Newbury Office Relocates

It has been four years since we opened in Newbury, Berkshire, and this February heralds a new chapter for the team – led by Associate Solicitor and Emerging Leader, Ed Morton – as they move to new premises within the town.

The move, from St Mary’s House in London Road to St Luke’s House in Oxford Square, marks a period of exciting and sustained growth for K J Smith.

To celebrate, we asked Ed and his team to share a little about themselves, what they love about Newbury and how they have been supporting the local community over the past four years.

Who is Ed and what do he and his team do?

Ed Morton is an Associate Solicitor and Emerging Leader, he manages the Newbury team on a day-to-day basis. His job involves meeting and supporting prospective clients, but there is also a greater focus on supporting his team, which includes regular check-ins and making sure the correct systems are in place to help the team work towards their career goals. Ed raved about the ‘Emerging Leader’ programme, which equips individuals with training, mentoring and support, enabling others to succeed and lead. Career development and progression are hugely important aspects at K J Smith and there is a real recognition that our lawyers are future leaders. Ed is passionate about creating the environment that his team needs to allow them to thrive as well as to be fully equipped to tackle new obstacles with proactive and innovative solutions.

Susan Mortis - Our Newbury Superglue

Susan Mortis, who works as a Legal Secretary, explained that her job involves supporting the team with booking clients, opening files for new clients and making sure the correct procedures are followed. She mentioned that as a first point of contact, she answers enquiries and queries and is the friendly face who welcomes clients to the office. Susan’s role involves quite a lot of organisation; maintaining the Newbury diary and helping the team keep clients up-to-date with the progress of their matters.

Eleanor Tanner - Newbury’s Specialist Solicitor

Eleanor Tanner, another Associate Solicitor, has a particular interest in complex child contact disputes, many of which include allegations of domestic violence. She further explained that because of this, her role includes liaising with Local Authorities, Police and other experts, such as Independent Social Workers and psychologists.

Eleanor’s role has recently involved work in the “modern families” area of family law. This area of law deals with same-sex couples and people who have become parents through alternative routes, such as sperm donation or surrogacy. She added that she has experience working with modern families and has a particular interest in advising individuals or couples who want to explore surrogacy, which is a complex area of law that needs to be navigated with expert legal advice.

The Newbury Life

When asked about living and working in Newbury, Ed Morton said there is something for everyone in the town. From picturesque walks along Kennet and Avon canalside to indoor climbing at the climbing centre or watching a play at the local award-winning theatre.

Newbury holds lots of history and memories for Susan Mortis; she and her husband raised their three daughters there. The town has a supermarket where one is spoilt for choice but the quaint alleyways offer a quick enough escape down Northbrook Street where you can be sure to bump into friendly faces of the local community. Susan added that Newbury boasts an exquisite 50-metre outdoor swimming pool and, being a keen swimmer, Susan loves it.

Eleanor Tanner shared that for such a small town, Newbury holds so many lovely gems. There is a beautiful canal, which at one point formed part of the office’s route which staff would do a weekly 5km run along, making it also the perfect place to take out the paddleboard in the summer. Eleanor added that there are also so many lovely independent cafes and restaurants around the town, as well as some fantastic pubs. Newbury holds a special place in Eleanor’s heart as her partner lived there when they first met and enjoyed their first dates.

K J Smith supports the Newbury Community

K J Smith is committed to supporting its local community by providing every office with a charity budget. This invites offices the opportunity to select events, sponsorship opportunities or initiatives to lend our support to; whether it is a one-off donation, ongoing fundraising or even their time. Over the past three years, our Newbury office has sponsored the 2023 Newbury Weekly Best in Business Awards, the Falklands Cricket Club and the Hurstbourne Tarrant 5km Fun Run. He added that the Newbury office has also attended charities and quizzes for St Michael’s Hospice and raised money for BBC Children in Need. With the wonderful new Newbury office set up, our Newbury team are looking forward to putting their energy into getting involved in new projects and continuing to support their community.

If you are looking for expert legal assistance related to family law, call our Newbury Family Team today on 0118 418 1000 or book your free 45-minute consultation online.