Directors

At St Helens Law our Board of Directors oversees the delivery of our high quality, client-focused legal services. With experienced and dedicated staff at all levels, our success in achieving our mission is demonstrated by the high number of clients who return to us again and again.

In 1979 Howard’s legal career began working for a regional firm in Liverpool, before moving to St Helens in 1983. Now with two daughters, a son and a grandson, he is actively involved in Club Cricket at Prescot and Odyssey, and also junior football. As well as being a past President of Prescot Rotary Club and former Chairman of Huyton Round Table.

Howard is currently a Charity Trustee, having a special interest in education and the well-being of animals, and is frequently asked to advise owners of animals of their obligations and rights under the Animals Act. He is also a school governor at Prescot School.

Howard’s legal work now focuses mainly on dispute resolution, both as an advisor and as a mediator, and he is often asked to mediate in civil disputes and family cases in relation to children or finances. He also mediates land disputes, including boundaries, rights of way and ownership, and in cases relating to to wills and the rights of elderly clients with regard to care and family/finance issues. Alongside this he performs work involving commercial and residential conveyancing. The type of specific work this includes is drafting leases, as well as buying and selling property.

Howard has extensive experience of commercial litigation and mediation for commercial clients and for individuals. Howard advises  as to leases and their renewal and litigation and mediation of this area of law. Other practice areas involved disputes between directors and limited companies and directors.

Howard has appeared at many tribunals involving employment, discrimination and redundancy issues. He has also appeared on behalf of registrants before the Health Care Professionals Tribunal in relation to challenges to their continued registration.

Howard states, “My eclectic practice deals with high value professional and clinical negligence litigation, and I have a particular interest in litigation following land transactions and/or conveyancing carried out by solicitors. Above all I enjoy giving a voice to people in matters to do with their freedoms, and assisting in cases where authority has been wrongfully or aggressively imposed.”

E-mail: howard.nulty@sthelenslaw.co.uk

Deborah has worked in the legal profession since 1985, when she began her career at a local firm with Howard Nulty.

Deborah completed the Legal Practice Course at Liverpool John Moores University in 2002, having graduated with Distinction and was awarded the Law Society Prize for Merseyside region for the year 2002. She then went on to teach Civil Litigation on the very same course.

Over the years, Deborah has worked in Personal Injury, Matrimonial, Conveyancing and Criminal departments and is the Supervisor of the Personal Injury Department. Deborah practices Personal Injury law, including Road Traffic Accidents. She has also worked on contract disputes, employment law disputes, debt matters and private landlord tenancy evictions.

E-mail: deborah.murphy@sthelenslaw.co.uk

Neil has over 20 years experience working in the commercial marketing field, having worked for some high profile companies within the sports industry.

Back in 2016 he joined St Helens Law as Marketing and Commercial Manager having responsibility for all marketing activity both off and online, commercial revenue, budgeting and business development. Over the years Neil has had more involvement in the firm and in November 2021 he was appointed a Director.

Neil oversees the day to day operations of the firm, having responsibility for setting forecasts, budgets, KPI’s, implementing the financial targets for the business. He is responsible for the maintenance of professional standards and compliance with various professional and authority bodies. His main focus is to continually drive the strategic growth of the business.

Neil has overall responsibility for decisions that impact finance, recruitment, HR and strategy. He works closely with fellow Directors to manage costs and drive profitability.

Away from the office, Neil is a Foundation Governor at a local Primary School in St Helens and he is heavily involved in coaching rugby union.

If you would like to contact Neil please email neil.ryan@sthelenslaw.co.uk

Staff

Our solicitors and staff are highly trained and whatever your legal requirement, we can offer a suitably qualified person to deal with it.

Kirsty has been with St Helens Law since the very beginning, having assisted the Directors with setting up their first office before it even opened its doors in 2001, during her school holidays.

