Core Legal Team

The Brooke Consultancy is made up of a small but growing group of legal and business professionals who work collaboratively with each other.

Core Management Team

The Brooke Consultancy provides Business Advice in the Round. We are a business ourselves and our development, strategy and administration are guided by a Management Team.

Collaboration Partners

Our Collaboration Partners work closely with us in a number of business focused areas to ensure that you receive Business Advice in the Round.
Lynne Brooke

Lynne Brooke

Lynne has been a solicitor for over 40 years, most of that time as a Partner. His knowledge and many years of experience in corporate and commercial law mean he can help businesses of all sizes and complexions in matters ranging from formation, structure (including non-resident trusts), investment readiness and listing to all types of commercial contracts, licences and franchises. He also brings a wealth of experience in mergers and acquisitions and an extensive network of colleagues and collaborators both nationally and internationally.

Lynne believes that Small and Medium Sized Enterprises are the lifeblood of the economy and started TBC in 2009 as a niche commercial Law Firm that caters to their needs by working in collaboration with other professionals to provide Business Advice in the Round. He also takes an active interest in Social Enterprises as a principal driver for investors and the economy and advises on establishing sustainable structures that combine Social Benefit and Return on Investment.

Lynne has 5 children and 7 grandchildren and has tried to persuade them all, without much success, to support West Ham as that is the area from which he came and Moore, Peters and Hurst were his team.

Lynne’s eldest daughter has profound and multiple learning disabilities which helps to explain his involvement as an active trustee with Westminster Mencap and Kith & Kids. He has a total commitment to those charities and is also the Lifetime President of Disability Law Service which provides free legal advice and representation to people with disabilities.

In his limited free time Lynne reads. His eclectic reading list includes Chaucer, Philippe Sands, Hilary Mantel and Donald Sassoon.

Lynne talks about his vision for TBC here

Contact Lynne – lynne@brooke.law

Pankaj Patel

Pankaj Patel

Pankaj, or PK, was admitted as a solicitor in 1986. He trained as a generalist and has a competent understanding and skills in all areas of law. Having gained post qualification experience, he joined a London firm

Law was not PK’s only passion. He’s also an entrepreneur and whilst practicing as a lawyer he was appointed to the board on an IT Company, led its US acquisition and then moved to the USA to work with the Company.

In 1992 he returned to the UK and set up his own Legal Practice, PKPFrench, based in North London. The practice allowed him to once again combine his passions for law and enterprise.

PK successfully ran the practice until 2018 when he moved into another entrepreneurial role as a business consultant and director of a national meat supply company. He has advised and assisted the company in its growth from infancy to 18 outlets and negotiated a number of distribution agreements with supermarket chains.

Being a generalist PK has undertaken matters in criminal law, matrimonial law, corporate and commercial law, and trademark and intellectual property law.

Above all else, PK takes a pragmatic and commercial approach to the matters he deals with and has the advantage of being able to combine his entrepreneurial expertise with his legal expertise.

PK takes an active role within his local community often advising on community issues.

He is married and has two grown up children and in his spare time he plays golf and badminton. He loves gardening and long country walks and hikes. During the recent lock down he has taken up cycling and learning to play the guitar but has no plans to headline at Glastonbury…yet!

To see what clients are saying about Pankaj click here

Read about probate (uncontested), about the stages of the service and disbursements.

Contact Pankaj – pankaj@brooke.law

Bruno Rodrigues

Bruno Rodrigues

Bruno is a highly motivated solicitor with both entrepreneurial and business management experience which helps him deliver clear practical advice to his clients. He was a Director of a London law firm for 3 years which gave him a deep understanding of client’s needs and aspirations and the ability to navigate through complex legal problems. He specialises in immigration law, commercial law, and the niche area of fashion law.

He has practised immigration law since 2007 and conducts the whole range of immigration work from, high end business immigration applications (including the innovator and start-up visas as well as sponsorship for employers), to family migration, and also leading human rights work. He has particular experience in Judicial Review and Court of Appeal litigation for migrants who have been denied justice by the system.

His commercial law work focuses on how he can help his clients’ businesses thrive and prosper. His experience in being a Director of a law firm for several years, and also being a Director in an innovative market research firm, means that his commercial advice is practical as he has a business person’s perspective to legal problems.

Bruno also has a passion for fashion law and has represented a wide range of clients from start-ups to established fashion houses. His work includes drafting and negotiating contracts particular to the fashion industry, Intellectual Property law applications including trademarks (both domestic and international), design rights, and advising on copyright issues.

Bruno is fluent in Portuguese and speaks conversational Spanish. Outside of work his interests include running, travelling and socialising.

