupton Broomhead & Prior) in 1989. I jumped ship to Addleshaw Sons & Latham (now Addleshaw Goddard) with 30 of my Priors’ colleagues a year later and for the next 32 years I played a pivotal role in developing and then leading Addleshaw Goddard’s insolvency litigation practice in Manchester.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I work alongside Dominic Vincent as an Associate Director in the North West region.

What have been your main impressions?
My initial impressions of Manolete were of a professional and innovative organisation. As a referrer of cases to Manolete from private practice I hadn’t appreciated the size and geographical spread of the legal team. I admit to being surprised by the calibre and diversity of the legal and support teams in London and across the regions. I haven’t yet come across a case where the legal issues are novel to the team. The work environment is collaborative and respectful and I like the flat structure.

What are the other highlights?
The work is interesting and it's been great to get to know a host of IP practices and insolvency lawyers I hadn’t worked with before, as well as having the opportunity to maintain my existing contacts. The lack of unnecessary admin and the streamlined decision-making process are very refreshing. I was tremendously happy to say goodbye to timesheets! A significant number of the cases I have recommended for purchase or funding would not have been pursued but for Manolete’s involvement – we play to win and assisting the IP/lawyer team to achieve a recovery and return to creditors has to be the highest highlight of all.

What do you do outside of work?
I’m a bit of a culture vulture – theatre, art, music (indie of course). Country walks (avoiding hills). Wandering around John Lewis’ home furnishings department looking for inspiration.

• Mob: 07775 586469
• Jean@manolete-partners.com

Caleb is an Associate Director with a decade of experience in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes. He joined Manolete in 2023 from a leading international city law firm where he was a senior associate in its highly regarded Chambers-ranked personal insolvency and insolvency disputes practice. He has acted primarily for Insolvency Practitioners on a wide variety of contentious insolvency matters, including several high-profile bankruptcies. He is a member of the R3 LASER Committee and the Southern Forum Committee and regularly presents on all aspects of Insolvency litigation. He has been recognised in Legal 500 as having “great litigation instincts”.

What is your legal background?
After completing my LPC in 2012, I embarked on my legal career at Stephenson Harwood LLP. I quickly gravitated towards litigation, which ultimately led to my qualification into the firm's Commercial Litigation department, specialising in contentious insolvency. Over the course of the next eight years, I acted on a range of high-profile matters. I also gained valuable experience on a secondment to Christie's Auction House and a term as a Judicial Assistant in the Commercial and Chancery Courts.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I have been at Manolete since 2023. My arrival aligned with Manolete's expansion as it continues to dominate the insolvency litigation funding market and go from success to success. In the time I have been here it has been a non-stop whirlwind of work as I have built up my portfolio cases. My role as an Associate Director encompasses more than just managing claims. It involves sourcing new opportunities, educating the market about Manolete's offerings, purchasing claims and ultimately overseeing the claims to ensure that meritorious ones are pursued and resolved, maximising returns to insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
If Manolete was the law firm, it would probably be the most experienced insolvency litigation team in terms of collective years in practice. I am constantly impressed by the wealth and diversity of experience among our highly effective network of experienced lawyers operating across the UK. Having two deputy judges and the former chief bankruptcy registrar as part of the team is invaluable when considering how the Courts may decide a matter. Whilst we all run our portfolio of cases separately, there is a remarkable cohesion and collaboration within the legal team that allows us to share experience and add considerable value to the cases we take on. There is also a clear blend of technical ability and commercial acumen that makes it an exceptionally dynamic place to work.

What are the other highlights?
Decision-making is swift, whether it involves purchasing a claim, settling a case, or initiating legal proceedings. The turnover of cases is also rapid; the average time at Manolete from purchasing a claim to its conclusion is around 12 months. We call it the “Manolete effect”; previously disengaged and evasive directors often agree to mediate soon after Manolete comes on the scene. Talking of mediation, one highlight was a particularly enjoyable and successful mediation requiring a day trip to Aberdeen – it was a long day! Additionally, working at Manolete has afforded me the opportunity to network and collaborate with a wide range of solicitors, barristers, and IPs.

What do you do outside of work?
I'm an entertainer for my two boisterous young children. Fortunately, living in London provides ample access to family-friendly events - we particularly enjoy visiting the plethora of museums. You can regularly find me at the Emirates Stadium, where I'm a proud Arsenal season ticket holder.

• Mob: 07729 928336
• caleb@manolete-partners.com

Graham joined Manolete in September 2020 as a Consultant for the Yorkshire region. Graham qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and practised for the whole of his career at the Leeds offices of Addleshaw Goddard. Graham has specialised in all aspects of insolvency law since the advent of the Insolvency Act 1986. He has long been recognised by Legal 500 as a ‘leading individual’ in the field. Graham lives locally and has a wide range of connections with the Yorkshire region.

What is your legal background?
I joined the firm Booth & Co upon qualifying as a solicitor in 1984; it was then the largest law firm in Leeds. Early years were spent in finance litigation but I migrated to Insolvency in 1986 when the ‘new’ Insolvency Act became law – glad we still have it today. Booth & Co became what is now international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, where I remained for the whole of my practising career, through to retirement in 2020.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in the autumn of 2020 – a little surreal with the world then locked down by Covid. Having practised in Leeds and the greater Yorkshire region for my whole career, my role was to sit ‘geographically’ between Manolete colleagues Dom Vincent in the North West and Andrew Cawkwell in the North East. I had worked with Manolete in my practising years and so already had first-hand experience of how the Manolete model could unlock value for the benefit of insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
A great team to be with. I am one of 17 highly specialist solicitors that make up the Manolete Legal Team. The team is spread throughout UK regions so as to be accessible to clients and markets, importantly however we operate to a national ‘one team’ model so that cases can be directed to the team member best placed to deal. We have great communication together with great cooperation. Secondly, ease of access. We have no formal referral procedure - no application form, no prescribed list of requirements, no necessity for Counsel’s opinion. These can each amount to a barrier to access for busy practitioners. We talk the case through, see the relevant available papers and move quickly to an investment decision.

What are the other highlights?
Speedy case outcomes. It is gratifying to see how our involvement in a case changes the claim dynamics. In my time with Manolete I have seen many cases where despite their best efforts, the IP has made little progress over months, sometimes years. Put simply, the respondent to the claim knows the estate does not have the financial resources to pursue it. With Manolete acquiring the claim, that dynamic changes overnight and respondents know they can no longer ‘kick the ball into the long grass’. As a result we often achieve early outcomes at very significant values.

What do you do outside of work?
I have always had an interest in motorsport, particularly the historic scene. I have competed in historic racing for many years and continue to compete in historic road rallies – Ford, Volvo, Saab, Mercedes, VW, Lotus and Morgan are all represented within my modest collection. Gardening I used to find a chore, but now I rather enjoy it. To have James Hunt and Monty Don, as persons I aspire to, results in rather strange bedfellows!

• Mob: 07775 586343
• graham@manolete-partners.com

Ronan Butler is an Associate Director in the London office at Manolete. He qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and joined Manolete in 2017 from a London law firm. Ronan specialises in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes, with a focus on offshore litigation and professional negligence.

• Tel: 0203 859 3493
• Mob: 07971 628875
• rbutler@manolete-partners.com

Andrew is Associate Director covering the North East. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and has been a partner at multi office firm Watson Burton LLP and Muckle LLP.

Andrew became the first dual qualified practising solicitor and Certified Turnaround Professional accredited by the European Association of Certified Turnaround Professionals and won ‘Turnaround Practitioner of the Year’ at the 2016 TRI Awards. Andrew is a national board director of Turnaround Management Association (UK) and is a member of R3. Andrew was appointed Head of Business Development in May 2022.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2003 so it is 20 years since I first started doing Insolvency work. I practiced at three different firms in the North-East and specialised in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2019 as an Associate Director in the North-East. Since that time, the region has developed really well and we now have Alexandra Withers and Kelly Jordan also working in the North East. In May 2022, I was very pleased to be asked by the Manolete Board to take up the role as Head of Business Development. In conjunction with the day job of sourcing new enquiries and running cases for my region, I work with all of the other Manolete lawyers in their regions to support them to deliver new enquiries for the business. I enjoy the huge variety of the role and ability to work with colleagues across the country together with my own business referrers. In addition, we carry out a substantial amount of business development with Insolvency Practitioners and their lawyers which I enjoy very much.

What have been your main impressions?
The Manolete team is extremely strong and diverse and we now have 18 lawyers operating across the UK. We get together at least once a quarter as a legal team and it is refreshing to be able to have a laugh and a couple of drinks with colleagues to gel the team together.

What are the other highlights?
I have really enjoyed not having the rigid structure of time recording and monthly billing which allows the genuine opportunity to invest time in developing personal relationships. I have also enjoyed contributing to our success as a collective across a team which is really at the vanguard of insolvency litigation and from time to time seeing our name in reported cases.

What do you do outside of work?
I am a huge Newcastle United fan and season ticket holder and enjoy watching them at every opportunity. I really enjoy hiking and have become a volunteer for a charity specialising in providing guides for walking events. My children are also very active and I provide the usual lifts to and from their extra-curricular activities.

• Mob: 07702 319421
• andrew@manolete-partners.com

Steven founded Manolete in 2009 and is Chief Executive. Steven is a Chartered Accountant having qualified at PwC in 1991. Steven has over 20 years’ experience in corporate finance with National Westminster Bank, Calder Corporate Advisory Ltd and Hill Samuel Investment Bank and is a former director of HSBC Investment Bank (Corporate Finance Division). Steven is an Associate Member of The Association of Business Recovery Professionals.

• Tel: 0203 859 3490
• Mob: 07900 985559
• steven@manolete-partners.com

Annie Devoy was appointed to the Manolete Board in January 2022 as an Independent Non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee. Annie is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She was a Partner at PwC from 2002 to 2020 and a member of the executive leadership team for PwC’s Tax, Legal and People Advisory services business. Previously Annie led PwC’s UK Transfer Pricing Network and was part of the firm’s Global Transfer Pricing management team. Annie retired from PwC in 2020 and remains a trustee for PwC’s legacy Defined Benefit pension funds.

Brett joined Manolete in February 2022 and is based in the South West. Previously Brett trained and qualified at the international city firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP where he worked in the dispute resolution team for six years on insolvency litigation, before moving to Foot Anstey LLP. Brett has a degree in Mandarin and Law and held a secondment in Beijing and also worked in-house at two major banks. Brett specialises in insolvency litigation, fraud and asset tracing and traditionally acts for insolvency practitioners and creditors. He has acted for clients on trials in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

What is your legal background?
I spent eight years at an international firm in London doing predominantly cross-border insolvency work. I then moved to a national firm in the South-West and my practice naturally diversified to more national work and general commercial litigation. In private practice, I predominantly acted for banks, Insolvency Practitioners and large corporates or SMEs.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in February this year following thirteen years in private practice. It has been quite a change. It’s been great to be able to focus purely on the commercial and the legal side, without having to deal with all the surrounding issues that need to be dealt with in private practice.

What have been your main impressions?
One of the things that has surprised me is the speed at which resolution of our cases is sometimes achieved. By way of example, I had one case for circa £150k where the letter before action was sent on a Friday afternoon and an offer to pay in full was received on Monday morning. I’ve recently had another case where the total claim was circa £60k and a settlement at £40k was achieved within around one month from the letter before action. These quick results were possible because the well-advised claimant knows Manolete means business and if they don’t engage sensibly and early then the price of settlement is only likely to increase.

What are the other highlights?
Another point that struck me is the need to add value for the estate when funding or purchasing a claim. While there may be a quick win for us in a potential case, that’s not enough. We look for cases where we can help our clients achieve a significant material return for the estate - where we can covert those claims into cash for creditors. Since joining Manolete, I work remotely from my home in the South-West. The flexibility that affords me is great and really helps me manage the responsibilities of looking after my two young children. While I do miss an office sometimes, I’m often on the road meeting clients which helps to get me out of my home office and give me that ‘people connection’.

What do you do outside of work?
? My two kids keep me on my toes. My main pastime is trying to avoid whatever new illness they have brought home from school. Other than that, I like to get out on the golf course and play a round. I also enjoy foreign languages. My degree was in Mandarin and I try to keep that up whenever possible.

• Mob: 07958 650269
• Brett@manolete-partners.com

Tracy joined Manolete in November 2014 and acts as the Manolete Group Financial Controller and Office Manager. Tracy oversees the day-to-day finance duties including Accounts Payable and Credit Control. Tracy also manages the office admin for the smooth running of the business and for the Manolete Staff.

What is your career background?
I have worked in finance and administration for all my working life. Qualified by experience.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in November 2014 when we were a team of three, Steven Cooklin, Mena Halton and myself working from a small office in Buckinghamshire. I run all the day-to-day finance and office administration for the business.

What have been your main impressions?
Little did I know in 2014 what the future would hold. Manolete has gone through huge growth and to be part of that and see the company become what it is today has been very exciting and a privilege. I look forward to an ever-exciting future.

What are the other highlights?
The standout moment was when we floated the business in 2018 and going to the Stock Exchange on a cold December morning. To see the Manolete signs flashing round the screens was a sight to behold.

What do you do outside of work?
I live in Buckinghamshire and enjoy spending time with my family and two grandchildren. I enjoy the theatre, eating out and plan to resume my travel plans.

• Tel: 0203 859 3497
• tracy@manolete-partners.com

Mena qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and joined Manolete in 2014 - she has specialised in contentious insolvency throughout her career. Mena is ranked Band One for insolvency litigation funding in the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide 2022, 2023 and 2024 where contributors say: “Her involvement from a legal perspective is invaluable.” “She is superb - a safe pair of hands, very competent and approachable.

She knows the law and which direction she wants the case to take.” “I go directly to Mena with a new opportunity because the relationship is already there. Had a great multimillion-dollar result. Satisfactory all around. An excellent operative, very much at the top of her game, she keeps the wheels of the machine well oiled. Truly professional, very focused and very commercial." “She is frighteningly astute, does not mess around and gets straight to the point. Really fantastic. Head and shoulders above other operators in the market”. "She has an incredible intellect, and a real force and determination to get to the right result." “Mena’s knowledge of all types of insolvency litigation is exemplary and she is able to assess the merits of a case and identify further areas of investigation with ease”. Mena is a member of the Insolvency and Companies Court Users’ Committee.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and started my legal career in the city at Wilde Sapte (now Dentons). I later joined Nick O’Reilly and his IP colleagues at Rothman Pantall conducting insolvency litigation as an in house solicitor, a novel concept at the time requiring special permission from the Law Society.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2014.

