Staff Profiles

Bruce Gaudion
Solicitor

Partner and Head of the Family Department

Bruce has been with Thornes since June 1999 and qualified as a solicitor with them in 2001.  He is now a Partner and an accredited member of the Family Law Panel.  Bruce heads up the Family Department and his areas of expertise include:

• Divorce and Financial Settlements
• Resolution of Financial Issues (arising from Civil Partnerships and non-marital relationship breakdown)
• Disputes involving Children (Residence, contact and grandparents rights)

Bruce has successfully assisted literally hundreds of separating couples, whether married or not, to resolve disputes relating to their homes, financial affairs and children.

Bruce is a qualified PADI scuba diving instructor and he enjoys socialising with family and friends when not at work.

BruceGaudion@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Alison Westwood
Solicitor

Family Department

Alison qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and joined Thornes in 2005.

She is an accredited member of the Family Law Panel and is experienced in dealing with the legal implications of all aspects of family breakdown.

Alison areas of expertise include:

• Divorce and Financial settlements
• Disputes involving children (Residence, contact  and grandparents rights)
• Domestic Violence

Alison is an amateur golfer and enjoys long distance running, having competed in half marathons. Alison is one of the Social Secretaries for Wolverhampton Law Society.

AlisonWestwood@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Kate Goode
Family Executive

Family Department

Kate qualified as an Associate Member of the Institute of Legal Executives in 2001 and attained the Level 4 Professional Higher Diploma in Law, relating to Family Law and Practice in 2003. Kate joined Thornes in 1989 and has gained considerable experience in an extensive range of family related matters.

Kate deals with all types of family cases including issues relating to children (such as residence and contact disputes) and matters involving domestic violence and injunctions as well as divorces.

Kate is a keen gardener and enjoys entertaining with her family and friends.

KateGoode@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Tracy Davis
Solicitor

Partner and Head of Client Services

Tracy has been with Thornes since 1992 and qualified as a solicitor with them in 1998 becoming a Partner the following year.  Tracy’s areas of expertise include:

• Divorce and Financial Settlements
• Disputes involving Children (Residence, contact, grandparents rights and Adoption)
• Domestic Violence
• Disputes between Parents and Social Services

Tracy has extensive experience in dealing with all aspects of family breakdown.  She has also assisted many parents whose children have been removed from their care by Social Services.

Tracy is a keen swimmer and also enjoys socialising with family and friends.  Tracy is one of the Social Secretaries for Wolverhampton Law Society.  She is also a Governor of Penn Hall School in Wolverhampton.

TracyDavis@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Gerald Thorne
Solicitor

Senior Partner

Gerald is the Senior Partner of Thornes and has been practicing in Family & Criminal law for over 25 years. Gerald’s areas of expertise include:

• Disputes involving children (Residence, Contact, Grandparents rights)
• Domestic Violence
• Disputes between Families and Social Services
• Criminal Defence work

Gerald has extensive experience in helping families where their children have been removed by Social Services and taken into Care. Gerald is a Member of the Law Society’s Children Panel. Gerald has also spent many years assisting the victims of Domestic Violence and is an Executive Member of the Black Country Domestic Violence Forum.

Gerald also undertakes Criminal Defence Work and is a Member of the 24 Hour Police Station Duty Solicitor Scheme and the Court Duty Solicitor Scheme in Wolverhampton.

Gerald is a keen cyclist and enjoys dog walking and socialising with family and friends.

GeraldThorne@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Mike Kelly
Solicitor

Partner and Head of Probate and Elderly Client Services

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of Mike’s involvement in law which commenced with a law degree course followed by qualification in 1975. Mike joined Thornes in 1989, became a partner in 1991 and his areas of expertise include assisting clients with the following matters:

• Wills
• Probate
• Inheritance Tax avoidance
• Preservation of Assets
• Lasting Powers of Attorney/Court of Protection
• Inheritance claims

In addition to ten years’ experience in the above specialities, Mike practised for many years in divorce and family work which led to accreditation to the Law Society’s Family Law Panel. Mike’s background in litigation, combined with his current area of practice, makes him particularly qualified to handle cases in the expanding fields of applications to the Court of Protection and Inheritance claims.

Local history, walking, music and languages are some of Mike’s interests.

MikeKelly@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Don Crofts
Solicitor

Consultant and former Senior Partner

Don graduated from Birmingham University in 1958 and was admitted as a Solicitor in 1961.  He joined the firm in 1962 and became a Partner in 1965 and was the firm’s Senior Partner from 1984 until retiring to become a Consultant in 2000.  He is a Past President of Wolverhampton Law Society.

Don’s wealth of experience and expertise continue to benefit the firm and its’ client’s in his role as a Consultant and his areas of specialty are:

• Residential Sales, Purchases and Re-mortgages
• Commercial Sales and Purchases
• Business acquisitions and disposals
• Probate, Wills and Trusts

Don played for many years for Wolverhampton Cricket Club and he is now Chairman of Trustees for the Club.  Don also played hockey for many years for Wombourne Hockey Club.  He is a past captain of South Staffordshire Golf Club where he still plays regularly.  He is now a keen sports watcher.  He is a Member of Tettenhall Rotary Club and has a keen interest in gardening, foreign travel and classical music.

DonCrofts@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Matthew Kelly
Solicitor

Property Department

Matthew joined Thornes as a Trainee Solicitor in 2006 and qualified as a Solicitor in 2007. Matthew is an active member of the Junior Lawyers Division and the local Property Networking Group.

Matthew’s specialises in dealing with all types of residential conveyancing including:

• Freehold & Leasehold sales and purchases
• New Build purchases
• Probate & matrimonial sales and purchases
• Council Right to Buy transactions
• Transfers of property subject to mortgage
• Re-mortgages

In his spare time, Matthew enjoys long distance running, football and tennis. Work permitting, Matthew enjoys travelling as much as possible.

MatthewKelly@thornessolicitors.co.uk

Shila Patel
Property Executive

Property Department

Shila joined Thornes 20 years ago and, since then, she has accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge in a variety of property matters.  She is a valued member of the Property Department where she specialises in the following areas:

• Freehold residential sales and purchases
• Probate & matrimonial sales and purchases
• Re-possession and Right to Buy transactions
• Transfer of property subject to mortgage
• Re-mortgages
• Matrimonial transfers

In her spare time, Shila’s interests include music and cooking.

ShilaPatel@thornessolicitors.co.uk