Business Details
47 Years
experience
Expert Legal Services in London
We are a Central London law firm with international reach, specialising in personal, property and commercial legal matters. Established in 1979, our firm has grown from a property-focused practice to a full-service legal provider serving families, businesses and entrepreneurs. Our approach combines technical expertise with accessibility, ensuring clients receive beautifully straightforward advice tailored to their specific needs. We prioritise client relationships built on trust, with a team culture that values collaboration across legal disciplines.Our history includes strategic mergers with Fisher Meredith in 2017 and Monro Wright & Wasbrough in 2021, strengthening our capabilities in private client, family and dispute resolution services. We maintain a commitment to quality through competitive, transparent fees and a dedication to testing legal boundaries where necessary to achieve optimal outcomes. Our diverse team of solicitors, many recognised in The Legal 500, delivers specialist knowledge while maintaining an approachable, client-first ethos.
Services
Commercial Property
Employment Law
Family Law
Private Client
Dispute Resolution
Residential Property
Trust Administration
Sports Law
Company Law
Charity Law
Details
- Year established: 1979
Highlights and features
- We provide beautifully straightforward legal advice tailored to client needs
- Our team includes Legal 500-recognised specialists across multiple disciplines
- We maintain transparent fee structures with no hidden charges
- We combine 40+ years' experience with innovative legal approaches
- We operate a client-first culture with dedicated relationship management
Associations and certifications
- Solicitors Regulation Authority
- Green Litigation Pledge
What people say
Approachable team
Specialist expertise
Clear communication
Long-standing relationships
Tailored advice
Services
Commercial Property
We provide expert commercial property legal services covering acquisitions, disposals, leasing and development. Our team advises property developers, businesses and investors on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. With specialist knowledge of London's property market, we deliver practical solutions for complex property matters while maintaining clear communication throughout the process.
Family Law
Our family law specialists handle divorce, financial settlements and child arrangements with sensitivity and expertise. We support high-net-worth individuals and families through complex asset divisions and international jurisdiction issues. Our approach prioritises amicable resolutions while being prepared to advocate vigorously when necessary, always focusing on clients' long-term interests and family well-being.
Employment Law
We advise businesses and employees on employment law matters including contracts, disputes and HR policy development. Our services cover disciplinary procedures, redundancy processes and employment tribunal representation. We help organisations maintain compliance with evolving employment legislation while protecting their commercial interests and workplace culture.
Private Client
Our private client team provides tailored advice on wills, probate, tax planning and lasting powers of attorney. We serve high-net-worth individuals and families with complex asset structures, including international estates. Our approach combines technical expertise with personal service to create comprehensive wealth management strategies that protect assets across generations.
Dispute Resolution
We handle commercial and civil litigation through negotiation, mediation and court proceedings. Our team specialises in property disputes, contract enforcement and business conflicts, focusing on achieving cost-effective outcomes. We combine advocacy skills with strategic thinking to resolve disputes while minimising disruption to clients' personal or business interests.
People
Stephen Bishop
Founder Partner and Consultant
Stephen Bishop founded the firm in 1979 and continues to support the property team as a consultant. He specialises in residential conveyancing and has guided the firm's evolution from a property-focused practice to a full-service law firm through strategic mergers and expansion.
Mark Chick
Senior Partner
Mark Chick serves as Senior Partner, leading the firm's strategic direction. With extensive experience in property and commercial law, he oversees client relationships and maintains the firm's commitment to accessible, high-quality legal services while managing ongoing growth initiatives.
Andrew Kavanagh
Partner
Andrew Kavanagh is a Corporate & Commercial Partner with significant experience in business transactions and commercial agreements. He advises companies on mergers, acquisitions and contract matters, combining technical expertise with practical commercial understanding to deliver client-focused solutions.
Clare Groom
Partner
Clare Groom specialises in family law, handling complex divorce cases and child arrangement disputes. As a Partner, she provides sensitive yet assertive representation for high-net-worth clients, focusing on achieving equitable outcomes while minimising emotional and financial costs for families.