What have been your main impressions?
When I joined Manolete I was impressed by the business model which enabled realisations to be made from claims which otherwise would not see the light of day. The purchase and funding agreements drafted by the late Gabriel Moss QC were perfection and the potential to combine finance and legal skills to maximise returns whilst achieving fairness to all stakeholders was clear. The year after I joined we were very excited to have signed 100 cases. We are now at over 1,300 signed cases and this is due to the hard work and dedication of my colleagues in the legal team which has grown from one lawyer (me) to 18.

What are the other highlights?
The IPO in 2018 was a milestone and being involved in that process and investor roadshows was an amazing experience. Building the legal team which comprises a very talented group of lawyers with strong insolvency litigation skills and who are great fun to work with. Working and building strong relationships with many fantastic IPs and external lawyers and getting to know them, often at mediations when waiting for the other side to make offers leaves lots of talking time!

What do you do outside of work?
The great outdoors, walking in the Bucks countryside, coast path in Cornwall or mountains in Ireland. Shopping trips to Bicester Village where I am encouraged by my daughters to spend too much.

• Tel: 0203 859 3495
• Mob: 07912 466695
• mena@manolete-partners.com

Amber has significant experience in professional services business development and marketing gained over the last 15 years working within the legal sector. Amber joined Manolete in July 2024 as Business Development and Marketing Manager and works alongside the Head of Business Development, Andrew Cawkwell while also supporting the wider BD and Legal teams. Within her role, Amber has a comprehensive range of responsibilities but ultimately is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operational delivery of Manolete’s wide ranging business development activity.

What is your career background?
I’ve had a diverse 35-year career in the legal sector, starting out as an Office Junior and progressing through roles in Commercial Litigation (Secretarial), Office Management and Recruitment. After being headhunted by a recruitment agency, I discovered my passion for sales and marketing. Since then, I’ve held senior business development and marketing roles within law firms and have directly contributed to the success of each company I have worked with.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I was delighted to join Manolete at the beginning of July.

What have been your main impressions?
Everyone at Manolete has been incredibly friendly and supportive, but what truly stands out to me is the team's vast expertise. I'm constantly amazed by the outstanding results they achieve.

What are the other highlights?
I bring a wealth of experience to my role at Manolete, but here I’m exposed to new challenges and I love that! It keeps things interesting for me and I’m learning something new every day.

What do you do outside of work?
I am a self-proclaimed 80s/90s pop princess and love nothing more than going to see live music – recent gigs include Duran Duran and Ricky Astley.

• Mob: 07889 479243
• amber@manolete-partners.com

Wendy joined Manolete in May 2023 after working for RSM Creditor Solutions LLP for 22 years. She specialised in personal insolvency and was an Associate Director in their bankruptcy team. Wendy-Jay has a keen interest in litigation of antecedent transactions and is using those investigation skills in Manolete’s Net Worth Team.

What is your career background?
I have spent all of my career in insolvency, mainly specialising in personal insolvency with a special interest in litigation, especially antecedent transactions. Over my career, I have worked for Ernest & Young, KPMG, Jacksons Jolliffe Cork that became Tenon, RSM Tenon, Baker Tilly and latterly RSM, being an Associate Director.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2023. Prior to that, I had worked with the company on the funding of the litigation of a bankruptcy matter. I was very impressed with the speed in which decisions were made and the quick resolution of the matter. This experience very much helped in my decision to join the team.

What have been your main impressions?
My first impression was how impressive my new colleagues were. The legal team is made up of very well-respected and talented solicitors and the wider team members are every bit as impressive in their fields. I love the variety of my role in the Net Worth Team. Since joining, my role has expanded to reviewing bank statements, to develop claims against directors and also managing the Bankruptcy Portfolio and arranging for the appointment of Trustees.

What are the other highlights?
I really enjoy our quarterly legal meetings, when the Legal Team and the Net Worth Team get to meet. As we often work remotely it is great to catch up in person and share the latest legal updates and a couple of glasses of wine in the evening.

What do you do outside of work?
I have a busy life outside of work, keeping up with my two children. My little boy was diagnosed with ADHD last year and I am now starting to volunteer with the ADHD group that supported my family through this time and helping to get him a place at a specialist school so he can reach his full potential. I am also a Brownie leader and love to craft, when I get time. If not at home, I can be usually found at our family allotment.

• Mob: 07971 115073
• Wendy-Jay@manolete-partners.com

Alison Kirby is Associate Director for the Eastern region and has over 25 years of experience as a solicitor in all aspects of insolvency and corporate recovery law. She joined Manolete in March 2019. Alison’s focus is on the East of England insolvency market, and she is based in Norfolk.

Previously she was a partner with Howes Percival LLP heading their dispute resolution and insolvency team in Norwich, with particular expertise in contentious insolvency usually acting for the office holder. Alison led the team at Howes Percival acting for HMRC for 5 years and had a number of cases reported which relate to insolvency and commercial litigation. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 top tier for both categories of insolvency and dispute resolution. In May 2020 Alison was also appointed a Deputy District Judge and sits in the East and Southern Circuit. Alison is an associate member of R3.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1998, working in commercial litigation mainly, and moved to Howes Percival LLP (“HP”) in Norwich in 2005 to concentrate on contentious insolvency work. At that time they were the appointed solicitors on a contract for non-standard insolvency work with HMRC. So I was straight into drafting applications for freezing injunctions and to appoint provisional liquidators without notice to the Company Directors. I became a junior partner in 2008 and a full equity partner in 2012. During my time at HP I worked primarily on the HMRC contract, moving to head up a team undertaking work in the First Tier Tax Tribunal in respect of MTIC fraud, while also undertaking work for insolvency practitioners and helping to deliver the mainstream HMRC contract.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2019 as part of their expansion into the regions. I am the Manolete Associate Director in the East of England and through historic connections I also cover some of the Midlands too. Part of the role is business development and the other part is reviewing the cases, recommending investment decisions and monitoring all cases whether we fund or purchase. So, as we entered lockdown in March 2020, I wondered how it would all work if we, as Associate Directors, could not undertake our BD roles fully. I needn’t have worried; I remained as busy as ever and that has not stopped for the nearly four years I have been in the role.

What have been your main impressions?
Before I joined I had undertaken some work for Manolete, so I knew they actually do what they say they do. I had wondered if the ‘Manolete Effect’ was really true. On one my earliest signed cases, the Director had simply ignored the IP. As soon as we advised of the assignment, he went to a solicitor and we had a settlement in the space of a few months which was far more than I had expected and certainly better progress than the IP alone had been able to make.

What are the other highlights?
To be able to work with a broader range of IPs and to learn from working with, rather than against, firms of solicitors. In addition, to know you can issue court proceedings and press on with good cases is a really positive feeling.

What do you do outside of work?
I enjoy growing fruit and vegetables and sometimes fermenting them in to alcoholic drinks! I love to cook, in fact I just love food in general.

• Tel: 01692 580472
• Mob: 07502 650 183
• alison@manolete-partners.com

Stuart is an Associate Director who joined Manolete’s London team in December 2023, having most recently been an insolvency partner at the London office of a large national solicitors firm. He has over 20 years’ experience of contentious insolvency matters, acting predominantly for insolvency practitioners. Stuart has held an individual ranking in Chambers & Partners for personal insolvency for the last nine years, most recently being described as, “…an excellent lawyer. He has excellent knowledge of personal insolvency and he's easy to deal with."

Legal journey in the UK?
My career in contentious insolvency law began back in 2002. I cut my legal teeth in Yorkshire, before taking my expertise to London in 2008. Prior to my current role, I was a partner in the insolvency department of a prominent national firm's London office. My speciality was representing Insolvency Practitioners in both corporate and personal insolvency issues across the UK. On occasion, I've also provided legal guidance to British companies in financial distress and directors facing legal scrutiny due to their actions.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I'm the freshest face at Manolete, having joined the ranks in December 2023.

Initial impressions?
Starting work at Manolete has given me a unique opportunity to focus solely on the legal and commercial sides of things, while working in new, dynamic ways with clients with whom I have built up trust over several years.

Career highlights?
The camaraderie within Manolete is remarkable. I'm surrounded by fantastic insolvency litigators which make up our highly effective network operating across the UK. Our combined know-how and team approach not only enrich our work but also bring about efficient resolutions, which greatly benefit insolvent estates and their creditors throughout the UK.

What do you do outside of work?
Away from the world of insolvency law, I'm a passionate supporter of Leeds United and Wigan Warriors. My downtime is filled with visits to cinemas, music gigs and expanding my extensive collection of retro Adidas trainers—a hobby that's become both time-consuming and wallet-lightening.

• Mob: 07950 328 768
• stuart@manolete-partners.com

Rachel joined Manolete in January 2022 as Associate Director – Finance. She began her career in the Grant Thornton audit team and qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 2015. Rachel has since held positions for several PLC and private businesses working across sectors including FMCG, Waste and Marketing.

• Mob: 07788 713077
• rlindley@manolete-partners.com

Charlotte is Regional Associate Director, based primarily in the South West and Wales. She is experienced in complex commercial disputes with specialist expertise in property, negligence and insolvency. Charlotte qualified as a solicitor in 2009. In December 2018, Charlotte joined Manolete from national firm Burges Salmon LLP where she worked on high profile retail and property insolvencies. Charlotte is past regional chair of R3 and member of IWIRC.

What is your legal background?
Growing up in the days of Ally McBeal, I aspired to an idealistic legal career from a young age. The outfits and social life were never quite as glamourous, but the work more than made up for it. I trained as a banking lawyer but, as the credit crash hit, I qualified as a banking litigator with a special interest in security enforcement and title issues. This, in turn, evolved into property litigation at Burges Salmon where I advised on all aspects of asset recovery and enforcement for landlords, lenders, LPA Receivers and office holders.

How long have you been at Manolete?
It was a stormy September evening in 2018 whilst standing soaked-through on a site visit in Aberystwyth when I decided I wanted to move from private practice! I joined Manolete a few months later in December 2018 as the Associate Director for the South West and Wales. This was an exciting time as I joined the week Manolete listed on AIM and getting to open the London Stock Exchange was quite an experience. We have only continued to grow from there. In 2021, I was appointed R3 Chair for the South West and Wales.

What have been your main impressions?
Working at Manolete has the rare balance of technical skill mixed with commercial aptitude. We can quickly see where a case is headed, which ones are likely to be difficult and finding ways to make them move forward. It makes a real difference to see a case complete in a matter of months rather than years. There are difficult cases that can be finely balanced and unusual cases; it is never predictable but it is very satisfying. The collective experience of my colleagues is immense and we share a lot of legal knowhow and ideas. Now that the lockdowns have ended, there is no substitute for getting out to meet people face-to-face. My role has brought me into contact with some amazing IPs and solicitors from large firms to sole practitioners.

What are the other highlights?
Whilst we resolve most cases without the need for trial, the rapidly growing number of claims means more trials and judgments, many of which involve attempts by respondents to avoid answering claims. It is particularly gratifying to see many of our cases reported which are helpful not only for Manolete but also for office holders in general.

What do you do outside of work?
I love weekend trips, particularly if it involves rugby, history or Eurovision!

• Mob: 07572 157033
• charlotte@manolete-partners.com

Andrew joined Manolete in 2023 and is based in the Thames Valley. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2012, specialises in insolvency and restructuring, and was previously Head of Insolvency at JCP Solicitors in South Wales before moving to an offshore insolvency and trusts litigation role at Appleby’s Guernsey office. After returning to the UK, Andrew worked in Blake Morgan’s insolvency team, from which he joined Manolete.
Ranked in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 as a “Leading Individual” for restructuring and insolvency, Andrew enjoyed a varied portfolio of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work in private practice, predominantly acting for insolvency office holders and high street lenders. Andrew is an accredited mediator, an associate member of R3, and regularly delivers presentations on contentious insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2012 at JCP Solicitors, based in my home town of Swansea. I became a director and head of JCP’s insolvency department in 2018, before relocating to Guernsey in 2019 to join Appleby’s dispute resolution team. After a really enjoyable few years’ experience of offshore insolvency and trusts litigation, I joined Blake Morgan’s insolvency and business support team in April 2021, based in Reading. The bulk of my time in private practice was spent acting for insolvency office holders in contentious matters. Having worked at a range of law firms, from regional to international with the accompanying client profiles that you’d expect from each, I relish the tactical challenge of getting results in comparatively modest value litigation as much as pursuing high value claims with substantial resources.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2023 as an Associate Director in the Thames Valley and South East region, though I was encouraged to continue working with my existing contacts in London, Guernsey and Wales built up during my time in private practice. Like most lawyers, I like to be busy and hoped upon joining that my desk wouldn’t remain empty for too long. I really needn’t have worried. I quickly discovered the high volume of referrals made to Manolete each week and began reviewing cases on my first day.

What have been your main impressions?
There’s a really flexible and collaborative approach to working at Manolete. Whilst each of the legal team is allocated to a particular geographical area, we’re encouraged to work with our individual contacts wherever they are located. Another example is me being supported to take over Manolete’s portfolio of Scottish litigation in June 2024, which I now run alongside my portfolio South of the border. I really love the variety that brings to my day job in terms of differing procedure and the chance to work with an even wider network. I can’t deny that regular visits to Scotland are an added perk, either.

It's also great to be part of an experienced team of insolvency litigators with a shared pragmatism for obtaining fair, proportionate and swift results. I always enjoyed the collaborative effort between lawyers and IPs in private practice, which is very much part of the Manolete culture and particularly rewarding when it yields recoveries in litigation that might otherwise be stifled by an opponent’s time-and-cost-wasting tactics. The team adopts a real 'no-nonsense' approach to insolvency litigation, which comes from years of doing quality work in private practice.

What are the other highlights?
Having spent more than a decade in private practice acting under a range of funding arrangements, it is really refreshing to be able to pursue bona fide claims in the knowledge that no amount of prevarication by an opponent will cause cost-pressure and/or litigation fatigue. I am also enjoying collaborating with a greater number of insolvency practitioners and, as a totally new experience from private practice, solicitors from various firms.

What do you do outside of work?
I like to get outdoors and travel abroad as often as possible, and am happiest at the beach. I’m an avid rugby fan, a military history geek and play the guitar poorly but with misplaced enthusiasm. I also cram as much exercise into my week as time allows as, in addition to being good for the mind, it’s essential to counteract my love of Italian food.

• Mob: 07931 318 341
• amurphy@manolete-partners.com

Howard Leigh is a qualified Chartered Accountant. In 1988 he set up Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP where he remains Senior Partner. In 2000, Howard was appointed as the Chairman of the Faculty of Corporate Finance of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). In 2008 he was awarded the Faculty’s Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Finance award. In 2018, Cavendish merged with finnCap and the new group – finnCap Group plc – was listed on the London AIM market. He is the Senior Treasurer of the Conservative Party and chairs four charities. In 2013, Howard was elevated to the Peerage as Lord Leigh of Hurley. He joined the Manolete Board in June 2021.