Kirsty attended Liverpool Blue Coat School until 2002, then went on to the University of Liverpool  to obtain her Law Degree. Upon completing her Legal Practice Course at Liverpool John Moore’s University in 2006, Kirsty took up a full time role at St Helens Law.

Kirsty has been qualified as a Solicitor since 2009 and has practiced in several areas of law, choosing to specialise in Wills and Probate. Kirsty has a wealth of experience in all aspects of private client, including Wills, Administration of Estates and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

In 2014 Kirsty became an Associate Director of St Helens Law.

After four years working in the Defendant department of a firm in Manchester, Nicola moved to the Claimant side of litigation. She has since built over 13 years of experience in dealing with personal injury and civil litigation, including debt recovery and the recovery of PPI, and specialises in road traffic accidents.

Nicola enjoys cycling, reading, going to the cinema, shopping with her daughter and spending time at the park with her young twin boys. Having worked in a solicitors’ office since leaving school, she enjoys the different challenges that each case brings.

Nicola attended Rainhill High School and from there attended College.  Nicola did not qualify as a Solicitor following the conventional route of going to University.  Instead Nicola worked her way up through a law firm, learning whilst on the job and obtaining her qualifications at the same time.  This means that when tackling problems, Nicola approaches them with a practical mind.

Nicola has over 22 years experience, in the area of Family Law.  She has also been through a divorce herself and therefore as well as advising from a Lawyers perspective, she can also offer advice in terms of practicalities.

Nicola is Head of the Family Law Department here at SHL, having joined the firm in 2016.  She has previous experience of Heading up a Family Department at another Solicitors practice in Merseyside.

In her spare time Nicola enjoys living life to the full, enjoying spending time with her partner and children.

Julie has worked in the legal profession since January 1985, beginning her career at a local firm of solicitors with current directors Howard Nulty and Deborah Murphy.  Julie began working for St Helens Law the year it was formed in 2006.

Julie attended Haydock High School and then went on to St. Helens College.

Over the years, Julie has worked in various departments within the company, including conveyancing, personal injury and criminal.  Julie is currently working in the conveyancing department and has plenty of experience in that field and is a valuable member of the Team.  Julie has worked in the legal profession all her working life, and enjoys the challenges that each day brings.

Julie enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, knitting and crocheting, going to the theatre and cinema and spending time with her little Pug.

If you would like to contact Julie please email julie.brannan@sthelenslaw.co.uk

Sharon is a legal assistant within our busy family department and has worked for the company since 2019. Sharon has previously worked with our Associate Director Nicola Dolbear who is also the head of the family department at another law firm before taking a career break for her children.

Sharon has two children and this gives her the experience to understand how family matters can be stressful and upsetting at times. Sharon has legal experience within family, criminal and PI departments over the years since 2000.

Leanne has worked at SHL since 2003, were she started as an office junior and receptionist, then progressed into the conveyancing department as an assistant to the head of department.

Leanne is now a conveyancing executive dealing with a wide range of residential sales, purchases, re-mortgages and transfer of equity matters. Leanne is very experienced in residential property transactions and manages a large caseload.

As part of Leanne’s continually development, she is studying for the licenced conveyancer qualification.

Janice Tyrer currently works within the accounts department and prior to working at SHL spent over 23 years working for a bank in numerous roles specialising in dealing with customer complaints.

Janice started work at SHL Solicitors back in 2014 as a receptionist with a brief time working in the conveyancing department.

At present she assists the Associate Director of Finance in the Accounts Department.

Akbar is a Trainee Solicitor who is passionate about the Law. His passion has driven him to obtain a first class degree in Law and a Distinction in his Masters in Law combined with the LPC. He has gained experience in litigation, personal injury, and family law and is currently within the conveyancing department.

Akbar enjoys the study and practice of law helping his clients overcome and progress through challenges they may face in their lives. Akbar is due to qualify as a solicitor in 2023.

Outside of work, Akbar enjoys going to the gym and playing football.