Charles Wilson
Solicitor
Charles Wilson works in the Corporate & Commercial team, assisting businesses with legal transactions and compliance matters. He supports clients on contract drafting, company formations and commercial agreements, bringing recent qualification experience to practical business law applications.
Questions
What areas of law does Bishop & Sewell specialise in?
We specialise in commercial and residential property, corporate law, family matters, employment law, private client services, and dispute resolution, with particular expertise in London's property market.
Do you offer services to international clients?
Yes, we provide legal services to international clients with interests in UK property, business matters and family law issues, leveraging our London base with global connections.
How do you ensure transparent pricing?
We maintain competitive, transparent fee structures with no hidden charges, providing clear cost estimates before work commences and regular updates throughout legal processes.
What experience do your lawyers have?
Our team includes Legal 500-recognised specialists with decades of combined experience, supported by ongoing professional development and strategic mergers enhancing our service capabilities.
Do you provide environmentally responsible services?
Yes, we've signed the Green Litigation Pledge, actively reducing environmental impact through paperless processes and sustainable litigation practices aligned with 1.5°C global warming targets.
Reviews (6)
Thomas Leriche
Jun 04, 2022
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I have dealt with Bishop and Sewell several time over the last 10 years buying and selling a house as well as purchasing a garage. Ossie Swayne and his team have always been very helpful. This year, Nicole Couzens handled the sale of the garage and showed professionalism, patience and guidance with the other side. We managed to close quickly within the estimated fee which was indeed very reasonable. I cannot higly enough recommend Nicole and will be very happy to deal with her in the future.
Shekinah Asamaowei
May 05, 2022
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Last year Mariam Khaliq was of invaluable help when it came to my Indefinite Leave To Remain Application. She came highly recommended and now I know why first hand. She went above and beyond, was incredibly impatient and filled me with confidence even through an ordeal with a lost passport. I could not recommend a better immigration lawyer than Mariam, she is immeasurably thorough and experienced.
My situation was very tedious and I'm certain l would not have had a swift and successful application without her! She is now my go-to recommendation for anyone in need of immigration assistance of any kind.
My situation was very tedious and I'm certain l would not have had a swift and successful application without her! She is now my go-to recommendation for anyone in need of immigration assistance of any kind.
Nicholas Polo
Feb 04, 2022
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About 4 months ago we received a great mortgage offer and started the process of re-mortgaging using the lender's solicitors. After 3 months the lender's solicitors not only had accomplished absolutely nothing we were about to lose out on the offer as it had two weeks left before expiring. Our only hope was to switch solicitors at the last minute and use our own so we had Nicole Couzens take over. Nicole managed to complete in 2 weeks what the lender's solicitors could not do in 14!
This is a very difficult task because you rely on third parties from the current lender, to the new lender and the Land Registry. Yet Nicole literally moved mountains and when relied on others she called them again and again until she got the answer she needed. The whole time we felt we had a real partner on our side not just because she is an excellent solicitor but also because she is such a nice person to work with!
This is a very difficult task because you rely on third parties from the current lender, to the new lender and the Land Registry. Yet Nicole literally moved mountains and when relied on others she called them again and again until she got the answer she needed. The whole time we felt we had a real partner on our side not just because she is an excellent solicitor but also because she is such a nice person to work with!
Daniel Robbins
Jan 24, 2022
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Nicole Couzens from Bishop & Sewell handled the selling of our flat in Chalk Farm extremely professionally. The buyers solicitor was very awkward but Nicole handled the situation patiently but firmly. She was normally available when i called and when she could not answer would come back to me quickly. I would not hesitate to recommend her for conveyancing and will certainly look to her services again if we are either buying or selling another property.
Emma Campbell
Jan 21, 2022
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Charlotte and her team made my whole process an absolute dream. So efficient and professional throughout. I would thoroughly recommend and will definitely be using them in the future!
Kevin Fitzpatrick
Jan 19, 2022
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We have just completed the sale of our house. This is the first time we can say it was trouble free, we were kept informed every step of the way by Nicole. She was professionl, thourough and very efficient in contacting the buyers solicitor and us to ensure there was no time wasting. She has changed my opinion of convayencing. Thank you Nicole