Jerusha is a Legal Assistant at Manolete Partners. She joined Manolete in October 2019 to assist the net worth team. Jerusha graduated from the University of Brighton in 2018 with a 2:1 in LLB Law with Business and previously worked as a Legal Assistant at BTMK Marcus Baum.

What is your legal background?
I graduated in Law with Business at the University of Brighton in 2018. Before joining Manolete, I worked as a legal assistant at BTMK Solicitors in their conveyancing department. I am currently studying for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) with the support of Manolete.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in October 2019 as a Financial Analyst in London. I work in the net worth team providing net worth reports for the Associate Directors. My role also involves administrative work and submitting applications to Land Registry. Being the youngest member in the company, I occasionally get asked to help sort out any IT problems!

What have been your main impressions?
Manolete has created a strong, supportive team and everyone is a team player. Being the newest recruit at the time, it was daunting joining a new firm with limited knowledge of the industry, but everyone made me feel welcome and I bonded with everyone very quickly after joining. I am also impressed with the calibre and the continued growth of the company.

What are the other highlights?
I had the chance to sit in on a trial which was a great learning experience and offered me a fresh perspective of legal work beyond my usual working role. Manolete also holds quarterly legal meetings which are a great opportunity to catch up with the team and socialise in the evening. Since Covid, I haven’t had to travel into the London office as often, so it is good fun to see everyone at these events when the opportunity arises. Some of these events have included a tour of the House of Lords and Polo in the Park to name a few.

What do you do outside of work?
I love to travel and visit new places, experiencing and immersing myself in different cultures and cuisines. I could spend hours taking in all the architecture and learning about the history of a city. I also love eating out and dining in new restaurants.

• Tel: 020 3859 3496
• Mob: 07711 909 287
• jerusha@manolete-partners.com

Jeremy works in the Business Development Team responsible for marketing and media communications. He has worked for Manolete since 2015. He previously worked as a journalist and in communications and policy for the Civil Service and charities. Jeremy supports Manolete on public policy, investor engagement and is responsible for the monthly newsletter and managing the Manolete websites.

• Mob: 07747 727993
• jeremy@manolete-partners.com

David started in the Finance team in July 2023. He has worked in both commercial and charity SMEs in a diverse range of sectors giving David a wide variety of experience. As a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, he has operated at Board level for over twenty years.

• Mob: 07838 121320
• David@manolete-partners.com

Neil is a Regional Associate Director based in the South of England. Before joining Manolete in January 2019, Neil spent just over 20 years in legal practice, specialising in commercial dispute resolution and contentious insolvency. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience and acted as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. Neil has considerable experience of working on complex, multi-party litigation. He is an accredited mediator, a former R3 council member, current regional chairman of R3 Southern & Thames Valley and has lectured widely to a variety of audiences on insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
In the 20 years before joining Manolete I was a commercial litigator; I specialised exclusively in contentious insolvency in the last three years. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience acting as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. All great fun but litigation is rarely an enjoyable experience for the client. I therefore tried to avoid lengthy legal proceedings by reaching a commercial settlement at an early stage, wherever possible, often through mediation. Later in my legal career, I qualified as a mediator and remain firmly committed to mediation as a way of resolving even the most intractable disputes.

How long have you been at Manolete?
Since 2019 and much more enjoyable than my years in legal practice.

What have been your main impressions?
Dynamic, fast-paced, flexible and commercial. I have joined an experienced, well-motivated and highly co-operative team which has enjoyed many successful outcomes and continues to grow. I have particularly enjoyed being part of an organisation with a tremendous reputation and the financial strength to see cases through to trial wherever necessary.

What are the other highlights?
Working almost exclusively with IPs and insolvency lawyers has been a great plus point. Although my role is to act as the client on behalf of Manolete, the IP, solicitor and funder all work together as a team and that has led to some great results. We are able to move quickly and make commercial decisions with the clarity that comes from being able to take an objective approach.

What do you do outside of work?
Family man. Three adult children (one still on the payroll) and three grandchildren. I cycle a lot, sometimes with colleagues in the insolvency profession who care to join me on rides in the New Forest and Isle of Wight, always with ample refreshments.

• Mob: 07771 963 975
• neil@manolete-partners.com

Mark Tavener joined Manolete as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Board Director on 7 October 2019. Mark is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience. The core of Mark's career has been with Deloitte in London in Audit and Corporate Finance. He also served a secondment period within Government. Following his time with Deloitte, Mark was appointed Finance Director of a FinTech start-up company IPSX. Most recently, Mark has been a Director in the RSM due diligence team leading diligence on financial services businesses in the mid-market.

• Tel: 0203 859 3498
• mark@manolete-partners.com

Dominic Vincent is Associate Director for the North West.
Dominic joined Manolete in 2018 as its first regional hire after having been a partner in private practice and having helped establish the legal practice of a national insolvency and restructuring group. Whilst in private practice he was recognised in Chambers as a notable practitioner and in the Legal 500 for both personal and corporate insolvency. Dominic is a member of R3 and has written numerous articles and pieces which have been published in various legal and national journals.

Since joining Manolete he has developed an extensive network of referrers in the north-west insolvency market and he has established Manolete’s office in Manchester where he is a regular speaker at insolvency conferences and events.

What is your legal background?
The majority of my legal career has been spent specialising in insolvency law in private practice. A few years after completing my articles in London, I headed back north, arriving in Manchester in 2001 where I have been based ever since. In that time I have worked for several commercial firms before taking up the challenge to move in-house.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2018 and was the first recruit to be based outside of the London office. The company’s intention at the time was to develop its business into the regions. My role initially was effectively to be the regional director for 'outside London' but I am pleased this area has been refined over the years to be the north-west! I am delighted I now have colleagues who cover the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. Our regional footprint is now second to none and I am struck by the relationships between my colleagues and the numerous insolvency professionals in the UK. These relationships are the key to our success and growth.

What have been your main impressions?
Manolete has been instrumental in redefining the insolvency litigation market over the last 10 years or so. This is reflected in the number of times our name features in case reports. It is very satisfying that insolvency practitioners now find it more straightforward to pursue meritorious cases that perhaps would otherwise not have got off the ground. It is professionally very rewarding to be involved in this fast moving area of the law and it will be interesting see what the landscape looks like 10 years from now. On a macro level, working at Manolete allows you to apply your legal skills to the oversight and management of the investment we make in the legal cases we support. However on a micro level there is the daily delight at not having to fill in daily time recording sheets!

What are the other highlights?
As well as the legal work, my role at Manolete involves a fair amount of business development and marketing and I am always struck by the number of interesting people who work in insolvency. Manolete has taken me to many places I would otherwise never have visited: from the House of Lords, to the London Stock Exchange, to the Court of Appeal, not to mention our annual trips to Chester Races and the Bolton Beer Festival.

What do you do outside of work?
Family, and the three Ms – motorbikes, music and Manchester City FC.

• Mob: 07495 059999
• dominic@manolete-partners.com

Stephen, our Financial Analyst at Manolete since August 2023, brings substantial management experience from a background in UK law enforcement. His adeptness in diverse investigative roles bolsters our Net Worth Team, while also lending support to our business development initiatives.

• Mob: 07599 312434

Alexandra Withers is an Associate Director for the North East region and has over a decade of experience in all aspects of insolvency law. Previously she was an associate solicitor at a commercial firm in Newcastle upon Tyne where she specialised in contentious insolvency. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 as a Rising Star in the field of insolvency and corporate recovery, as well as a Key Lawyer in the field of commercial litigation. In 2021 Alexandra was appointed to sit part-time as a Deputy District Judge, and in 2024 became authorised to hear Business & Property Court cases. She is also a past chair of R3 North East. Alexandra is based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

What is your legal background?
At the start of my career, I had intentions of being an employment lawyer, however during my training contract I was easily persuaded that insolvency was the area of law for me. I spent a decade at a law firm in Newcastle working almost exclusively in contentious insolvency, as well as doing some related commercial litigation such as shareholder and business disputes. My main client base was Northern insolvency practitioners.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I definitely had to hit the ground running. I don’t think I’ve had a quiet day yet, but I thrive in a busy environment so that suits me just fine. I work three days per week and I look forward to the years ahead.

What have been your main impressions?
Prior to joining Manolete, I had learnt of their ability to achieve high value settlements early in cases, but did wonder if it sounded slightly ‘too good to be true’. However… this has certainly been my experience! I’ve already had so many cases where offers to settle have come in much earlier than when I had acted directly for IPs as a solicitor. It appears the Manolete name does indeed leave proposed defendants in no doubt the claim will be pursued through to trial so early settlement is a good idea. However, while an early settlement is great, it also needs to be at the right level to add value to the estate and our priority is always achieving that.

What are the other highlights?
I really enjoy working with a wider range of IPs, and for the first time in my career, working with other solicitors and not just being on the other side to them. It’s not only really interesting to see how different people work, but it also helps broaden my own knowledge and strategy base and of course to get the best results on our cases. I also get to present to audiences at both larger events, such as R3 conferences, as well as presenting in-house to all levels of insolvency practitioner teams. I have always enjoyed presenting and it’s a great way to add value to the Manolete offering.

What do you do outside of work?
Outside of work my favourite thing to do is travel. My husband and I are slowly making our way around the world, going to new countries and cities each year. Closer to home I enjoy taking regular Spanish language classes, indoor and outdoor cycling, and (much to my husband’s annoyance) DIY and home renovation.

• Mob: 07413 242320
• alexandra@manolete-partners.com

Bernadette is Manolete’s independent Company Secretary. Bernadette qualified as a Chartered Secretary in 1994 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). Having spent around 15 years in in-house company secretarial roles, Bernadette established her own consultancy business, Chadwick Corporate Consulting in 2005, specialising in providing company secretarial and corporate governance services. She is the author of The ICSA Corporate Governance Handbook.

• bernadette.young@indigogovernance.com

Tanya joined Manolete in July 2018. Before joining Manolete she was part of the Insolvency team at Moon Beever where she qualified as a solicitor in September 2010 and largely acted for Insolvency Practitioners. Tanya has experience of a broad range of contentious insolvency matters, including both personal and corporate insolvencies and from low value to multi-million pound claims.

Legal journey in the UK?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2010 into what was then Moon Beever’s insolvency practice, specialising in contentious insolvency law mainly acting for Insolvency Practitioners. I was initially supposed to join the property team however my training contract started in September 2008, just when the property market slowed following the market crash. One day I was roped into assisting the insolvency team by faxing multiple banks on the back of a freezing injunction and there began my journey into the world of insolvency.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in July 2018 working alongside the London team. At the time there were six lawyers in the company, we have tripled in size since! I will be returning to work at the start of April following maternity leave.

Initial impressions?
One aspect that stands out to me is everyone’s willingness to share ideas and support each other, despite any geographic distance. The Manolete Board is also incredibly approachable whether it is offering guidance and technical advice on new case reviews, strategy or settlement decisions.

Beyond the professional realm, I've enjoyed the team's social activities outside of office hours, which are always well-attended, good fun and often involve late nights. It has been great to collaborate with other solicitors who may have once been opponents but are now valued clients and to continue the relationships in the industry that I have built throughout my career as well as develop new ones.

Career highlights?
A few months after joining Manolete, I had the opportunity to attend the London Stock Exchange market open ceremony on the day when the company was listed on the AIM market. It allowed me to gain insight into what really happens on the day a private company becomes publicly listed. As our team stood on a balcony, we witnessed the event unfold on a massive screen amid a backdrop of futuristic music. It was an exciting moment.

I once participated in a mediation which settled by lunchtime. The first offer was made before 10am and counter-offers followed in quick succession. Not all mediations settle so quickly but it is always gratifying when opponents are well advised and decide to contain the risk and put the matter behind them, rather than incur the financial and emotional implications associated with prolonged litigation.

What do you do outside of work?
One of my greatest passions is traveling and immersing myself in different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. I try to visit at least one new place each year in between regular visits to Italy to visit my in-laws. I enjoy collecting unique items and crafts and fashion from around the world and incorporating them into my home décor and wardrobe. Some my favourites include a hand-woven basket made from telephone wire made in a village in Durban, South Africa, a pair of wooden carved turtles from Cape Verde and a hand embroidered kaftan dress from the Amalfi coast.

I enjoy live music, especially performed outdoors. There is something special about enjoying a live band under the open sky. The recent addition to the family, my young son, has brought a whole new dimension and I am excited to experience these activities through his eyes as he grows.

• Tel: 0203 859 3494
• Mob: 07949 085933
• tanya@manolete-partners.com

Jean is an Associate Director for the North West region. Prior to joining Manolete in January 2023, Jean spent 32 years in senior roles with Addleshaw Goddard where she specialised in insolvency and fraud related litigation, including breach of directors' duties and unlawful dividend claims. Jean has held positions on a number of professional committees in the region, including R3 and she is recognised as a rising star in the 2023 issue of Legal 500.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1987, initially working in Employment Law, before joining specialist insolvency practice William Prior & Co (subsequently Dibb Lupton Broomhead & Prior) in 1989. I jumped ship to Addleshaw Sons & Latham (now Addleshaw Goddard) with 30 of my Priors’ colleagues a year later and for the next 32 years I played a pivotal role in developing and then leading Addleshaw Goddard’s insolvency litigation practice in Manchester.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I work alongside Dominic Vincent as an Associate Director in the North West region.

What have been your main impressions?
My initial impressions of Manolete were of a professional and innovative organisation. As a referrer of cases to Manolete from private practice I hadn’t appreciated the size and geographical spread of the legal team. I admit to being surprised by the calibre and diversity of the legal and support teams in London and across the regions. I haven’t yet come across a case where the legal issues are novel to the team. The work environment is collaborative and respectful and I like the flat structure.

What are the other highlights?
The work is interesting and it's been great to get to know a host of IP practices and insolvency lawyers I hadn’t worked with before, as well as having the opportunity to maintain my existing contacts. The lack of unnecessary admin and the streamlined decision-making process are very refreshing. I was tremendously happy to say goodbye to timesheets! A significant number of the cases I have recommended for purchase or funding would not have been pursued but for Manolete’s involvement – we play to win and assisting the IP/lawyer team to achieve a recovery and return to creditors has to be the highest highlight of all.

What do you do outside of work?
I’m a bit of a culture vulture – theatre, art, music (indie of course). Country walks (avoiding hills). Wandering around John Lewis’ home furnishings department looking for inspiration.

• Mob: 07775 586469
• Jean@manolete-partners.com

Caleb is an Associate Director with a decade of experience in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes. He joined Manolete in 2023 from a leading international city law firm where he was a senior associate in its highly regarded Chambers-ranked personal insolvency and insolvency disputes practice. He has acted primarily for Insolvency Practitioners on a wide variety of contentious insolvency matters, including several high-profile bankruptcies. He is a member of the R3 LASER Committee and the Southern Forum Committee and regularly presents on all aspects of Insolvency litigation. He has been recognised in Legal 500 as having “great litigation instincts”.

