Directors
Jennifer Simmons – COLP MLRO:
Jennifer Simmons was admitted as a solicitor in 1976. She is a Director of the firm. She completed her traineeship at Jaques & Co in Gray’s Inn. Jennifer’s expertise lies in civil litigation, debt collection, employment, and property management. She represented individuals, corporate entities, and business clients, offering advice on a wide range of issues. Currently, she spends most of her time managing the firm and dealing with compliance.
Desmond Taylor
Desmond Taylor was admitted as a solicitor in 1975.He is a Director of the firm. He retired as a solicitor at the end of October 2023. He previously practiced in commercial and residential property law, including landlord and tenant matters, commercial and residential development, and financing. Additionally, he had experience in Business Acquisitions and Sales.
Mark Shulman
Mark Shulman was admitted as a Solicitor in 2006, He is a director of the firm.
Nicolas Shulman
Nicolas Shulman was admitted as a Solicitor in 2006, He is a Director of the firm.
Stuart Veitch – Finance Director COFA:
Stuart Veitch has been with the firm since 2010 and currently holds the position of Finance Director and COFA. With a career starting in 1984, Stuart has worked in the financial departments of several law firms, bringing a comprehensive understanding of all matters related to accountancy and finance.
Solicitors
Haris Ahmed
Head of Litigation Department
Haris was admitted as a solicitor in 2017 having previously been at the Bar. He joined the firm in November2021. He specialises in litigious matters and has extensive experience in a variety of areas ranging from complicated commercial disputes in the High Court to small consumer litigation matters in the County Courts. This is further complemented by his experience in various Land and Employment Tribunals. In the past Haris has advised clients on, inter alia, complicated commercial contractual disputes, partnership and company disputes, copyrights claims, professional negligence, land and boundary disputes, probate including claims under the 1975 Act, various insolvency and landlord and tenant disputes. Haris is also at ease drafting pleadings and conducting his own advocacy wherever necessary. Having experience in a full range of disputes ensures that Haris is consistently able to provide his clients commercially sensible and no-nonsense cost-effective advice. Outside of work Haris enjoys sports, travelling to exotic locations and BBQs.
Claudio Cervo
Claudio was admitted as a Solicitor in April 2021 after having spent more than five years as a paralegal and Trainee Solicitor in both English and Italian practices. He is also an accredited Level 2 Senior Caseworker under the Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme. He joined the firm in November 2021. After obtaining an Italian Law Degree in Rome he moved to the United Kingdom where he completed his studies at the BPP Law School. He then started his legal career assisting clients in Asylum and Immigration matters. Claudio feels hugely rewarded by the tangible ways in which individuals’ lives have been impacted by his contribution to the provision of legal services and he remains committed to tackling social injustice and social exclusion at all levels. Claudio speaks Italian and English fluently.
Claudio works in our Corporate department and AML Compliance team
Trang Chu:
Trang started her training contract on 22nd November 2021, having studied law at Queen Mary, University of London. She holds a Masters’s in Law with Merit in Commercial and Corporate Law. She qualified as a solicitor in the UK in April 2024.She has experience in Corporate, Litigation, Immigration and Conveyancing
Trang also works in the AML Compliance Team.
Edward Mackewn:
Head of Commercial and Corporate Department
Edward Mackewn has been with the firm since 2010. He was admitted as a solicitor 2013. His expertise includes property management, development, litigation, corporate, and commercial matters, with a strong focus on start-up companies and enfranchisement.
Anuj Verma
Anuj is a dual qualified lawyer in India and the UK. Anuj graduated from Cardiff Law School and completed his LPC from City University, London. He has also completed his master’s degree in business administration specialising in international trade and strategic planning. He has over seven years of legal experience in India working on several corporate and commercial transactions. Anuj started his training contract with the firm in September 2022 and qualified as a solicitor in the UK in April 2024. At Canfields, Anuj specialises in commercial conveyancing transactions and assists Harvey in other corporate and property matters.
Consultants
Hinnah Asif
Senior Immigration Consultant
We are delighted that Hinnah has rejoined our immigration team in September 2024.
She had obtained a qualification in CILEX Level 6 Immigration Law. She graduated with an LLB in 2012 and joined us after 5 years with the Home Office. Hinnah began her career with Citizens Advice where she supervised and quality assessed advice in areas such as debt, housing, benefits and immigration. Hinnah then joined the Home Office where she gained extensive experience of drafting responses to judicial reviews and later worked on a Brexit team dealing with applications and refusals from the Settlement Scheme. Points based system, Curtailment ,Overstaying ,Asylum, Human rights, EU settlement scheme, British nationality disputes, right of abode. Hinnah is fluent in Urdu and Potohari. In her spare time, Hinnah enjoys travelling, reading and interior design.
Diane Brodkin
Head of Conveyancing Department
Diane is a very experienced solicitor who has been in private practice since being admitted in 1972.She ran her own practice with her husband for many years until she joined the firm,She specialises in residential conveyancing matters as well as undertaking Wills, Probate and Lasting Powers of Attorney work. Her conveyancing expertise covers both leasehold and freehold sales and purchases as well as matters relating to lease extensions Diane’s undoubted expertise and vast wealth of experience, allied to a friendly, personal service provide a high quality of service to all her clients.