Contact Bruno – bruno@brooke.law

Jayesh Jotangia

Jayesh Jotangia

Jayesh is a dual qualified lawyer. He was Called to the Bar in 2002 and cross qualified as a Solicitor Advocate. Jayesh’s main practise is as a Barrister at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square as well as working in an employed capacity at The Brooke Consultancy with rights to conduct litigation.

Jayesh has extensive experience in civil/commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution and is a qualified mediator. He often represents clients in fast and multi-track cases in litigation matters, including contractual, tort and breaches of fiduciary duties.

As a dual qualified lawyer, Jayesh has experience and knowledge of conducting cases from taking direct instructions, preparing cases, liaising with third parties and case management to advocacy.

Jayesh has advised many multinational corporations covering many industries, particularly from India concerning bilateral interests with the UK. He has an Overseas Citizenship of India card which permits him to frequently travel to India on legal business and travels 3-4 times a year.

Jayesh has also developed a health professional disciplinary defence practise before regulatory bodies such as the GMC, GPHC, NMC and the HCPC. His particular niche is dealing with registration appeals and representing foreign doctors wishing to become specialist Consultants via the GMC’s Certificate of Eligibility for the Specialist Register.

In 2017, Jayesh was the recipient of the Best Professional in Business Award by the London Asian Business Awards and in 2020, was awarded iGlobal’s Legal Eagle of the Year.

Jayesh is a keen runner, plays football and a qualified diver.

Contact Jayesh – jayesh@brooke.law

Simon Studd

Simon Studd

Simon has significant experience advising entities in the commercial sector, including limited companies (from start-ups to companies listed on the stock market), partnerships and limited liability partnerships on company law related matters (including acquisitions) and on a wide range of commercial agreements.

He carries out detailed legal research and innovative drafting which cannot be found in the precedent books or online services and has wide experience in corporate due diligence.

Simon is an expert in charity law and has incorporated various charities. He also has significant experience advising entities in the Not for Profit sector, including unincorporated associations such as private clubs and community interest companies.

Contact Simon – simon@brooke.law

Anthony Rose

Anthony Rose

Anthony has unparalleled experience as a corporate and commercial lawyer with a specific expertise in insurance and reinsurance matters, corporate due diligence, corporate acquisitions and the preparation of companies for investment or sale.

He has in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry and its regulation and has a great deal of experience in the acquisition and disposal of insurance brokers and insurance companies. Anthony is mentioned in the Chambers Legal Directory for work on behalf of insurance brokers and is the author of the legal appendix to the Financial Times Report on cross broker mergers in the insurance industry and was closely involved in the introduction of Corporate Capital to Lloyd’s.

He has acted for major corporations in competition law, chemical industry, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, financial services, franchising, media and marketing.

Contact Anthony – anthony@brooke.law

David Orchard

David Orchard

David Orchard is a vastly-experienced international commercial lawyer who spent more than 30 years in practice in the City of London.

Also the founder of a well-established, London-headquartered, international corporate advisory boutique serving UK and international clients in Europe, US and Canada, Latin America and Asia.

David is widely recognised for his expertise in M&A, capital markets, international dispute resolution and restructuring, financing, IPR, international regulation, fund structures and cross-border insolvency and white collar crime.

He has recently project-managed the listing and IPO of a company on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

 

Core Management Team

The Brooke Consultancy provides Business Advice in the Round. We are a business ourselves and our development, strategy and administration are guided by a Management Team.

Chris Disspain

Chris Disspain

Chris is the TBC Management Team Chair and Director of non-legal services including advice to businesses on strategy, government relations, cybersecurity and crisis management.

Whilst studying for his law degree Chris worked at the law firm where Lynne was the senior partner. He stayed, completed his articles, qualified as a solicitor, became a partner of the firm and ended up moving to Australia where he set up and ran the firm’s branch office. Chris practised as a corporate lawyer in the U.K. and Australia advising on IPOs, venture capital, take-overs, and mergers and acquisitions.

Chris gave up practising in 1996 and co-wrote the book Creating Your Life Map which was developed into a goal setting workshop franchised around the world and then an Internet based business which he and his partners sold in 2000.

In 2000 Chris became the CEO of the independent governing body of the Australian Internet country code and was the founding Chair of the Country Code Names Supporting Organisation a body representing the interests of the world’s Internet country codes in the international policy arena.

Chris has been a member of the Board of The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) since 2011. He has chaired numerous committees and been Vice-Chair of the Board. He will step down in October 2020.

For 7 years Chris was a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Internet Governance Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group.

Chris has now returned to the UK and begun once again working with Lynne.

He is passionate about music and collects books on conjuring and the history of magic.

Contact Chris – chris@brooke.law

Lynne Brooke

Lynne Brooke

Lynne Brooke is the TBC Management Team Chief Executive Officer and serves as our Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, Finance and Administration and Anti Money Laundering.