What is your legal background?
After completing my LPC in 2012, I embarked on my legal career at Stephenson Harwood LLP. I quickly gravitated towards litigation, which ultimately led to my qualification into the firm's Commercial Litigation department, specialising in contentious insolvency. Over the course of the next eight years, I acted on a range of high-profile matters. I also gained valuable experience on a secondment to Christie's Auction House and a term as a Judicial Assistant in the Commercial and Chancery Courts.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I have been at Manolete since 2023. My arrival aligned with Manolete's expansion as it continues to dominate the insolvency litigation funding market and go from success to success. In the time I have been here it has been a non-stop whirlwind of work as I have built up my portfolio cases. My role as an Associate Director encompasses more than just managing claims. It involves sourcing new opportunities, educating the market about Manolete's offerings, purchasing claims and ultimately overseeing the claims to ensure that meritorious ones are pursued and resolved, maximising returns to insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
If Manolete was the law firm, it would probably be the most experienced insolvency litigation team in terms of collective years in practice. I am constantly impressed by the wealth and diversity of experience among our highly effective network of experienced lawyers operating across the UK. Having two deputy judges and the former chief bankruptcy registrar as part of the team is invaluable when considering how the Courts may decide a matter. Whilst we all run our portfolio of cases separately, there is a remarkable cohesion and collaboration within the legal team that allows us to share experience and add considerable value to the cases we take on. There is also a clear blend of technical ability and commercial acumen that makes it an exceptionally dynamic place to work.

What are the other highlights?
Decision-making is swift, whether it involves purchasing a claim, settling a case, or initiating legal proceedings. The turnover of cases is also rapid; the average time at Manolete from purchasing a claim to its conclusion is around 12 months. We call it the “Manolete effect”; previously disengaged and evasive directors often agree to mediate soon after Manolete comes on the scene. Talking of mediation, one highlight was a particularly enjoyable and successful mediation requiring a day trip to Aberdeen – it was a long day! Additionally, working at Manolete has afforded me the opportunity to network and collaborate with a wide range of solicitors, barristers, and IPs.

What do you do outside of work?
I'm an entertainer for my two boisterous young children. Fortunately, living in London provides ample access to family-friendly events - we particularly enjoy visiting the plethora of museums. You can regularly find me at the Emirates Stadium, where I'm a proud Arsenal season ticket holder.

• Mob: 07729 928336
• caleb@manolete-partners.com

Graham joined Manolete in September 2020 as a Consultant for the Yorkshire region. Graham qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and practised for the whole of his career at the Leeds offices of Addleshaw Goddard. Graham has specialised in all aspects of insolvency law since the advent of the Insolvency Act 1986. He has long been recognised by Legal 500 as a ‘leading individual’ in the field. Graham lives locally and has a wide range of connections with the Yorkshire region.

What is your legal background?
I joined the firm Booth & Co upon qualifying as a solicitor in 1984; it was then the largest law firm in Leeds. Early years were spent in finance litigation but I migrated to Insolvency in 1986 when the ‘new’ Insolvency Act became law – glad we still have it today. Booth & Co became what is now international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, where I remained for the whole of my practising career, through to retirement in 2020.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in the autumn of 2020 – a little surreal with the world then locked down by Covid. Having practised in Leeds and the greater Yorkshire region for my whole career, my role was to sit ‘geographically’ between Manolete colleagues Dom Vincent in the North West and Andrew Cawkwell in the North East. I had worked with Manolete in my practising years and so already had first-hand experience of how the Manolete model could unlock value for the benefit of insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
A great team to be with. I am one of 17 highly specialist solicitors that make up the Manolete Legal Team. The team is spread throughout UK regions so as to be accessible to clients and markets, importantly however we operate to a national ‘one team’ model so that cases can be directed to the team member best placed to deal. We have great communication together with great cooperation. Secondly, ease of access. We have no formal referral procedure - no application form, no prescribed list of requirements, no necessity for Counsel’s opinion. These can each amount to a barrier to access for busy practitioners. We talk the case through, see the relevant available papers and move quickly to an investment decision.

What are the other highlights?
Speedy case outcomes. It is gratifying to see how our involvement in a case changes the claim dynamics. In my time with Manolete I have seen many cases where despite their best efforts, the IP has made little progress over months, sometimes years. Put simply, the respondent to the claim knows the estate does not have the financial resources to pursue it. With Manolete acquiring the claim, that dynamic changes overnight and respondents know they can no longer ‘kick the ball into the long grass’. As a result we often achieve early outcomes at very significant values.

What do you do outside of work?
I have always had an interest in motorsport, particularly the historic scene. I have competed in historic racing for many years and continue to compete in historic road rallies – Ford, Volvo, Saab, Mercedes, VW, Lotus and Morgan are all represented within my modest collection. Gardening I used to find a chore, but now I rather enjoy it. To have James Hunt and Monty Don, as persons I aspire to, results in rather strange bedfellows!

• Mob: 07775 586343
• graham@manolete-partners.com

Ronan Butler is an Associate Director in the London office at Manolete. He qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and joined Manolete in 2017 from a London law firm. Ronan specialises in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes, with a focus on offshore litigation and professional negligence.

• Tel: 0203 859 3493
• Mob: 07971 628875
• rbutler@manolete-partners.com

Andrew is Associate Director covering the North East. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and has been a partner at multi office firm Watson Burton LLP and Muckle LLP.

Andrew became the first dual qualified practising solicitor and Certified Turnaround Professional accredited by the European Association of Certified Turnaround Professionals and won ‘Turnaround Practitioner of the Year’ at the 2016 TRI Awards. Andrew is a national board director of Turnaround Management Association (UK) and is a member of R3. Andrew was appointed Head of Business Development in May 2022.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2003 so it is 20 years since I first started doing Insolvency work. I practiced at three different firms in the North-East and specialised in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2019 as an Associate Director in the North-East. Since that time, the region has developed really well and we now have Alexandra Withers and Kelly Jordan also working in the North East. In May 2022, I was very pleased to be asked by the Manolete Board to take up the role as Head of Business Development. In conjunction with the day job of sourcing new enquiries and running cases for my region, I work with all of the other Manolete lawyers in their regions to support them to deliver new enquiries for the business. I enjoy the huge variety of the role and ability to work with colleagues across the country together with my own business referrers. In addition, we carry out a substantial amount of business development with Insolvency Practitioners and their lawyers which I enjoy very much.

What have been your main impressions?
The Manolete team is extremely strong and diverse and we now have 18 lawyers operating across the UK. We get together at least once a quarter as a legal team and it is refreshing to be able to have a laugh and a couple of drinks with colleagues to gel the team together.

What are the other highlights?
I have really enjoyed not having the rigid structure of time recording and monthly billing which allows the genuine opportunity to invest time in developing personal relationships. I have also enjoyed contributing to our success as a collective across a team which is really at the vanguard of insolvency litigation and from time to time seeing our name in reported cases.

What do you do outside of work?
I am a huge Newcastle United fan and season ticket holder and enjoy watching them at every opportunity. I really enjoy hiking and have become a volunteer for a charity specialising in providing guides for walking events. My children are also very active and I provide the usual lifts to and from their extra-curricular activities.

• Mob: 07702 319421
• andrew@manolete-partners.com

Brett joined Manolete in February 2022 and is based in the South West. Previously Brett trained and qualified at the international city firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP where he worked in the dispute resolution team for six years on insolvency litigation, before moving to Foot Anstey LLP. Brett has a degree in Mandarin and Law and held a secondment in Beijing and also worked in-house at two major banks. Brett specialises in insolvency litigation, fraud and asset tracing and traditionally acts for insolvency practitioners and creditors. He has acted for clients on trials in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

What is your legal background?
I spent eight years at an international firm in London doing predominantly cross-border insolvency work. I then moved to a national firm in the South-West and my practice naturally diversified to more national work and general commercial litigation. In private practice, I predominantly acted for banks, Insolvency Practitioners and large corporates or SMEs.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in February this year following thirteen years in private practice. It has been quite a change. It’s been great to be able to focus purely on the commercial and the legal side, without having to deal with all the surrounding issues that need to be dealt with in private practice.

What have been your main impressions?
One of the things that has surprised me is the speed at which resolution of our cases is sometimes achieved. By way of example, I had one case for circa £150k where the letter before action was sent on a Friday afternoon and an offer to pay in full was received on Monday morning. I’ve recently had another case where the total claim was circa £60k and a settlement at £40k was achieved within around one month from the letter before action. These quick results were possible because the well-advised claimant knows Manolete means business and if they don’t engage sensibly and early then the price of settlement is only likely to increase.

What are the other highlights?
Another point that struck me is the need to add value for the estate when funding or purchasing a claim. While there may be a quick win for us in a potential case, that’s not enough. We look for cases where we can help our clients achieve a significant material return for the estate - where we can covert those claims into cash for creditors. Since joining Manolete, I work remotely from my home in the South-West. The flexibility that affords me is great and really helps me manage the responsibilities of looking after my two young children. While I do miss an office sometimes, I’m often on the road meeting clients which helps to get me out of my home office and give me that ‘people connection’.

What do you do outside of work?
? My two kids keep me on my toes. My main pastime is trying to avoid whatever new illness they have brought home from school. Other than that, I like to get out on the golf course and play a round. I also enjoy foreign languages. My degree was in Mandarin and I try to keep that up whenever possible.

• Mob: 07958 650269
• Brett@manolete-partners.com

Mena qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and joined Manolete in 2014 - she has specialised in contentious insolvency throughout her career. Mena is ranked Band One for insolvency litigation funding in the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide 2022, 2023 and 2024 where contributors say: “Her involvement from a legal perspective is invaluable.” “She is superb - a safe pair of hands, very competent and approachable.

She knows the law and which direction she wants the case to take.” “I go directly to Mena with a new opportunity because the relationship is already there. Had a great multimillion-dollar result. Satisfactory all around. An excellent operative, very much at the top of her game, she keeps the wheels of the machine well oiled. Truly professional, very focused and very commercial." “She is frighteningly astute, does not mess around and gets straight to the point. Really fantastic. Head and shoulders above other operators in the market”. "She has an incredible intellect, and a real force and determination to get to the right result." “Mena’s knowledge of all types of insolvency litigation is exemplary and she is able to assess the merits of a case and identify further areas of investigation with ease”. Mena is a member of the Insolvency and Companies Court Users’ Committee.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and started my legal career in the city at Wilde Sapte (now Dentons). I later joined Nick O’Reilly and his IP colleagues at Rothman Pantall conducting insolvency litigation as an in house solicitor, a novel concept at the time requiring special permission from the Law Society.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2014.

What have been your main impressions?
When I joined Manolete I was impressed by the business model which enabled realisations to be made from claims which otherwise would not see the light of day. The purchase and funding agreements drafted by the late Gabriel Moss QC were perfection and the potential to combine finance and legal skills to maximise returns whilst achieving fairness to all stakeholders was clear. The year after I joined we were very excited to have signed 100 cases. We are now at over 1,300 signed cases and this is due to the hard work and dedication of my colleagues in the legal team which has grown from one lawyer (me) to 18.

What are the other highlights?
The IPO in 2018 was a milestone and being involved in that process and investor roadshows was an amazing experience. Building the legal team which comprises a very talented group of lawyers with strong insolvency litigation skills and who are great fun to work with. Working and building strong relationships with many fantastic IPs and external lawyers and getting to know them, often at mediations when waiting for the other side to make offers leaves lots of talking time!

What do you do outside of work?
The great outdoors, walking in the Bucks countryside, coast path in Cornwall or mountains in Ireland. Shopping trips to Bicester Village where I am encouraged by my daughters to spend too much.

• Tel: 0203 859 3495
• Mob: 07912 466695
• mena@manolete-partners.com

Alison Kirby is Associate Director for the Eastern region and has over 25 years of experience as a solicitor in all aspects of insolvency and corporate recovery law. She joined Manolete in March 2019. Alison’s focus is on the East of England insolvency market, and she is based in Norfolk.

Previously she was a partner with Howes Percival LLP heading their dispute resolution and insolvency team in Norwich, with particular expertise in contentious insolvency usually acting for the office holder. Alison led the team at Howes Percival acting for HMRC for 5 years and had a number of cases reported which relate to insolvency and commercial litigation. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 top tier for both categories of insolvency and dispute resolution. In May 2020 Alison was also appointed a Deputy District Judge and sits in the East and Southern Circuit. Alison is an associate member of R3.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1998, working in commercial litigation mainly, and moved to Howes Percival LLP (“HP”) in Norwich in 2005 to concentrate on contentious insolvency work. At that time they were the appointed solicitors on a contract for non-standard insolvency work with HMRC. So I was straight into drafting applications for freezing injunctions and to appoint provisional liquidators without notice to the Company Directors. I became a junior partner in 2008 and a full equity partner in 2012. During my time at HP I worked primarily on the HMRC contract, moving to head up a team undertaking work in the First Tier Tax Tribunal in respect of MTIC fraud, while also undertaking work for insolvency practitioners and helping to deliver the mainstream HMRC contract.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2019 as part of their expansion into the regions. I am the Manolete Associate Director in the East of England and through historic connections I also cover some of the Midlands too. Part of the role is business development and the other part is reviewing the cases, recommending investment decisions and monitoring all cases whether we fund or purchase. So, as we entered lockdown in March 2020, I wondered how it would all work if we, as Associate Directors, could not undertake our BD roles fully. I needn’t have worried; I remained as busy as ever and that has not stopped for the nearly four years I have been in the role.

What have been your main impressions?
Before I joined I had undertaken some work for Manolete, so I knew they actually do what they say they do. I had wondered if the ‘Manolete Effect’ was really true. On one my earliest signed cases, the Director had simply ignored the IP. As soon as we advised of the assignment, he went to a solicitor and we had a settlement in the space of a few months which was far more than I had expected and certainly better progress than the IP alone had been able to make.

What are the other highlights?
To be able to work with a broader range of IPs and to learn from working with, rather than against, firms of solicitors. In addition, to know you can issue court proceedings and press on with good cases is a really positive feeling.

What do you do outside of work?
I enjoy growing fruit and vegetables and sometimes fermenting them in to alcoholic drinks! I love to cook, in fact I just love food in general.

• Tel: 01692 580472
• Mob: 07502 650 183
• alison@manolete-partners.com

Stuart is an Associate Director who joined Manolete’s London team in December 2023, having most recently been an insolvency partner at the London office of a large national solicitors firm. He has over 20 years’ experience of contentious insolvency matters, acting predominantly for insolvency practitioners. Stuart has held an individual ranking in Chambers & Partners for personal insolvency for the last nine years, most recently being described as, “…an excellent lawyer. He has excellent knowledge of personal insolvency and he's easy to deal with."

