Our People

Partner

Claire Poulton

Claire joined Rutherfords in September 2006 shortly after completing her Law Degree. Claire began work at Rutherfords as a paralegal, gaining experience in a variety of commercial and property transactions, going on to qualify as a solicitor in June 2010 and was, subsequently, made partner in January 2013. 

Claire has had the benefit of working in a variety of areas of law and is therefore able to apply this breadth of knowledge to all her work but now specialises in commercial property, landlord and tenant, agricultural and complex development work. She acts mainly for property owners / landowners with large expanding portfolios together with land owners and developers on complex development projects (including option agreements, overage agreements, conditional contracts, development agreements and land promotion agreements).

Claire has a long-standing client base and adopts a professional, warm and friendly approach which is welcomed by business and private clients alike

Consultant Solicitor

Daniella Tarbuck

Daniella is a Consultant Solicitor who has many years’ experience dealing with business owners mainly in the SME market as she enjoys the ‘hands on’ approach required when working alongside business owners and directors as part of their legal team. Having worked in commerce before her legal career, she adopts a practical and commercial view of transactional work and works hard to find a straightforward resolution for her clients.

Daniella was educated at Queen Mary’s High School for Girls and The University of Birmingham and trained at the Wilkes Partnership in Birmingham, following a period of working for Wragge & Co immediately after qualification.

She now enjoys working with the Rutherfords team to assist corporate and commercial clients achieve the best outcome they can from their transactions and has a particular interest in fast turnaround commercial bridging finance.

Jason King

Jason joined Rutherfords LLP in 2020 as part of the expansion of the Commercial Team.

Jason obtained Distinction when undertaking the LPC at Nottingham Law School, having already obtained a grade 2:1 Law Degree. Having completed his training contract at a law firm in Warwickshire, he qualified as a solicitor in early 2017. Jason has benefitted from working in various areas of Commercial and Property law, with the ability to assist clients in a variety of different matters

Solicitor

Lauren Henderson

Lauren joined Rutherfords in 2015 as a Paralegal in our Corporate and Commercial Department.

Lauren started her training contract in 2017. She achieved a first class Law Degree and went on to graduate, achieving a Masters in Law (LLM) and completed her LPC.

Lauren has been an integral part of the Corporate and Commercial Department since joining Rutherfords and completed her training contract in 2019 and will continue to work with the team on all Corporate and Commercial matters now as a qualified Solicitor.

Consultant Solicitor

David Sketchley

David is a Consultant Solicitor specialising in Commercial and Agricultural property and development work and related matters including partnership, Wills and successor advice.

David trained with Rutherfords, becoming a partner and became Managing partner before leaving to establish his own practice, Sketchley & Co, to allow him to concentrate on development and agricultural work.

Sketchley & Co merged with Dewes & Son, a long established Tamworth firm, with the two practices becoming Dewes Sketchley and later as Dewes LLP. David continued as Managing partner. The practice was eventually sold to Fishers of Ashby with David working as a consultant.

David wanted to return to his roots and has now come full circle to where he started and we welcome him back to the fold as a Consultant with us.

David has many years’ experience and has acted for numerous property developers and farmers on all aspects of their work form original site development, farm acquisition and sales, partnership creation and disputes and commercial lease work for both Landlords and Tenants as well as their private client work. Other work includes acting on multiple farm sales involving PLC’s, the Crown and private owners. He has also advised partnership and company reorganisations primarily for the farming community together with wills and succession planning.

David has also negotiated deals with several major house builders including Persimmon, Bellway and Taylor Wimpey involving options, promotion agreements and conditional contracts, on schemes varying from 10 to 600 plus houses.

Legal Secretary

Denise Lorton

Denise is an experienced legal secretary who joined the firm in 2023.

Denise provides support to the Commercial Department.

Legal Secretary

Joanne Brotherhood

Joanne is an experienced legal secretary who joined the firm in 2024.

Joanne provides support to the Commercial Department.

Partner

Steve Wengraf

Steve qualified in 1993 and became a Partner at Rutherfords in 2003.

Steve has wide litigation experience. He advises both individuals and business clients on various types of litigation and dispute resolution matters. These include professional negligence, business disputes of all types, landlord and tenant disputes, property disputes and general contractual disputes. He frequently attends in the County Court and High Court.

Steve also undertakes Claimant personal injury work. He became a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel in 1997. Steve deals with all types of  personal injury work (particularly catastrophic injury claims) including representing client’s interests in the Coroners Court.

In addition, Steve supervises Rutherfords’ Debt Recovery Department and Employment Department in his capacity as Litigation Partner.

Steve acts as the firm`s Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) and Money Laundering reporting Officer (MLRO).

Solicitor

Katie Whelan

Katie is a Solicitor working in the Litigation department. Katie joined Rutherfords in 2021 gaining legal experience alongside studying at university

Katie has a first-class honours degree in Law, a postgraduate degree (the Legal Practice Course) and a masters degree in law.