Contact Lynne – lynne@brooke.law

Eva Caletkova

Eva Caletkova

Eva is the TBC Management Team Director of Digital & Marketing and Legal Recruitment Coordinator.

Eva comes from Slovakia and has lived and worked in the UK for over 10 years.

She has a Master’s Degree in International Business from Vienna Business University with a focus on cross border marketing. She speaks five languages, Russian, German, English, Slovak and Czech.

Eva has worked on communication strategies for a wide variety of organisations including accountants, tax advisers, sport event organisers, musicians, pubs and charities. She is experienced in media project management, web design, SEO, and social media strategies.

Eva has also worked with influencers in various sectors such as fashion, car hire, travel and utilities and understands how the Influencer business works

Eva’s main interest is in business strategy and advising entrepreneurs on brand positioning, website design and social media. In 2015 she co-founded Secret Sauce Conferences and a Facebook based platform providing advice and information exchange for entrepreneurs.

Eva has travelled widely and apart from being an avid reader and consumer of information, she is the author of the book ‘Forgiveness and Violets’ which has recently been published.

Contact Eva – eva@brooke.law

Pat Debens

Pat Debens

Pat is the TBC Management Team Director of Policy, Process and Accounts.

Pat has worked in legal firms for over 30 years, starting as a secretary. In 1986 she crossed over to the management side of law, working with Lynne in his firm and has since been involved and worked in all aspects of the management of legal practice. Her particular skills are understanding solicitors Accounts Rules, dealing with the software applications, preparing policies and procedures and providing management information necessary for compliance and the day to day administration of TBC.

Pat recently moved to Berkshire where she shares a house with 3 others. She has two elderly dogs and loves walking with them and because of her new rural surroundings has more recently become interested in the environment.

Contact Pat – pat@brooke.law

Collaboration Partners

Our Collaboration Partners work closely with us in a number of business focused areas to ensure that you receive Business Advice in the Round.

Rob Thacker, ACII, BA(Econ), MBA

Rob Thacker, ACII, BA(Econ), MBA

Rob helps our corporate and individual clients with all of their insurance requirements.

Rob offers a full insurance broking service, has wide experience of many sectors, and an enthusiasm for customer care and creating bespoke solutions to complex businesses.  His experience and positive outlook means clients stay with him for a long time.  His portfolio of clients range from a £250m turnover global logistics business to a one person consultancy, and everything in between.

Rob started his insurance broking career in 1988 with what is now Aon.  After 18 years in various Aon offices he moved into the independent sector and was inspired to start his own insurance brokerage in November 2019.

For more information visit Rob’s website and to contact him email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction  – enquiries@brooke.law

Guild Financial Advisory Ltd

Guild Financial Advisory Ltd

Guild helps our clients with raising funds, acquisitions and IPOs.

Guild Financial Advisory is an independent corporate finance advisory boutique focused on advising and raising monies for fast growing companies and building long term relationships based on excellence of service and in-depth market knowledge.

Guild is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Ref No.922996).

For more information visit Guild’s website and to contact them email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction  – enquiries@brooke.law

Angela Lyon BSc, MSc, FRICS (QS & BS), FFPWS

Angela Lyon BSc, MSc, FRICS (QS & BS), FFPWS

Angela offers a multi-disciplinary consultancy practice including quantity surveying, cost management, building surveying and project management. Angela has been in the construction industry for over 40 years initially qualifying as a Quantity Surveyor then as a Building Surveyor and further adding to her expertise by completing a Masters in Project Management.

Angela and her team assist developers to procure their sites and carry out pricing, tendering and pre- construction management of the scheme.  Post Contract services include cost control, valuations of the works, project cost, value engineering and final account strategy.

The team also offer the surveying of existing commercial and residential properties and an Expert Witness Report Writing service. Cases include breach of covenants, poor workmanship, damage to property, defects and lack of maintenance.

For more information visit Angela’s website and to contact her email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction – enquiries@brooke.law

Nimish Patel

Nimish Patel

Nimish is a Chartered Accountant and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner who through his independent turnaround specialist firm Re10, provides constructive, innovative and cost-effective solutions to directors and stakeholders in financially distressed businesses and to individuals with debt problems.

Nimish and his dedicated team work with individual clients to create a plan to manage their finances and return to solvency.

For businesses Nimish and his team work with the owners to identify the best funding solution (such as working capital finance, asset finance, management buyout or acquisition) to keep the business trading and return it to profitability.

For more information visit Nimish’s website and to contact him email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction – enquiries@brooke.law

Sabine Raabe

Sabine Raabe

A high calibre PR and Public Affairs Practitioner with over 25 years’ experience of tackling the most complex communications challenges, Sabine advises UK and international companies on all aspects of Communications and Reputation Management.