Legal journey in the UK?
My career in contentious insolvency law began back in 2002. I cut my legal teeth in Yorkshire, before taking my expertise to London in 2008. Prior to my current role, I was a partner in the insolvency department of a prominent national firm's London office. My speciality was representing Insolvency Practitioners in both corporate and personal insolvency issues across the UK. On occasion, I've also provided legal guidance to British companies in financial distress and directors facing legal scrutiny due to their actions.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I'm the freshest face at Manolete, having joined the ranks in December 2023.

Initial impressions?
Starting work at Manolete has given me a unique opportunity to focus solely on the legal and commercial sides of things, while working in new, dynamic ways with clients with whom I have built up trust over several years.

Career highlights?
The camaraderie within Manolete is remarkable. I'm surrounded by fantastic insolvency litigators which make up our highly effective network operating across the UK. Our combined know-how and team approach not only enrich our work but also bring about efficient resolutions, which greatly benefit insolvent estates and their creditors throughout the UK.

What do you do outside of work?
Away from the world of insolvency law, I'm a passionate supporter of Leeds United and Wigan Warriors. My downtime is filled with visits to cinemas, music gigs and expanding my extensive collection of retro Adidas trainers—a hobby that's become both time-consuming and wallet-lightening.

• Mob: 07950 328 768
• stuart@manolete-partners.com

Charlotte is Regional Associate Director, based primarily in the South West and Wales. She is experienced in complex commercial disputes with specialist expertise in property, negligence and insolvency. Charlotte qualified as a solicitor in 2009. In December 2018, Charlotte joined Manolete from national firm Burges Salmon LLP where she worked on high profile retail and property insolvencies. Charlotte is past regional chair of R3 and member of IWIRC.

What is your legal background?
Growing up in the days of Ally McBeal, I aspired to an idealistic legal career from a young age. The outfits and social life were never quite as glamourous, but the work more than made up for it. I trained as a banking lawyer but, as the credit crash hit, I qualified as a banking litigator with a special interest in security enforcement and title issues. This, in turn, evolved into property litigation at Burges Salmon where I advised on all aspects of asset recovery and enforcement for landlords, lenders, LPA Receivers and office holders.

How long have you been at Manolete?
It was a stormy September evening in 2018 whilst standing soaked-through on a site visit in Aberystwyth when I decided I wanted to move from private practice! I joined Manolete a few months later in December 2018 as the Associate Director for the South West and Wales. This was an exciting time as I joined the week Manolete listed on AIM and getting to open the London Stock Exchange was quite an experience. We have only continued to grow from there. In 2021, I was appointed R3 Chair for the South West and Wales.

What have been your main impressions?
Working at Manolete has the rare balance of technical skill mixed with commercial aptitude. We can quickly see where a case is headed, which ones are likely to be difficult and finding ways to make them move forward. It makes a real difference to see a case complete in a matter of months rather than years. There are difficult cases that can be finely balanced and unusual cases; it is never predictable but it is very satisfying. The collective experience of my colleagues is immense and we share a lot of legal knowhow and ideas. Now that the lockdowns have ended, there is no substitute for getting out to meet people face-to-face. My role has brought me into contact with some amazing IPs and solicitors from large firms to sole practitioners.

What are the other highlights?
Whilst we resolve most cases without the need for trial, the rapidly growing number of claims means more trials and judgments, many of which involve attempts by respondents to avoid answering claims. It is particularly gratifying to see many of our cases reported which are helpful not only for Manolete but also for office holders in general.

What do you do outside of work?
I love weekend trips, particularly if it involves rugby, history or Eurovision!

• Mob: 07572 157033
• charlotte@manolete-partners.com

Andrew joined Manolete in 2023 and is based in the Thames Valley. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2012, specialises in insolvency and restructuring, and was previously Head of Insolvency at JCP Solicitors in South Wales before moving to an offshore insolvency and trusts litigation role at Appleby’s Guernsey office. After returning to the UK, Andrew worked in Blake Morgan’s insolvency team, from which he joined Manolete.
Ranked in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 as a “Leading Individual” for restructuring and insolvency, Andrew enjoyed a varied portfolio of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work in private practice, predominantly acting for insolvency office holders and high street lenders. Andrew is an accredited mediator, an associate member of R3, and regularly delivers presentations on contentious insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2012 at JCP Solicitors, based in my home town of Swansea. I became a director and head of JCP’s insolvency department in 2018, before relocating to Guernsey in 2019 to join Appleby’s dispute resolution team. After a really enjoyable few years’ experience of offshore insolvency and trusts litigation, I joined Blake Morgan’s insolvency and business support team in April 2021, based in Reading. The bulk of my time in private practice was spent acting for insolvency office holders in contentious matters. Having worked at a range of law firms, from regional to international with the accompanying client profiles that you’d expect from each, I relish the tactical challenge of getting results in comparatively modest value litigation as much as pursuing high value claims with substantial resources.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2023 as an Associate Director in the Thames Valley and South East region, though I was encouraged to continue working with my existing contacts in London, Guernsey and Wales built up during my time in private practice. Like most lawyers, I like to be busy and hoped upon joining that my desk wouldn’t remain empty for too long. I really needn’t have worried. I quickly discovered the high volume of referrals made to Manolete each week and began reviewing cases on my first day.

What have been your main impressions?
There’s a really flexible and collaborative approach to working at Manolete. Whilst each of the legal team is allocated to a particular geographical area, we’re encouraged to work with our individual contacts wherever they are located. Another example is me being supported to take over Manolete’s portfolio of Scottish litigation in June 2024, which I now run alongside my portfolio South of the border. I really love the variety that brings to my day job in terms of differing procedure and the chance to work with an even wider network. I can’t deny that regular visits to Scotland are an added perk, either.

It's also great to be part of an experienced team of insolvency litigators with a shared pragmatism for obtaining fair, proportionate and swift results. I always enjoyed the collaborative effort between lawyers and IPs in private practice, which is very much part of the Manolete culture and particularly rewarding when it yields recoveries in litigation that might otherwise be stifled by an opponent’s time-and-cost-wasting tactics. The team adopts a real 'no-nonsense' approach to insolvency litigation, which comes from years of doing quality work in private practice.

What are the other highlights?
Having spent more than a decade in private practice acting under a range of funding arrangements, it is really refreshing to be able to pursue bona fide claims in the knowledge that no amount of prevarication by an opponent will cause cost-pressure and/or litigation fatigue. I am also enjoying collaborating with a greater number of insolvency practitioners and, as a totally new experience from private practice, solicitors from various firms.

What do you do outside of work?
I like to get outdoors and travel abroad as often as possible, and am happiest at the beach. I’m an avid rugby fan, a military history geek and play the guitar poorly but with misplaced enthusiasm. I also cram as much exercise into my week as time allows as, in addition to being good for the mind, it’s essential to counteract my love of Italian food.

• Mob: 07931 318 341
• amurphy@manolete-partners.com

Neil is a Regional Associate Director based in the South of England. Before joining Manolete in January 2019, Neil spent just over 20 years in legal practice, specialising in commercial dispute resolution and contentious insolvency. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience and acted as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. Neil has considerable experience of working on complex, multi-party litigation. He is an accredited mediator, a former R3 council member, current regional chairman of R3 Southern & Thames Valley and has lectured widely to a variety of audiences on insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
In the 20 years before joining Manolete I was a commercial litigator; I specialised exclusively in contentious insolvency in the last three years. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience acting as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. All great fun but litigation is rarely an enjoyable experience for the client. I therefore tried to avoid lengthy legal proceedings by reaching a commercial settlement at an early stage, wherever possible, often through mediation. Later in my legal career, I qualified as a mediator and remain firmly committed to mediation as a way of resolving even the most intractable disputes.

How long have you been at Manolete?
Since 2019 and much more enjoyable than my years in legal practice.

What have been your main impressions?
Dynamic, fast-paced, flexible and commercial. I have joined an experienced, well-motivated and highly co-operative team which has enjoyed many successful outcomes and continues to grow. I have particularly enjoyed being part of an organisation with a tremendous reputation and the financial strength to see cases through to trial wherever necessary.

What are the other highlights?
Working almost exclusively with IPs and insolvency lawyers has been a great plus point. Although my role is to act as the client on behalf of Manolete, the IP, solicitor and funder all work together as a team and that has led to some great results. We are able to move quickly and make commercial decisions with the clarity that comes from being able to take an objective approach.

What do you do outside of work?
Family man. Three adult children (one still on the payroll) and three grandchildren. I cycle a lot, sometimes with colleagues in the insolvency profession who care to join me on rides in the New Forest and Isle of Wight, always with ample refreshments.

• Mob: 07771 963 975
• neil@manolete-partners.com

Dominic Vincent is Associate Director for the North West.
Dominic joined Manolete in 2018 as its first regional hire after having been a partner in private practice and having helped establish the legal practice of a national insolvency and restructuring group. Whilst in private practice he was recognised in Chambers as a notable practitioner and in the Legal 500 for both personal and corporate insolvency. Dominic is a member of R3 and has written numerous articles and pieces which have been published in various legal and national journals.

Since joining Manolete he has developed an extensive network of referrers in the north-west insolvency market and he has established Manolete’s office in Manchester where he is a regular speaker at insolvency conferences and events.

What is your legal background?
The majority of my legal career has been spent specialising in insolvency law in private practice. A few years after completing my articles in London, I headed back north, arriving in Manchester in 2001 where I have been based ever since. In that time I have worked for several commercial firms before taking up the challenge to move in-house.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2018 and was the first recruit to be based outside of the London office. The company’s intention at the time was to develop its business into the regions. My role initially was effectively to be the regional director for 'outside London' but I am pleased this area has been refined over the years to be the north-west! I am delighted I now have colleagues who cover the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. Our regional footprint is now second to none and I am struck by the relationships between my colleagues and the numerous insolvency professionals in the UK. These relationships are the key to our success and growth.

What have been your main impressions?
Manolete has been instrumental in redefining the insolvency litigation market over the last 10 years or so. This is reflected in the number of times our name features in case reports. It is very satisfying that insolvency practitioners now find it more straightforward to pursue meritorious cases that perhaps would otherwise not have got off the ground. It is professionally very rewarding to be involved in this fast moving area of the law and it will be interesting see what the landscape looks like 10 years from now. On a macro level, working at Manolete allows you to apply your legal skills to the oversight and management of the investment we make in the legal cases we support. However on a micro level there is the daily delight at not having to fill in daily time recording sheets!

What are the other highlights?
As well as the legal work, my role at Manolete involves a fair amount of business development and marketing and I am always struck by the number of interesting people who work in insolvency. Manolete has taken me to many places I would otherwise never have visited: from the House of Lords, to the London Stock Exchange, to the Court of Appeal, not to mention our annual trips to Chester Races and the Bolton Beer Festival.

What do you do outside of work?
Family, and the three Ms – motorbikes, music and Manchester City FC.

• Mob: 07495 059999
• dominic@manolete-partners.com

Alexandra Withers is an Associate Director for the North East region and has over a decade of experience in all aspects of insolvency law. Previously she was an associate solicitor at a commercial firm in Newcastle upon Tyne where she specialised in contentious insolvency. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 as a Rising Star in the field of insolvency and corporate recovery, as well as a Key Lawyer in the field of commercial litigation. In 2021 Alexandra was appointed to sit part-time as a Deputy District Judge, and in 2024 became authorised to hear Business & Property Court cases. She is also a past chair of R3 North East. Alexandra is based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

What is your legal background?
At the start of my career, I had intentions of being an employment lawyer, however during my training contract I was easily persuaded that insolvency was the area of law for me. I spent a decade at a law firm in Newcastle working almost exclusively in contentious insolvency, as well as doing some related commercial litigation such as shareholder and business disputes. My main client base was Northern insolvency practitioners.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I definitely had to hit the ground running. I don’t think I’ve had a quiet day yet, but I thrive in a busy environment so that suits me just fine. I work three days per week and I look forward to the years ahead.

What have been your main impressions?
Prior to joining Manolete, I had learnt of their ability to achieve high value settlements early in cases, but did wonder if it sounded slightly ‘too good to be true’. However… this has certainly been my experience! I’ve already had so many cases where offers to settle have come in much earlier than when I had acted directly for IPs as a solicitor. It appears the Manolete name does indeed leave proposed defendants in no doubt the claim will be pursued through to trial so early settlement is a good idea. However, while an early settlement is great, it also needs to be at the right level to add value to the estate and our priority is always achieving that.

What are the other highlights?
I really enjoy working with a wider range of IPs, and for the first time in my career, working with other solicitors and not just being on the other side to them. It’s not only really interesting to see how different people work, but it also helps broaden my own knowledge and strategy base and of course to get the best results on our cases. I also get to present to audiences at both larger events, such as R3 conferences, as well as presenting in-house to all levels of insolvency practitioner teams. I have always enjoyed presenting and it’s a great way to add value to the Manolete offering.

What do you do outside of work?
Outside of work my favourite thing to do is travel. My husband and I are slowly making our way around the world, going to new countries and cities each year. Closer to home I enjoy taking regular Spanish language classes, indoor and outdoor cycling, and (much to my husband’s annoyance) DIY and home renovation.

• Mob: 07413 242320
• alexandra@manolete-partners.com

Stephen joined Manolete as a senior adviser in 2017 and was appointed as an independent non-executive director the following year. After 15 years in practice as a solicitor and 12 as an appointment taking insolvency practitioner he was appointed as a bankruptcy registrar (now insolvency and companies court judge) of the High Court in 1996 and as chief bankruptcy registrar in 2004. Stephen is a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, an honorary member of the Insolvency Lawyers Association and an honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management of which he is also president. He sits as a deputy ICC judge in London and acts as a mediator.

Steven founded Manolete in 2009 and is Chief Executive. Steven is a Chartered Accountant having qualified at PwC in 1991. Steven has over 20 years’ experience in corporate finance with National Westminster Bank, Calder Corporate Advisory Ltd and Hill Samuel Investment Bank and is a former director of HSBC Investment Bank (Corporate Finance Division). Steven is an Associate Member of The Association of Business Recovery Professionals.

• Tel: 0203 859 3490
• Mob: 07900 985559
• steven@manolete-partners.com

Annie Devoy was appointed to the Manolete Board in January 2022 as an Independent Non-executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee. Annie is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She was a Partner at PwC from 2002 to 2020 and a member of the executive leadership team for PwC’s Tax, Legal and People Advisory services business. Previously Annie led PwC’s UK Transfer Pricing Network and was part of the firm’s Global Transfer Pricing management team. Annie retired from PwC in 2020 and remains a trustee for PwC’s legacy Defined Benefit pension funds.

Mena qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and joined Manolete in 2014 - she has specialised in contentious insolvency throughout her career. Mena is ranked Band One for insolvency litigation funding in the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide 2022, 2023 and 2024 where contributors say: “Her involvement from a legal perspective is invaluable.” “She is superb - a safe pair of hands, very competent and approachable.

