Our solicitors

Keith Lomax, BSc, PhD. Partner.
Qualified 1988.
Keith Lomax is head of the Civil Department, which includes housing, education, community care, public law, and welfare benefits. After initially specialising in housing and human rights he developed experience in community care matters. He has taken carer’s rights matters to the High Court. Linked to housing and public law matters he has taken cases to the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords, and the European Court of Human Rights. Keith is a member of the Environmental Law Foundation. He is a member of the Housing Law Practitioner’s Association.

Elsia Todd, BA.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2003
Elsia trained within this firm and developed particular expertise in housing law: defending tenants from eviction, claiming damages for disrepair, challenging the Council to help homeless people. She helps run the duty solicitor scheme at Leeds County Court when people are facing eviction from their homes. She has expertise in representing people accused of anti-social behaviour. Linked to all these areas of work, she conducts community care matters. She has considerable experience working with people with mental health problems. She conducts Judicial Review challenges in the High Court and has taken cases to the Court of Appeal.

Keith Coughtrie, BA.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2003
Keith Coughtrie specialises in public law matters and housing. He has extensive experience of challenging public authorities by Judicial Review proceedings in the High Court. He has long experience in Gypsy and Traveller law and has developed skills in planning matters. He has experience in asylum seeker support work. He assists with the duty solicitor scheme at the County Court defending people from eviction.Keith Coughtrie specialises in public law matters and housing. He has extensive experience of challenging public authorities by Judicial Review proceedings in the High Court. He has long experience in Gypsy and Traveller law and has developed skills in planning matters. He has experience in asylum seeker support work. He assists with the duty solicitor scheme at the County Court defending people from eviction.

Clare Hirschhorn, BA.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2004
Clare has a background of work in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and then trained within this firm and developed expertise in housing. She is in charge of administering the duty solicitor scheme at Leeds County Court when people are facing eviction. She conducts disrepair claims, defends possession proceedings, represents people in anti-social behaviour cases. She also has expertise in welfare benefits and has taken cases to the High Court and the Court of Appeal. Clare assists with community care cases.

Sally Lees, LLB.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2007
Sally has worked and trained within the firm and has developed experience in family law, housing and welfare benefits. In our family department she conducts cases on domestic violence, cohabitation, divorce and separation. Sally also works with our housing, education, and welfare benefits teams. She represents clients facing eviction and assists with the duty solicitor scheme at County Court. She assists with community care cases.

Tom Lomax, BSc. MSc.
Assistant Solicitor
Tom has a background in science, philosophy and international environment and indigenous rights work, and is presently working in our Civil department on housing, community care, public law and human rights, and education matters. He is also working with the charity FERN on a project concerning law reform and governance in respect of forest community land rights in Liberia and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan. In this capacity Tom has authored a report entitled ‘Forest Governance in Liberia’, published by FERN in January 2008.

Our support staff

Graham Alexander, BA.
Legal Assistant
Graham has a background working in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and is now working with our housing, welfare benefits, education, and community care teams. Graham specialises in welfare benefits and debt. He takes cases to tribunals and by Judcial Review to the High Court.

Our secretarial support
Ann Bennett
Alison Haggart