Harvey Shulman
Harvey was admitted as a solicitor in 1972 and has had nearly four decades of legal experience. In particular, Harvey works with early-stage start-ups in diverse industries, seeking to turn them into highly successful ventures. He has been involved with designing and implementing several highly successful investment schemes. Harvey has also been on the Board of numerous companies, both public and private. He has a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM) specialising in Company Law, Tax and Intellectual Property. Harvey regularly speaks at conferences and webinars relating to business immigrations startup companies and has a wide network of business contacts. He has a wide experience in most areas of law and specialises in Business Immigration. Harvey is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association.(ILPA)
Registered Foreign Lawyers
Michael Rodrigues
Head of Immigration Department
Michael Rodrigues is an Immigration Lawyer registered and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in the UK, the Portugal, and the Brazil Bar Associations.
He has almost two decades of immigration experience by working for some of the world top-ranking corporate firms, including PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Fragomen and Ernst and Young (EY), on a variety of private and corporate immigration matters.
He also has Global Immigration experience, where he successfully managed several medium to large-sized projects helping global market-leading companies to move their employees across the globe.
He understands the pain, the anxiety and the burden an immigration process can bring to applicants, their family and their employers and stakeholders. He is pleased to be in a position to make this process as smooth as possible for all parties involved.
He is also a Registered Foreign Lawyer
Qualifications:
- LLB – Brazil, Toledo University in Sao Paulo, Brazil – 1998
- LLM – Constitutional and Public Law – Estacio University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2000
- LLM – European Law, University of Lisbon, Portugal – 2002
- GDL – University of Hertfordshire, St Albans, UK – 2003
- PhD – Constitutional Law and its implications on the international legal framework, Estacio University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2015
Memberships:
- The Law Society, UK
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), UK
- Immigration Lawyers Practitioners (ILPA), UK
- Free Movement, UK
- Ordem dos Advogados de Portugal (OAP), Portugal
Ordem dos Advogados do Brazil (OAB), Brazil
Marcio Dos Santos
Deputy Head of Immigration Department
Marcio graduated from Universidade da Amazonia (Brazil) with a first-class Law Degree in 2008. In March 2008, Marcio was admitted to the Brazilian BAR (Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil) and, later (2016), to the Portuguese BAR (Ordem dos Advogados). In 2017, Marcio started practising Immigration Law in the United Kingdom and, in January 2019, was admitted to the Office of the Immigration Services (OISC)Commissioner as an Immigration Adviser. Marcio has been practicing Electoral Law, Public Law and Litigation for over 13 years within Civil Law jurisdiction and Immigration Law in the United Kingdom for over 3 years.
Marcio is also a Registered Foreign Lawyer
In his spare time, Marcio enjoys playing sports of the likes of football and reading, especially about History.
Legal executives
Olajumoke Ajayi
Legal Executive
Olajumoke joined the firm in December 2023 as Legal Executive at Canfields Law She is a certified SMCA Mediation Advocate and a certified Online Dispute Resolution [0DR] Practitioner. She has a proven track record in analysing legal issues, drafting legal documents and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. She also has strong Intellectual Property experience and knowledge of IP laws and processes. She considers that keen eye for detail, excellent communication and negotiation skills with a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and adhering to ethical standards.
Elfrida Oladipo
Senior Legal Executive
Elfrida qualified as a Solicitor and Barrister of the Nigerian Supreme Court. She is a corporate/commercial lawyer in Nigeria with over 15 years of experience. She holds a master’s from the University College London. London and has considerable experience in corporate finance; mergers & acquisition; regulatory and compliance. She has acted for individuals, corporates and public institutions in multiple transactions and is well known for her dedication and professionalism.She is also a Registered Foreign Lawyer
She works in the Commercial, Litigation and AML departments.
Trainee
Karim Fawaz:
Karim Fawaz completed his LLB (Hons) from the University of West London. As a paralegal since April 2021, he specialises in matters related to business immigration and he is now a Trainee Solicitor gaining experience in other areas of law.
Paralegal
Elwalid Bouhelal:
Elwalid Bouhelal joined the firm as a paralegal in August 2023. He has a Foundation Course in Humanities and Social Sciences at Birkbeck University of London, a degree in International Business at Middlesex University, and an LLB from the University of Westminster. He works mainly in the immigration department but is also gaining experience in areas of law.
Finance Department
Samuel Garcia
Transaction controller
Samuel joined Canfields Law in November 2019 bringing 20 years of experience as Accounts Assistant, he is working closely with our COFA as transaction controller. Qualified in Spain, before joining the firm, Samuel worked for a London-based Media Report company for over four years.
John Marney
Management Accountant
John is a qualified ACCA accountant. He joined the firm in November 2023.
He graduated from Brunel University London with a First Class honours degree in BSc Business & Management (Accounting) whilst working in industry for a subsidiary of one of France’s largest banking groups, Groupe BPCE.
He has extensive knowledge and experience with Small-Medium Sized entities (SMEs) & Financial Reporting, and he has helped streamline the finance function here at Canfields Law by implementing effective systems and solutions to aid decision making.
CPD MANAGER
Jennifer Akinyose
Jennifer is the CPD Manager at Canfields Law, where she is responsible for designing and implementing the firm’s CPD program. With a background in education and training, Jennifer brings a unique perspective to her role, focusing on creating engaging and effective learning experiences for the firm’s lawyers and support staff
Business Development
Business Development Team
Peace Igwe
Satinder Kaur
Zeenat Laghari
Ayiyi Happy Osas
Seher Sheikh
Our experienced team provides individuals and organisations with effective solutions to achieve their personal and business goals.
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