She knows the law and which direction she wants the case to take.” “I go directly to Mena with a new opportunity because the relationship is already there. Had a great multimillion-dollar result. Satisfactory all around. An excellent operative, very much at the top of her game, she keeps the wheels of the machine well oiled. Truly professional, very focused and very commercial." “She is frighteningly astute, does not mess around and gets straight to the point. Really fantastic. Head and shoulders above other operators in the market”. "She has an incredible intellect, and a real force and determination to get to the right result." “Mena’s knowledge of all types of insolvency litigation is exemplary and she is able to assess the merits of a case and identify further areas of investigation with ease”. Mena is a member of the Insolvency and Companies Court Users’ Committee.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and started my legal career in the city at Wilde Sapte (now Dentons). I later joined Nick O’Reilly and his IP colleagues at Rothman Pantall conducting insolvency litigation as an in house solicitor, a novel concept at the time requiring special permission from the Law Society.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2014.

What have been your main impressions?
When I joined Manolete I was impressed by the business model which enabled realisations to be made from claims which otherwise would not see the light of day. The purchase and funding agreements drafted by the late Gabriel Moss QC were perfection and the potential to combine finance and legal skills to maximise returns whilst achieving fairness to all stakeholders was clear. The year after I joined we were very excited to have signed 100 cases. We are now at over 1,300 signed cases and this is due to the hard work and dedication of my colleagues in the legal team which has grown from one lawyer (me) to 18.

What are the other highlights?
The IPO in 2018 was a milestone and being involved in that process and investor roadshows was an amazing experience. Building the legal team which comprises a very talented group of lawyers with strong insolvency litigation skills and who are great fun to work with. Working and building strong relationships with many fantastic IPs and external lawyers and getting to know them, often at mediations when waiting for the other side to make offers leaves lots of talking time!

What do you do outside of work?
The great outdoors, walking in the Bucks countryside, coast path in Cornwall or mountains in Ireland. Shopping trips to Bicester Village where I am encouraged by my daughters to spend too much.

• Tel: 0203 859 3495
• Mob: 07912 466695
• mena@manolete-partners.com

Howard Leigh is a qualified Chartered Accountant. In 1988 he set up Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP where he remains Senior Partner. In 2000, Howard was appointed as the Chairman of the Faculty of Corporate Finance of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). In 2008 he was awarded the Faculty’s Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Finance award. In 2018, Cavendish merged with finnCap and the new group – finnCap Group plc – was listed on the London AIM market. He is the Senior Treasurer of the Conservative Party and chairs four charities. In 2013, Howard was elevated to the Peerage as Lord Leigh of Hurley. He joined the Manolete Board in June 2021.

Mark Tavener joined Manolete as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Board Director on 7 October 2019. Mark is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience. The core of Mark's career has been with Deloitte in London in Audit and Corporate Finance. He also served a secondment period within Government. Following his time with Deloitte, Mark was appointed Finance Director of a FinTech start-up company IPSX. Most recently, Mark has been a Director in the RSM due diligence team leading diligence on financial services businesses in the mid-market.

• Tel: 0203 859 3498
• mark@manolete-partners.com

Tanya joined Manolete in July 2018. Before joining Manolete she was part of the Insolvency team at Moon Beever where she qualified as a solicitor in September 2010 and largely acted for Insolvency Practitioners. Tanya has experience of a broad range of contentious insolvency matters, including both personal and corporate insolvencies and from low value to multi-million pound claims.

Legal journey in the UK?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2010 into what was then Moon Beever’s insolvency practice, specialising in contentious insolvency law mainly acting for Insolvency Practitioners. I was initially supposed to join the property team however my training contract started in September 2008, just when the property market slowed following the market crash. One day I was roped into assisting the insolvency team by faxing multiple banks on the back of a freezing injunction and there began my journey into the world of insolvency.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in July 2018 working alongside the London team. At the time there were six lawyers in the company, we have tripled in size since! I will be returning to work at the start of April following maternity leave.

Initial impressions?
One aspect that stands out to me is everyone’s willingness to share ideas and support each other, despite any geographic distance. The Manolete Board is also incredibly approachable whether it is offering guidance and technical advice on new case reviews, strategy or settlement decisions.

Beyond the professional realm, I've enjoyed the team's social activities outside of office hours, which are always well-attended, good fun and often involve late nights. It has been great to collaborate with other solicitors who may have once been opponents but are now valued clients and to continue the relationships in the industry that I have built throughout my career as well as develop new ones.

Career highlights?
A few months after joining Manolete, I had the opportunity to attend the London Stock Exchange market open ceremony on the day when the company was listed on the AIM market. It allowed me to gain insight into what really happens on the day a private company becomes publicly listed. As our team stood on a balcony, we witnessed the event unfold on a massive screen amid a backdrop of futuristic music. It was an exciting moment.

I once participated in a mediation which settled by lunchtime. The first offer was made before 10am and counter-offers followed in quick succession. Not all mediations settle so quickly but it is always gratifying when opponents are well advised and decide to contain the risk and put the matter behind them, rather than incur the financial and emotional implications associated with prolonged litigation.

What do you do outside of work?
One of my greatest passions is traveling and immersing myself in different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. I try to visit at least one new place each year in between regular visits to Italy to visit my in-laws. I enjoy collecting unique items and crafts and fashion from around the world and incorporating them into my home décor and wardrobe. Some my favourites include a hand-woven basket made from telephone wire made in a village in Durban, South Africa, a pair of wooden carved turtles from Cape Verde and a hand embroidered kaftan dress from the Amalfi coast.

I enjoy live music, especially performed outdoors. There is something special about enjoying a live band under the open sky. The recent addition to the family, my young son, has brought a whole new dimension and I am excited to experience these activities through his eyes as he grows.

• Tel: 0203 859 3494
• Mob: 07949 085933
• tanya@manolete-partners.com

Jean is an Associate Director for the North West region. Prior to joining Manolete in January 2023, Jean spent 32 years in senior roles with Addleshaw Goddard where she specialised in insolvency and fraud related litigation, including breach of directors' duties and unlawful dividend claims. Jean has held positions on a number of professional committees in the region, including R3 and she is recognised as a rising star in the 2023 issue of Legal 500.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1987, initially working in Employment Law, before joining specialist insolvency practice William Prior & Co (subsequently Dibb Lupton Broomhead & Prior) in 1989. I jumped ship to Addleshaw Sons & Latham (now Addleshaw Goddard) with 30 of my Priors’ colleagues a year later and for the next 32 years I played a pivotal role in developing and then leading Addleshaw Goddard’s insolvency litigation practice in Manchester.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I work alongside Dominic Vincent as an Associate Director in the North West region.

What have been your main impressions?
My initial impressions of Manolete were of a professional and innovative organisation. As a referrer of cases to Manolete from private practice I hadn’t appreciated the size and geographical spread of the legal team. I admit to being surprised by the calibre and diversity of the legal and support teams in London and across the regions. I haven’t yet come across a case where the legal issues are novel to the team. The work environment is collaborative and respectful and I like the flat structure.

What are the other highlights?
The work is interesting and it's been great to get to know a host of IP practices and insolvency lawyers I hadn’t worked with before, as well as having the opportunity to maintain my existing contacts. The lack of unnecessary admin and the streamlined decision-making process are very refreshing. I was tremendously happy to say goodbye to timesheets! A significant number of the cases I have recommended for purchase or funding would not have been pursued but for Manolete’s involvement – we play to win and assisting the IP/lawyer team to achieve a recovery and return to creditors has to be the highest highlight of all.

What do you do outside of work?
I’m a bit of a culture vulture – theatre, art, music (indie of course). Country walks (avoiding hills). Wandering around John Lewis’ home furnishings department looking for inspiration.

• Mob: 07775 586469
• Jean@manolete-partners.com

Caleb is an Associate Director with a decade of experience in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes. He joined Manolete in 2023 from a leading international city law firm where he was a senior associate in its highly regarded Chambers-ranked personal insolvency and insolvency disputes practice. He has acted primarily for Insolvency Practitioners on a wide variety of contentious insolvency matters, including several high-profile bankruptcies. He is a member of the R3 LASER Committee and the Southern Forum Committee and regularly presents on all aspects of Insolvency litigation. He has been recognised in Legal 500 as having “great litigation instincts”.

What is your legal background?
After completing my LPC in 2012, I embarked on my legal career at Stephenson Harwood LLP. I quickly gravitated towards litigation, which ultimately led to my qualification into the firm's Commercial Litigation department, specialising in contentious insolvency. Over the course of the next eight years, I acted on a range of high-profile matters. I also gained valuable experience on a secondment to Christie's Auction House and a term as a Judicial Assistant in the Commercial and Chancery Courts.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I have been at Manolete since 2023. My arrival aligned with Manolete's expansion as it continues to dominate the insolvency litigation funding market and go from success to success. In the time I have been here it has been a non-stop whirlwind of work as I have built up my portfolio cases. My role as an Associate Director encompasses more than just managing claims. It involves sourcing new opportunities, educating the market about Manolete's offerings, purchasing claims and ultimately overseeing the claims to ensure that meritorious ones are pursued and resolved, maximising returns to insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
If Manolete was the law firm, it would probably be the most experienced insolvency litigation team in terms of collective years in practice. I am constantly impressed by the wealth and diversity of experience among our highly effective network of experienced lawyers operating across the UK. Having two deputy judges and the former chief bankruptcy registrar as part of the team is invaluable when considering how the Courts may decide a matter. Whilst we all run our portfolio of cases separately, there is a remarkable cohesion and collaboration within the legal team that allows us to share experience and add considerable value to the cases we take on. There is also a clear blend of technical ability and commercial acumen that makes it an exceptionally dynamic place to work.

What are the other highlights?
Decision-making is swift, whether it involves purchasing a claim, settling a case, or initiating legal proceedings. The turnover of cases is also rapid; the average time at Manolete from purchasing a claim to its conclusion is around 12 months. We call it the “Manolete effect”; previously disengaged and evasive directors often agree to mediate soon after Manolete comes on the scene. Talking of mediation, one highlight was a particularly enjoyable and successful mediation requiring a day trip to Aberdeen – it was a long day! Additionally, working at Manolete has afforded me the opportunity to network and collaborate with a wide range of solicitors, barristers, and IPs.

What do you do outside of work?
I'm an entertainer for my two boisterous young children. Fortunately, living in London provides ample access to family-friendly events - we particularly enjoy visiting the plethora of museums. You can regularly find me at the Emirates Stadium, where I'm a proud Arsenal season ticket holder.

• Mob: 07729 928336
• caleb@manolete-partners.com

Graham joined Manolete in September 2020 as a Consultant for the Yorkshire region. Graham qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and practised for the whole of his career at the Leeds offices of Addleshaw Goddard. Graham has specialised in all aspects of insolvency law since the advent of the Insolvency Act 1986. He has long been recognised by Legal 500 as a ‘leading individual’ in the field. Graham lives locally and has a wide range of connections with the Yorkshire region.

What is your legal background?
I joined the firm Booth & Co upon qualifying as a solicitor in 1984; it was then the largest law firm in Leeds. Early years were spent in finance litigation but I migrated to Insolvency in 1986 when the ‘new’ Insolvency Act became law – glad we still have it today. Booth & Co became what is now international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, where I remained for the whole of my practising career, through to retirement in 2020.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in the autumn of 2020 – a little surreal with the world then locked down by Covid. Having practised in Leeds and the greater Yorkshire region for my whole career, my role was to sit ‘geographically’ between Manolete colleagues Dom Vincent in the North West and Andrew Cawkwell in the North East. I had worked with Manolete in my practising years and so already had first-hand experience of how the Manolete model could unlock value for the benefit of insolvent estates.

What have been your main impressions?
A great team to be with. I am one of 17 highly specialist solicitors that make up the Manolete Legal Team. The team is spread throughout UK regions so as to be accessible to clients and markets, importantly however we operate to a national ‘one team’ model so that cases can be directed to the team member best placed to deal. We have great communication together with great cooperation. Secondly, ease of access. We have no formal referral procedure - no application form, no prescribed list of requirements, no necessity for Counsel’s opinion. These can each amount to a barrier to access for busy practitioners. We talk the case through, see the relevant available papers and move quickly to an investment decision.

What are the other highlights?
Speedy case outcomes. It is gratifying to see how our involvement in a case changes the claim dynamics. In my time with Manolete I have seen many cases where despite their best efforts, the IP has made little progress over months, sometimes years. Put simply, the respondent to the claim knows the estate does not have the financial resources to pursue it. With Manolete acquiring the claim, that dynamic changes overnight and respondents know they can no longer ‘kick the ball into the long grass’. As a result we often achieve early outcomes at very significant values.

What do you do outside of work?
I have always had an interest in motorsport, particularly the historic scene. I have competed in historic racing for many years and continue to compete in historic road rallies – Ford, Volvo, Saab, Mercedes, VW, Lotus and Morgan are all represented within my modest collection. Gardening I used to find a chore, but now I rather enjoy it. To have James Hunt and Monty Don, as persons I aspire to, results in rather strange bedfellows!

• Mob: 07775 586343
• graham@manolete-partners.com

Ronan Butler is an Associate Director in the London office at Manolete. He qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and joined Manolete in 2017 from a London law firm. Ronan specialises in complex insolvency litigation and commercial disputes, with a focus on offshore litigation and professional negligence.

• Tel: 0203 859 3493
• Mob: 07971 628875
• rbutler@manolete-partners.com

Andrew is Associate Director covering the North East. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2003 and has been a partner at multi office firm Watson Burton LLP and Muckle LLP.

Andrew became the first dual qualified practising solicitor and Certified Turnaround Professional accredited by the European Association of Certified Turnaround Professionals and won ‘Turnaround Practitioner of the Year’ at the 2016 TRI Awards. Andrew is a national board director of Turnaround Management Association (UK) and is a member of R3. Andrew was appointed Head of Business Development in May 2022.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2003 so it is 20 years since I first started doing Insolvency work. I practiced at three different firms in the North-East and specialised in all aspects of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2019 as an Associate Director in the North-East. Since that time, the region has developed really well and we now have Alexandra Withers and Kelly Jordan also working in the North East. In May 2022, I was very pleased to be asked by the Manolete Board to take up the role as Head of Business Development. In conjunction with the day job of sourcing new enquiries and running cases for my region, I work with all of the other Manolete lawyers in their regions to support them to deliver new enquiries for the business. I enjoy the huge variety of the role and ability to work with colleagues across the country together with my own business referrers. In addition, we carry out a substantial amount of business development with Insolvency Practitioners and their lawyers which I enjoy very much.