Katie is a solicitor assisting partner Steve Wengraf in the Litigation department. Katie assists with matters including debt recovery, personal injury and dispute resolution matters which includes landlord and tenant disputes, business disputes and general contractual disputes. Katie also frequently attends the County Court to represent clients.  

Legal Secretary

Lin Clapham

Lin is an experienced legal secretary working for partner Steve Wengraf in the Litigation Department.

Lin is also the PA to the Partners at Rutherfords LLP

Partner

Amanda Edwards

Amanda is a Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx) and heads our Residential Conveyancing Department.

Amanda has worked in residential conveyancing for 15 years, qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2012.

Amanda studied for 4 years at Wolverhampton College University alongside her full time work and then became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. After a further 2 years of studying, Amanda then qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive.

Amanda has headed our Residential Department since 2016 and has extensive experience in all matters of conveyancing.

Amanda is also qualified to be a commissioner of oaths.

Chartered Paralegal (CILEx)

Sophie Mortimer

Sophie is a Chartered CILEx Paralegal who works alongside Amanda Edwards in our Residential Department.

Sophie started her career as an Estate Agent back in 2003, eventually moving on to Residential Conveyancing in 2011.

Sophie joined our Residential Department in 2017 and has extensive experience and knowledge in residential property.

Conveyancing Assistant

Paigan Wilson

Paigan joined the firm in 2025 and provides support in our busy Residential Department.

Paigan has an LLB (Hons) Law degree and commenced the LLM in Legal Practice with The College of Legal Practice earlier this year.  

Currently sitting the SQE examinations with the ultimate end goal of becoming a qualified solicitor.

Legal Secretary

Abbie Sutton

Abbie joined Rutherfords in 2016 and started as an office assistant, moving on to become a Legal Secretary in our Residential Department shortly after. Abbie also assists in the day to day running of the department.

Legal Secretary

Lucinda Shelley

Lucinda is a Legal Secretary in our Residential Department, with over 30 years’ experience. She joined Rutherford’s in 2016 and assists in the day to day running of the department.

Partner

Tony Illsley

Tony qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and has a background of litigation experience including defending clinical negligence claims for healthcare professionals and panel membership of the Medical Defence Union. Tony became the partner in charge of the Private Client Department in 2007 and now specialises as a probate solicitor.

Tony deals with all aspects of private client work concerning drafting wills, inheritance tax, estate planning and trusts, lasting powers of attorney, appointment of deputies, and dealings with the Court of Protection and Office of the Public Guardian. Tony acts as a professional attorney, an executor and trustee, and as a professional deputy receiving referrals from the local adult safeguarding team.

Appointed the panel solicitor for the Staffordshire area for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Tony regularly attends meetings at the Air Ambulance headquarters in Stourbridge and is proud to support and raise funds for this charity. Tony is also a panel member of the National Free Wills Network supporting over 70 local and national charities. 

With a litigation background, he also continues to deal with contentious probate cases including Inheritance Act claims, contesting a will, claims regarding lack of mental capacity, and claims for and against executors.

Tony is the compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) for Rutherfords LLP.

Partner

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca joined Rutherfords in 2018, as part of the expansion of the Private Client Department.

Rebecca has a wealth of experience working in Wills & Probate for over 15 years and qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2015.

Rebecca deals with all aspects of Private Client work such as Wills and Powers of Attorney but specialises in Administration of estates, including farming estates, Inheritance tax planning, Probate (including Grants of Probate, full administration and letters of administration) as well as deeds of variation and trusts. Rebecca also has extensive experience in dealing with transfers of property to beneficiaries.

Chartered Paralegal (CILEx)

Christine Green

Christine joined Rutherfords in 2026, as part of the expansion of the Private Client Department. 

Christine specialises in guiding clients through important personal planning decisions, such as making a Will or setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Having completed the Wills, Probate and Administration qualification in 2017 via the Institute of Paralegals, Christine is now a Chartered Paralegal and a member of CILEx. 

Christine takes pride in supporting clients through what can often be sensitive or emotionally challenging times. Her approach is friendly, professional and patient, with a strong focus on empathy and clear, organised guidance throughout the process.

Private Client Paralegal

Michelle Green

MIchelle is an experienced Paralegal in our Private Client Team dealing with Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney for Finance & Property and Health & Welfare.

Legal secretary

Maxine Witton

Maxine is an experienced private client legal secretary who joined the firm in 2021.

Maxine provides support to partner Tony Illsley in the probate department.

Legal Secretary

Gemma Marshall

Gemma is an experienced legal secretary who has joined the Private Client Team at Rutherfords LLP.

Gemma provides secretarial support to probate lawyer Rebecca Taylor.

Legal Secretary

Melanie Pearson

Melanie is a Legal Secretary with over 30 years experience and works as a Legal Secretary Assistant to Michelle Green in the Private Client Department.