Sabine has consistently perceived and implemented innovative B2B and B2C communications campaigns in a variety of business sectors to substantially grow the business of the companies she works with. She has led headline making campaigns and strategic partnerships with blue chip and high profile organisations, including Tesco plc, Green Flag, British Aerospace, British Airways, Bupa, Norwich Union, and Granada Digital.

Topics covered include financial inclusion, peer-to-peer finance, sustainability, electric transport, energy, technology, healthcare, digital transformation, and litigation PR for high profile legal cases. Most notably Sabine provided litigation PR support to the national action group set up to recover monies owed to Britain’s coal miners under the government’s compensation scheme for sick miners, which was the biggest of its kind in the world with 760,000 claims and delivering £4.1bn. The campaign generated local, regional and national headlines, including ITN News, BBC, and the Times, with Sabine lobbying right up to Deputy Prime Minister level.

Through her parliamentary work she is able to provide valuable insight into the workings of local, national and international government policy making for organisations operating in regulated, ethical or new markets. As a strategic PR Practitioner, Sabine works with clients from start-up through to private and public fundraising.

For more information visit Sabine’s website and to contact her email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction – enquiries@brooke.law

 

Lynne Burns

Lynne Burns

Lynne Burns has over 20 years’ experience in dealing with all aspects of Employment Law including contentious in the form of Employment Tribunal or High Court Litigation or non-contentious including advising upon TUPE, re-structuring, outsourcing and drafting all types of Employment agreements. Her experience as In house European Counsel to a number of global businesses means she has in depth experience of the commercial and practical realities and issues faced by a business.

Her particular expertise is discrimination litigation including sex, race, disability and gender. Lynne provides practical hands on advice to help you to avoid issues before they escalate and rapidly diffuse them if problems have already occurred. She will advise you pro-actively when is the right time to settle a case and when you should pursue a case all the way to Court or Tribunal. This means saving time and costs for you as individuals and companies.

To contact Lynne Burns email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction – enquiries@brooke.law

Michael Brunker

Michael Brunker

Michael helps our clients develop their resilience to cyber-attacks, and to build compliant GDPR policies and procedures.

Michael’s journey into the world of IT security began in 1997 when he joined Scotland Yard’s Computer Crime Unit as a detective. In 2000 he moved to the private sector and has, since then, gained significant experience of cyber security, business resilience and data protection (GDPR) in the banking world.

In his most recent corporate role, Michael ran the London cyber & data protection team within a global bank, covering its locations across Europe. He now helps small businesses achieve privacy compliance and to mature their operational resilience to cyber incidents.

As the focus of both cyber security and data privacy shifts away from the IT department and towards the boardroom, Michael has become adept at merging the technical security and operational risk worlds and speaking the language of both. He delivers cyber resilience methodologies designed to meet the impact tolerance of the particular client, and constructs GDPR programmes which protect reputations and ensure legal compliance.

Michael is also a voluntary NED to a children’s charity and, away from work, a keen cyclist and crossword fan.

To contact Michael email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction  – enquiries@brooke.law

Harinder Lamba

Harinder Lamba

Harinder helps our clients who are struggling to succeed in India and those aspiring to enter that market.

Businesses make the informed choice to bring Harinder on board only after he presents his detailed appraisal of their situation with nothing held back.

Most companies need hands-on help in India – not just letters of advice. Harinder actively cuts through the noise to help identify new realizable opportunities. He helps businesses to choose effective entry strategies, local partners and business models and to deal with local cultural soft risks, such as corruption & bribery, and financial bleed.

There is no point in entering India if you lose more than you earn. Companies without specialist advice can tread water for years, suffering low or no revenues and reputational risks.

Harinder has advised SMEs and larger companies (state-owned and FT 100) in UK, mainland Europe and Australasia working in many sectors including:

  • Biotech & Medical Devices
  • Renewable Energy (hydro, wind & solar)
  • Military Aerospace
  • Mass Transportation
  • Airports & ATC
  • Engineering and Electronics
  • Mining
  • Communications for government agencies and law enforcement

Harinder has previously worked in senior positions at PwC in London and Standard Chartered Bank in India, and spent the bulk of his 32-year career in the field in India, Turkey, Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe.

Born, brought up and educated in India, Harinder lives in London with his family and divides his time between India and Europe.

To contact Harinder email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction  – enquiries@brooke.law

Usman Sheikh

Usman Sheikh

Usman, through his law firm, Ansar, specialises in helping migrants with issues of immigration, asylum, deportation, detention, nationality and extradition.

Usman trained as a solicitor at Linklaters. He has an LLM with Distinction in International Law from the University of London (SOAS). He also has an MA and a BA from the University of Cambridge (Trinity College). He attended St. Paul’s School. He speaks English, French, Italian, Russian and Urdu. He has written many articles on immigration law.

To contact Usman email us and we’ll be delighted to make the introduction  – enquiries@brooke.law