What have been your main impressions?
The Manolete team is extremely strong and diverse and we now have 18 lawyers operating across the UK. We get together at least once a quarter as a legal team and it is refreshing to be able to have a laugh and a couple of drinks with colleagues to gel the team together.

What are the other highlights?
I have really enjoyed not having the rigid structure of time recording and monthly billing which allows the genuine opportunity to invest time in developing personal relationships. I have also enjoyed contributing to our success as a collective across a team which is really at the vanguard of insolvency litigation and from time to time seeing our name in reported cases.

What do you do outside of work?
I am a huge Newcastle United fan and season ticket holder and enjoy watching them at every opportunity. I really enjoy hiking and have become a volunteer for a charity specialising in providing guides for walking events. My children are also very active and I provide the usual lifts to and from their extra-curricular activities.

• Mob: 07702 319421
• andrew@manolete-partners.com

Brett joined Manolete in February 2022 and is based in the South West. Previously Brett trained and qualified at the international city firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP where he worked in the dispute resolution team for six years on insolvency litigation, before moving to Foot Anstey LLP. Brett has a degree in Mandarin and Law and held a secondment in Beijing and also worked in-house at two major banks. Brett specialises in insolvency litigation, fraud and asset tracing and traditionally acts for insolvency practitioners and creditors. He has acted for clients on trials in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

What is your legal background?
I spent eight years at an international firm in London doing predominantly cross-border insolvency work. I then moved to a national firm in the South-West and my practice naturally diversified to more national work and general commercial litigation. In private practice, I predominantly acted for banks, Insolvency Practitioners and large corporates or SMEs.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in February this year following thirteen years in private practice. It has been quite a change. It’s been great to be able to focus purely on the commercial and the legal side, without having to deal with all the surrounding issues that need to be dealt with in private practice.

What have been your main impressions?
One of the things that has surprised me is the speed at which resolution of our cases is sometimes achieved. By way of example, I had one case for circa £150k where the letter before action was sent on a Friday afternoon and an offer to pay in full was received on Monday morning. I’ve recently had another case where the total claim was circa £60k and a settlement at £40k was achieved within around one month from the letter before action. These quick results were possible because the well-advised claimant knows Manolete means business and if they don’t engage sensibly and early then the price of settlement is only likely to increase.

What are the other highlights?
Another point that struck me is the need to add value for the estate when funding or purchasing a claim. While there may be a quick win for us in a potential case, that’s not enough. We look for cases where we can help our clients achieve a significant material return for the estate - where we can covert those claims into cash for creditors. Since joining Manolete, I work remotely from my home in the South-West. The flexibility that affords me is great and really helps me manage the responsibilities of looking after my two young children. While I do miss an office sometimes, I’m often on the road meeting clients which helps to get me out of my home office and give me that ‘people connection’.

What do you do outside of work?
? My two kids keep me on my toes. My main pastime is trying to avoid whatever new illness they have brought home from school. Other than that, I like to get out on the golf course and play a round. I also enjoy foreign languages. My degree was in Mandarin and I try to keep that up whenever possible.

• Mob: 07958 650269
• Brett@manolete-partners.com

Mena qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and joined Manolete in 2014 - she has specialised in contentious insolvency throughout her career. Mena is ranked Band One for insolvency litigation funding in the Chambers and Partners Litigation Support Guide 2022, 2023 and 2024 where contributors say: “Her involvement from a legal perspective is invaluable.” “She is superb - a safe pair of hands, very competent and approachable.

She knows the law and which direction she wants the case to take.” “I go directly to Mena with a new opportunity because the relationship is already there. Had a great multimillion-dollar result. Satisfactory all around. An excellent operative, very much at the top of her game, she keeps the wheels of the machine well oiled. Truly professional, very focused and very commercial." “She is frighteningly astute, does not mess around and gets straight to the point. Really fantastic. Head and shoulders above other operators in the market”. "She has an incredible intellect, and a real force and determination to get to the right result." “Mena’s knowledge of all types of insolvency litigation is exemplary and she is able to assess the merits of a case and identify further areas of investigation with ease”. Mena is a member of the Insolvency and Companies Court Users’ Committee.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1985 and started my legal career in the city at Wilde Sapte (now Dentons). I later joined Nick O’Reilly and his IP colleagues at Rothman Pantall conducting insolvency litigation as an in house solicitor, a novel concept at the time requiring special permission from the Law Society.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2014.

What have been your main impressions?
When I joined Manolete I was impressed by the business model which enabled realisations to be made from claims which otherwise would not see the light of day. The purchase and funding agreements drafted by the late Gabriel Moss QC were perfection and the potential to combine finance and legal skills to maximise returns whilst achieving fairness to all stakeholders was clear. The year after I joined we were very excited to have signed 100 cases. We are now at over 1,300 signed cases and this is due to the hard work and dedication of my colleagues in the legal team which has grown from one lawyer (me) to 18.

What are the other highlights?
The IPO in 2018 was a milestone and being involved in that process and investor roadshows was an amazing experience. Building the legal team which comprises a very talented group of lawyers with strong insolvency litigation skills and who are great fun to work with. Working and building strong relationships with many fantastic IPs and external lawyers and getting to know them, often at mediations when waiting for the other side to make offers leaves lots of talking time!

What do you do outside of work?
The great outdoors, walking in the Bucks countryside, coast path in Cornwall or mountains in Ireland. Shopping trips to Bicester Village where I am encouraged by my daughters to spend too much.

• Tel: 0203 859 3495
• Mob: 07912 466695
• mena@manolete-partners.com

Alison Kirby is Associate Director for the Eastern region and has over 25 years of experience as a solicitor in all aspects of insolvency and corporate recovery law. She joined Manolete in March 2019. Alison’s focus is on the East of England insolvency market, and she is based in Norfolk.

Previously she was a partner with Howes Percival LLP heading their dispute resolution and insolvency team in Norwich, with particular expertise in contentious insolvency usually acting for the office holder. Alison led the team at Howes Percival acting for HMRC for 5 years and had a number of cases reported which relate to insolvency and commercial litigation. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 top tier for both categories of insolvency and dispute resolution. In May 2020 Alison was also appointed a Deputy District Judge and sits in the East and Southern Circuit. Alison is an associate member of R3.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 1998, working in commercial litigation mainly, and moved to Howes Percival LLP (“HP”) in Norwich in 2005 to concentrate on contentious insolvency work. At that time they were the appointed solicitors on a contract for non-standard insolvency work with HMRC. So I was straight into drafting applications for freezing injunctions and to appoint provisional liquidators without notice to the Company Directors. I became a junior partner in 2008 and a full equity partner in 2012. During my time at HP I worked primarily on the HMRC contract, moving to head up a team undertaking work in the First Tier Tax Tribunal in respect of MTIC fraud, while also undertaking work for insolvency practitioners and helping to deliver the mainstream HMRC contract.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2019 as part of their expansion into the regions. I am the Manolete Associate Director in the East of England and through historic connections I also cover some of the Midlands too. Part of the role is business development and the other part is reviewing the cases, recommending investment decisions and monitoring all cases whether we fund or purchase. So, as we entered lockdown in March 2020, I wondered how it would all work if we, as Associate Directors, could not undertake our BD roles fully. I needn’t have worried; I remained as busy as ever and that has not stopped for the nearly four years I have been in the role.

What have been your main impressions?
Before I joined I had undertaken some work for Manolete, so I knew they actually do what they say they do. I had wondered if the ‘Manolete Effect’ was really true. On one my earliest signed cases, the Director had simply ignored the IP. As soon as we advised of the assignment, he went to a solicitor and we had a settlement in the space of a few months which was far more than I had expected and certainly better progress than the IP alone had been able to make.

What are the other highlights?
To be able to work with a broader range of IPs and to learn from working with, rather than against, firms of solicitors. In addition, to know you can issue court proceedings and press on with good cases is a really positive feeling.

What do you do outside of work?
I enjoy growing fruit and vegetables and sometimes fermenting them in to alcoholic drinks! I love to cook, in fact I just love food in general.

• Tel: 01692 580472
• Mob: 07502 650 183
• alison@manolete-partners.com

Stuart is an Associate Director who joined Manolete’s London team in December 2023, having most recently been an insolvency partner at the London office of a large national solicitors firm. He has over 20 years’ experience of contentious insolvency matters, acting predominantly for insolvency practitioners. Stuart has held an individual ranking in Chambers & Partners for personal insolvency for the last nine years, most recently being described as, “…an excellent lawyer. He has excellent knowledge of personal insolvency and he's easy to deal with."

Legal journey in the UK?
My career in contentious insolvency law began back in 2002. I cut my legal teeth in Yorkshire, before taking my expertise to London in 2008. Prior to my current role, I was a partner in the insolvency department of a prominent national firm's London office. My speciality was representing Insolvency Practitioners in both corporate and personal insolvency issues across the UK. On occasion, I've also provided legal guidance to British companies in financial distress and directors facing legal scrutiny due to their actions.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I'm the freshest face at Manolete, having joined the ranks in December 2023.

Initial impressions?
Starting work at Manolete has given me a unique opportunity to focus solely on the legal and commercial sides of things, while working in new, dynamic ways with clients with whom I have built up trust over several years.

Career highlights?
The camaraderie within Manolete is remarkable. I'm surrounded by fantastic insolvency litigators which make up our highly effective network operating across the UK. Our combined know-how and team approach not only enrich our work but also bring about efficient resolutions, which greatly benefit insolvent estates and their creditors throughout the UK.

What do you do outside of work?
Away from the world of insolvency law, I'm a passionate supporter of Leeds United and Wigan Warriors. My downtime is filled with visits to cinemas, music gigs and expanding my extensive collection of retro Adidas trainers—a hobby that's become both time-consuming and wallet-lightening.

• Mob: 07950 328 768
• stuart@manolete-partners.com

Charlotte is Regional Associate Director, based primarily in the South West and Wales. She is experienced in complex commercial disputes with specialist expertise in property, negligence and insolvency. Charlotte qualified as a solicitor in 2009. In December 2018, Charlotte joined Manolete from national firm Burges Salmon LLP where she worked on high profile retail and property insolvencies. Charlotte is past regional chair of R3 and member of IWIRC.

What is your legal background?
Growing up in the days of Ally McBeal, I aspired to an idealistic legal career from a young age. The outfits and social life were never quite as glamourous, but the work more than made up for it. I trained as a banking lawyer but, as the credit crash hit, I qualified as a banking litigator with a special interest in security enforcement and title issues. This, in turn, evolved into property litigation at Burges Salmon where I advised on all aspects of asset recovery and enforcement for landlords, lenders, LPA Receivers and office holders.

How long have you been at Manolete?
It was a stormy September evening in 2018 whilst standing soaked-through on a site visit in Aberystwyth when I decided I wanted to move from private practice! I joined Manolete a few months later in December 2018 as the Associate Director for the South West and Wales. This was an exciting time as I joined the week Manolete listed on AIM and getting to open the London Stock Exchange was quite an experience. We have only continued to grow from there. In 2021, I was appointed R3 Chair for the South West and Wales.

What have been your main impressions?
Working at Manolete has the rare balance of technical skill mixed with commercial aptitude. We can quickly see where a case is headed, which ones are likely to be difficult and finding ways to make them move forward. It makes a real difference to see a case complete in a matter of months rather than years. There are difficult cases that can be finely balanced and unusual cases; it is never predictable but it is very satisfying. The collective experience of my colleagues is immense and we share a lot of legal knowhow and ideas. Now that the lockdowns have ended, there is no substitute for getting out to meet people face-to-face. My role has brought me into contact with some amazing IPs and solicitors from large firms to sole practitioners.

What are the other highlights?
Whilst we resolve most cases without the need for trial, the rapidly growing number of claims means more trials and judgments, many of which involve attempts by respondents to avoid answering claims. It is particularly gratifying to see many of our cases reported which are helpful not only for Manolete but also for office holders in general.

What do you do outside of work?
I love weekend trips, particularly if it involves rugby, history or Eurovision!

• Mob: 07572 157033
• charlotte@manolete-partners.com

Andrew joined Manolete in 2023 and is based in the Thames Valley. Andrew qualified as a solicitor in 2012, specialises in insolvency and restructuring, and was previously Head of Insolvency at JCP Solicitors in South Wales before moving to an offshore insolvency and trusts litigation role at Appleby’s Guernsey office. After returning to the UK, Andrew worked in Blake Morgan’s insolvency team, from which he joined Manolete.
Ranked in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 as a “Leading Individual” for restructuring and insolvency, Andrew enjoyed a varied portfolio of contentious and non-contentious insolvency work in private practice, predominantly acting for insolvency office holders and high street lenders. Andrew is an accredited mediator, an associate member of R3, and regularly delivers presentations on contentious insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
I qualified as a solicitor in 2012 at JCP Solicitors, based in my home town of Swansea. I became a director and head of JCP’s insolvency department in 2018, before relocating to Guernsey in 2019 to join Appleby’s dispute resolution team. After a really enjoyable few years’ experience of offshore insolvency and trusts litigation, I joined Blake Morgan’s insolvency and business support team in April 2021, based in Reading. The bulk of my time in private practice was spent acting for insolvency office holders in contentious matters. Having worked at a range of law firms, from regional to international with the accompanying client profiles that you’d expect from each, I relish the tactical challenge of getting results in comparatively modest value litigation as much as pursuing high value claims with substantial resources.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in March 2023 as an Associate Director in the Thames Valley and South East region, though I was encouraged to continue working with my existing contacts in London, Guernsey and Wales built up during my time in private practice. Like most lawyers, I like to be busy and hoped upon joining that my desk wouldn’t remain empty for too long. I really needn’t have worried. I quickly discovered the high volume of referrals made to Manolete each week and began reviewing cases on my first day.

What have been your main impressions?
There’s a really flexible and collaborative approach to working at Manolete. Whilst each of the legal team is allocated to a particular geographical area, we’re encouraged to work with our individual contacts wherever they are located. Another example is me being supported to take over Manolete’s portfolio of Scottish litigation in June 2024, which I now run alongside my portfolio South of the border. I really love the variety that brings to my day job in terms of differing procedure and the chance to work with an even wider network. I can’t deny that regular visits to Scotland are an added perk, either.

It's also great to be part of an experienced team of insolvency litigators with a shared pragmatism for obtaining fair, proportionate and swift results. I always enjoyed the collaborative effort between lawyers and IPs in private practice, which is very much part of the Manolete culture and particularly rewarding when it yields recoveries in litigation that might otherwise be stifled by an opponent’s time-and-cost-wasting tactics. The team adopts a real 'no-nonsense' approach to insolvency litigation, which comes from years of doing quality work in private practice.

What are the other highlights?
Having spent more than a decade in private practice acting under a range of funding arrangements, it is really refreshing to be able to pursue bona fide claims in the knowledge that no amount of prevarication by an opponent will cause cost-pressure and/or litigation fatigue. I am also enjoying collaborating with a greater number of insolvency practitioners and, as a totally new experience from private practice, solicitors from various firms.

