Our Team
Residential Property
Elizabeth obtained a BA degree in English and Linguistics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 1986 and then went on to study law. After qualifying in 1988 she did her training at a large firm in Johannesburg and also qualified as a notary and a conveyancer. She practised as an attorney, notary and conveyancer, obtaining further qualifications in tax and company law, and was appointed partner in 1998. In 2000 she opened her own legal practice specialising in family law and property law.
She moved to the UK with her family in 2005 and qualified as an English solicitor. For the past three years she has worked as a commercial and residential property solicitor at a large Kent firm in Tonbridge and Sevenoaks. She joined Pengelly & Rylands in 2011 after the retirement of Keith Rylands, and takes over responsibility for the Residential Conveyancing Department.
Elizabeth has had 20 years of experience in legal practice and handles all areas of residential conveyancing, including sales and purchases of freehold and leasehold properties, transfers of equity, declarations of trust, remortgages, buy-to-lets and grants of easements.
Gill Snow BSc(Hons) LLB - Solicitor
Gill studied Psychology at University College London. After a successful career as a magazine editor and writer, she embarked on a second career in Law. Combining work and family she completed her LLB and Legal Practice Course, for which she received a Distinction, on a part-time basis. Having completed her part-time Training Contract with the firm, she qualified as a Solicitor in January 2011. She works with Liz Connell in the Residential Property department and with Rosalind Johnson in the Wills, Probate and Elderly Client Care department.
Gill is a member of the Kent Law Society.
Katrina Kemp BA (Hons) LLB - Trainee Solicitor
Katrina studied English Literature and Philosophy at Roehampton University in London and then undertook the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London.
Katrina joined the firm in March 2011 and was offered a training contract in July 2011. As a trainee, she will be working in all areas of law the firm offers, but she will primarily be based in the residential property department supervised by Liz Connell.
Katrina will become a fully qualified solicitor in July 2013.
Rebecca Towner / Rebecca Ainsworth - Secretary
Matrimonial and Family
Rebecca Bell BA(Hons) Cert Ed. – Partner
Email: rebeccabell@pengelly-rylands.co.uk
Rebecca studied German and Social Policy at Newcastle University and then undertook a Law conversion course and Legal Practice Course at the University of Northumbria. After qualifying as a solicitor and working in the North of England Rebecca moved to Singapore where she worked as an English teacher in a multi-cultural local school. This experience encouraged her to train to become a law lecturer on her return to the UK and she worked, teaching law at a Higher Education College, until she joined Pengelly and Rylands in 2002.
Rebecca established the Matrimonial and Family Department and was made a partner in 2006.
Rebecca handles all areas of family law, including the selling of matrimonial property and is particularly expert in the areas of financial settlement after divorce and child contact. She is also able to prepare co-habitation and pre-nuptial agreements.
Rebecca is a member of the Kent Law Society and of Resolution, the organisation for practitioners in Family Law.
Laura Hails – Legal Executive
Laura joined the firm in 2005. Laura embarked on the intensive training required to qualify as a Legal Executive at the same time as working full-time. Laura fast tracked her studies, and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives in October 2010.
Laura handles all areas of family law, including divorce and cohabitation disputes, financial settlement after divorce and child contact.
Debbie Issa – Secretary
Wills, Probate and Elderly Client Care
Rosalind Johnson LLB – Senior Partner
Rosalind Johnson studied law at Bristol University and qualified as a Solicitor in 1977. On qualifying she went on to work for one of the big City firms before moving to Kent where she worked part-time for many years combining her career with family commitments.
Rosalind joined Pengelly and Rylands in 1998 to head its Private Client Department and was made a partner in the firm in 1999. Following Keith Rylands retirement in 2011, Rosalind became Senior Partner.
Rosalind has a wealth of experience in the drafting of wills, administration of estates and in looking after the affairs of the elderly client.
Rosalind is a member of the Kent Law Society and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Kelly Clark – Secretary
Company Law
Malcolm Bassett LLB – Senior Commercial Solicitor
Email: malcolmbassett@pengelly-rylands.co.uk
Malcolm Bassett studied law at Manchester University and qualified as a solicitor in 1978. Since qualifying, apart from a two year spell in central London, he has worked in Kent advising business clients on commercial property and company matters. Some cases involved such complex issues that work would continue for more than 24 hours non-stop.
In 2004, Malcolm agreed to replace Trevor Chapman on his retirement and bring his considerable experience to Pengelly and Rylands. Malcolm prides himself on his prompt and pragmatic approach to matters and still enjoys the excitement that complex and urgent work brings.
Malcolm is a member of the Kent Law Society
Rebecca Towner / Rebecca Ainsworth - Secretary
Support Staff
Kim Bryant – Accounts
Victoria Stanton - Receptionist/Secretary