What do you do outside of work?
I like to get outdoors and travel abroad as often as possible, and am happiest at the beach. I’m an avid rugby fan, a military history geek and play the guitar poorly but with misplaced enthusiasm. I also cram as much exercise into my week as time allows as, in addition to being good for the mind, it’s essential to counteract my love of Italian food.

• Mob: 07931 318 341
• amurphy@manolete-partners.com

Neil is a Regional Associate Director based in the South of England. Before joining Manolete in January 2019, Neil spent just over 20 years in legal practice, specialising in commercial dispute resolution and contentious insolvency. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience and acted as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. Neil has considerable experience of working on complex, multi-party litigation. He is an accredited mediator, a former R3 council member, current regional chairman of R3 Southern & Thames Valley and has lectured widely to a variety of audiences on insolvency matters.

What is your legal background?
In the 20 years before joining Manolete I was a commercial litigator; I specialised exclusively in contentious insolvency in the last three years. He was a partner in what is now Broadfield where he used his higher rights of audience acting as an advocate in both interim hearings and at trial. All great fun but litigation is rarely an enjoyable experience for the client. I therefore tried to avoid lengthy legal proceedings by reaching a commercial settlement at an early stage, wherever possible, often through mediation. Later in my legal career, I qualified as a mediator and remain firmly committed to mediation as a way of resolving even the most intractable disputes.

How long have you been at Manolete?
Since 2019 and much more enjoyable than my years in legal practice.

What have been your main impressions?
Dynamic, fast-paced, flexible and commercial. I have joined an experienced, well-motivated and highly co-operative team which has enjoyed many successful outcomes and continues to grow. I have particularly enjoyed being part of an organisation with a tremendous reputation and the financial strength to see cases through to trial wherever necessary.

What are the other highlights?
Working almost exclusively with IPs and insolvency lawyers has been a great plus point. Although my role is to act as the client on behalf of Manolete, the IP, solicitor and funder all work together as a team and that has led to some great results. We are able to move quickly and make commercial decisions with the clarity that comes from being able to take an objective approach.

What do you do outside of work?
Family man. Three adult children (one still on the payroll) and three grandchildren. I cycle a lot, sometimes with colleagues in the insolvency profession who care to join me on rides in the New Forest and Isle of Wight, always with ample refreshments.

• Mob: 07771 963 975
• neil@manolete-partners.com

Dominic Vincent is Associate Director for the North West.
Dominic joined Manolete in 2018 as its first regional hire after having been a partner in private practice and having helped establish the legal practice of a national insolvency and restructuring group. Whilst in private practice he was recognised in Chambers as a notable practitioner and in the Legal 500 for both personal and corporate insolvency. Dominic is a member of R3 and has written numerous articles and pieces which have been published in various legal and national journals.

Since joining Manolete he has developed an extensive network of referrers in the north-west insolvency market and he has established Manolete’s office in Manchester where he is a regular speaker at insolvency conferences and events.

What is your legal background?
The majority of my legal career has been spent specialising in insolvency law in private practice. A few years after completing my articles in London, I headed back north, arriving in Manchester in 2001 where I have been based ever since. In that time I have worked for several commercial firms before taking up the challenge to move in-house.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2018 and was the first recruit to be based outside of the London office. The company’s intention at the time was to develop its business into the regions. My role initially was effectively to be the regional director for 'outside London' but I am pleased this area has been refined over the years to be the north-west! I am delighted I now have colleagues who cover the whole of England, Scotland and Wales. Our regional footprint is now second to none and I am struck by the relationships between my colleagues and the numerous insolvency professionals in the UK. These relationships are the key to our success and growth.

What have been your main impressions?
Manolete has been instrumental in redefining the insolvency litigation market over the last 10 years or so. This is reflected in the number of times our name features in case reports. It is very satisfying that insolvency practitioners now find it more straightforward to pursue meritorious cases that perhaps would otherwise not have got off the ground. It is professionally very rewarding to be involved in this fast moving area of the law and it will be interesting see what the landscape looks like 10 years from now. On a macro level, working at Manolete allows you to apply your legal skills to the oversight and management of the investment we make in the legal cases we support. However on a micro level there is the daily delight at not having to fill in daily time recording sheets!

What are the other highlights?
As well as the legal work, my role at Manolete involves a fair amount of business development and marketing and I am always struck by the number of interesting people who work in insolvency. Manolete has taken me to many places I would otherwise never have visited: from the House of Lords, to the London Stock Exchange, to the Court of Appeal, not to mention our annual trips to Chester Races and the Bolton Beer Festival.

What do you do outside of work?
Family, and the three Ms – motorbikes, music and Manchester City FC.

• Mob: 07495 059999
• dominic@manolete-partners.com

Alexandra Withers is an Associate Director for the North East region and has over a decade of experience in all aspects of insolvency law. Previously she was an associate solicitor at a commercial firm in Newcastle upon Tyne where she specialised in contentious insolvency. She has been recognised in the Legal 500 as a Rising Star in the field of insolvency and corporate recovery, as well as a Key Lawyer in the field of commercial litigation. In 2021 Alexandra was appointed to sit part-time as a Deputy District Judge, and in 2024 became authorised to hear Business & Property Court cases. She is also a past chair of R3 North East. Alexandra is based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

What is your legal background?
At the start of my career, I had intentions of being an employment lawyer, however during my training contract I was easily persuaded that insolvency was the area of law for me. I spent a decade at a law firm in Newcastle working almost exclusively in contentious insolvency, as well as doing some related commercial litigation such as shareholder and business disputes. My main client base was Northern insolvency practitioners.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in January 2023 and I definitely had to hit the ground running. I don’t think I’ve had a quiet day yet, but I thrive in a busy environment so that suits me just fine. I work three days per week and I look forward to the years ahead.

What have been your main impressions?
Prior to joining Manolete, I had learnt of their ability to achieve high value settlements early in cases, but did wonder if it sounded slightly ‘too good to be true’. However… this has certainly been my experience! I’ve already had so many cases where offers to settle have come in much earlier than when I had acted directly for IPs as a solicitor. It appears the Manolete name does indeed leave proposed defendants in no doubt the claim will be pursued through to trial so early settlement is a good idea. However, while an early settlement is great, it also needs to be at the right level to add value to the estate and our priority is always achieving that.

What are the other highlights?
I really enjoy working with a wider range of IPs, and for the first time in my career, working with other solicitors and not just being on the other side to them. It’s not only really interesting to see how different people work, but it also helps broaden my own knowledge and strategy base and of course to get the best results on our cases. I also get to present to audiences at both larger events, such as R3 conferences, as well as presenting in-house to all levels of insolvency practitioner teams. I have always enjoyed presenting and it’s a great way to add value to the Manolete offering.

What do you do outside of work?
Outside of work my favourite thing to do is travel. My husband and I are slowly making our way around the world, going to new countries and cities each year. Closer to home I enjoy taking regular Spanish language classes, indoor and outdoor cycling, and (much to my husband’s annoyance) DIY and home renovation.

• Mob: 07413 242320
• alexandra@manolete-partners.com

Sabrina joined Manolete in November 2023 as a Finance Administrator, she has previously worked within the property industry. Sabrina has considerable experience in accounts and assists Manolete’s accounts team.

• Sabrina@manolete-partners.com

Tracy joined Manolete in November 2014 and acts as the Manolete Group Financial Controller and Office Manager. Tracy oversees the day-to-day finance duties including Accounts Payable and Credit Control. Tracy also manages the office admin for the smooth running of the business and for the Manolete Staff.

What is your career background?
I have worked in finance and administration for all my working life. Qualified by experience.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in November 2014 when we were a team of three, Steven Cooklin, Mena Halton and myself working from a small office in Buckinghamshire. I run all the day-to-day finance and office administration for the business.

What have been your main impressions?
Little did I know in 2014 what the future would hold. Manolete has gone through huge growth and to be part of that and see the company become what it is today has been very exciting and a privilege. I look forward to an ever-exciting future.

What are the other highlights?
The standout moment was when we floated the business in 2018 and going to the Stock Exchange on a cold December morning. To see the Manolete signs flashing round the screens was a sight to behold.

What do you do outside of work?
I live in Buckinghamshire and enjoy spending time with my family and two grandchildren. I enjoy the theatre, eating out and plan to resume my travel plans.

• Tel: 0203 859 3497
• tracy@manolete-partners.com

Amber has significant experience in professional services business development and marketing gained over the last 15 years working within the legal sector. Amber joined Manolete in July 2024 as Business Development and Marketing Manager and works alongside the Head of Business Development, Andrew Cawkwell while also supporting the wider BD and Legal teams. Within her role, Amber has a comprehensive range of responsibilities but ultimately is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operational delivery of Manolete’s wide ranging business development activity.

What is your career background?
I’ve had a diverse 35-year career in the legal sector, starting out as an Office Junior and progressing through roles in Commercial Litigation (Secretarial), Office Management and Recruitment. After being headhunted by a recruitment agency, I discovered my passion for sales and marketing. Since then, I’ve held senior business development and marketing roles within law firms and have directly contributed to the success of each company I have worked with.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I was delighted to join Manolete at the beginning of July.

What have been your main impressions?
Everyone at Manolete has been incredibly friendly and supportive, but what truly stands out to me is the team's vast expertise. I'm constantly amazed by the outstanding results they achieve.

What are the other highlights?
I bring a wealth of experience to my role at Manolete, but here I’m exposed to new challenges and I love that! It keeps things interesting for me and I’m learning something new every day.

What do you do outside of work?
I am a self-proclaimed 80s/90s pop princess and love nothing more than going to see live music – recent gigs include Duran Duran and Ricky Astley.

• Mob: 07889 479243
• amber@manolete-partners.com

Wendy joined Manolete in May 2023 after working for RSM Creditor Solutions LLP for 22 years. She specialised in personal insolvency and was an Associate Director in their bankruptcy team. Wendy-Jay has a keen interest in litigation of antecedent transactions and is using those investigation skills in Manolete’s Net Worth Team.

What is your career background?
I have spent all of my career in insolvency, mainly specialising in personal insolvency with a special interest in litigation, especially antecedent transactions. Over my career, I have worked for Ernest & Young, KPMG, Jacksons Jolliffe Cork that became Tenon, RSM Tenon, Baker Tilly and latterly RSM, being an Associate Director.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in May 2023. Prior to that, I had worked with the company on the funding of the litigation of a bankruptcy matter. I was very impressed with the speed in which decisions were made and the quick resolution of the matter. This experience very much helped in my decision to join the team.

What have been your main impressions?
My first impression was how impressive my new colleagues were. The legal team is made up of very well-respected and talented solicitors and the wider team members are every bit as impressive in their fields. I love the variety of my role in the Net Worth Team. Since joining, my role has expanded to reviewing bank statements, to develop claims against directors and also managing the Bankruptcy Portfolio and arranging for the appointment of Trustees.

What are the other highlights?
I really enjoy our quarterly legal meetings, when the Legal Team and the Net Worth Team get to meet. As we often work remotely it is great to catch up in person and share the latest legal updates and a couple of glasses of wine in the evening.

What do you do outside of work?
I have a busy life outside of work, keeping up with my two children. My little boy was diagnosed with ADHD last year and I am now starting to volunteer with the ADHD group that supported my family through this time and helping to get him a place at a specialist school so he can reach his full potential. I am also a Brownie leader and love to craft, when I get time. If not at home, I can be usually found at our family allotment.

• Mob: 07971 115073
• Wendy-Jay@manolete-partners.com

Rachel joined Manolete in January 2022 as Associate Director – Finance. She began her career in the Grant Thornton audit team and qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 2015. Rachel has since held positions for several PLC and private businesses working across sectors including FMCG, Waste and Marketing.

• Mob: 07788 713077
• rlindley@manolete-partners.com

Jerusha is a Legal Assistant at Manolete Partners. She joined Manolete in October 2019 to assist the net worth team. Jerusha graduated from the University of Brighton in 2018 with a 2:1 in LLB Law with Business and previously worked as a Legal Assistant at BTMK Marcus Baum.

What is your legal background?
I graduated in Law with Business at the University of Brighton in 2018. Before joining Manolete, I worked as a legal assistant at BTMK Solicitors in their conveyancing department. I am currently studying for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) with the support of Manolete.

How long have you been at Manolete?
I joined Manolete in October 2019 as a Financial Analyst in London. I work in the net worth team providing net worth reports for the Associate Directors. My role also involves administrative work and submitting applications to Land Registry. Being the youngest member in the company, I occasionally get asked to help sort out any IT problems!

What have been your main impressions?
Manolete has created a strong, supportive team and everyone is a team player. Being the newest recruit at the time, it was daunting joining a new firm with limited knowledge of the industry, but everyone made me feel welcome and I bonded with everyone very quickly after joining. I am also impressed with the calibre and the continued growth of the company.

What are the other highlights?
I had the chance to sit in on a trial which was a great learning experience and offered me a fresh perspective of legal work beyond my usual working role. Manolete also holds quarterly legal meetings which are a great opportunity to catch up with the team and socialise in the evening. Since Covid, I haven’t had to travel into the London office as often, so it is good fun to see everyone at these events when the opportunity arises. Some of these events have included a tour of the House of Lords and Polo in the Park to name a few.

What do you do outside of work?
I love to travel and visit new places, experiencing and immersing myself in different cultures and cuisines. I could spend hours taking in all the architecture and learning about the history of a city. I also love eating out and dining in new restaurants.

• Tel: 020 3859 3496
• Mob: 07711 909 287
• jerusha@manolete-partners.com

Jeremy works in the Business Development Team responsible for marketing and media communications. He has worked for Manolete since 2015. He previously worked as a journalist and in communications and policy for the Civil Service and charities. Jeremy supports Manolete on public policy, investor engagement and is responsible for the monthly newsletter and managing the Manolete websites.

• Mob: 07747 727993
• jeremy@manolete-partners.com

David started in the Finance team in July 2023. He has worked in both commercial and charity SMEs in a diverse range of sectors giving David a wide variety of experience. As a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, he has operated at Board level for over twenty years.

• Mob: 07838 121320
• David@manolete-partners.com

Stephen, our Financial Analyst at Manolete since August 2023, brings substantial management experience from a background in UK law enforcement. His adeptness in diverse investigative roles bolsters our Net Worth Team, while also lending support to our business development initiatives.

• Mob: 07599 312434

Bernadette is Manolete’s independent Company Secretary. Bernadette qualified as a Chartered Secretary in 1994 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA). Having spent around 15 years in in-house company secretarial roles, Bernadette established her own consultancy business, Chadwick Corporate Consulting in 2005, specialising in providing company secretarial and corporate governance services. She is the author of The ICSA Corporate Governance Handbook.

• bernadette.young@indigogovernance.com