Business Details
Trusted Legal Services in Stowmarket
Established in the mid-19th century, Haywards Solicitors has evolved into a modern legal practice while maintaining a legacy of expertise. Our firm specialises in family law, residential conveyancing, and trusts, wills & probate, serving individuals and families across Suffolk. With a team of experienced solicitors and legal executives, we combine traditional values with contemporary legal knowledge to deliver tailored solutions.Our SRA-regulated services prioritise client needs through empathetic representation and transparent fixed-fee structures. We maintain strong local connections while adapting to modern legal challenges, ensuring accessible, high-quality legal support for all our clients.
Services
Family Law
Residential Conveyancing
Wills & Probate
Trusts
Court of Protection
Highlights and features
- We have over 170 years of combined legal expertise since 1850
- Our firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
- We offer transparent fixed-fee pricing structures
- Our team includes specialists in family law and probate
- We provide home visits and flexible appointment times
Associations and certifications
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
What people say
Exceptional service
Affordable legal services
Knowledgeable team
Long-standing reputation
Accessible support
Services
Family Law
We specialise in all areas of family law including divorce proceedings, child custody arrangements, and financial settlements. Our experienced solicitors provide empathetic guidance through relationship breakdowns while protecting client interests. We handle public funding cases and private client matters with equal dedication.
Residential Conveyancing
Our conveyancing team manages property transactions from initial offer to completion. We handle sales, purchases, remortgaging, and leasehold transfers while ensuring compliance with legal requirements. We provide clear pricing structures and timely progress updates throughout the process.
Wills & Probate
We create legally sound wills and manage probate processes for executors. Our services include inheritance tax planning, lasting powers of attorney, and Court of Protection applications. We help clients prepare for future care needs and asset distribution.
Trusts
We establish and manage trusts for inheritance tax mitigation and asset protection. Our expertise covers lifetime trusts, discretionary trusts, and care fee planning. We provide tailored solutions for complex family and financial situations.
Court of Protection
We assist with legal matters concerning individuals lacking mental capacity. Our services include deputyship appointments, financial management, and welfare decisions. We ensure compliance with legal frameworks while protecting vulnerable clients' interests.
People
Louise Goodenough
Senior Partner
Qualified legal executive with 20+ years' experience in wills and probate. Specialises in elderly client care and inheritance tax planning. Holds STEP affiliate membership for trust work and contentious probate cases.
Jennifer Carter
Partner
Solicitor specialising in residential conveyancing since 2002. Manages property transactions including freehold/leasehold sales and equity transfers. Combines technical expertise with client-focused communication throughout the conveyancing process.
Helen Barnes
Partner
Family law specialist since 1997 with extensive experience in divorce proceedings and child custody matters. Maintains strong client relationships through empathetic representation in both private and publicly funded cases.
Keira Andrews
Legal Executive
Graduate legal executive in private client department. Transitioned from criminal law to focus on wills and probate. Brings diverse legal perspective while maintaining focus on non-contentious client matters.
Rachel Thomas
Legal Executive
Chartered legal executive with 13 years' experience in private client law. Specialises in wills and probate matters while combining legal expertise with practical understanding of client needs through adult education background.
Questions
What areas of law do you specialise in?
We specialise in family law, residential conveyancing, trusts, wills & probate, and Court of Protection matters.
Do you offer fixed fee pricing?
Yes, we provide transparent fixed-fee pricing structures for all our legal services.
Can I get home visits or evening appointments?
Yes, we offer home visits and appointments outside office hours by prior arrangement.
Are you regulated by any official body?
We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 00074801.
Do you handle legal aid cases?
Yes, we have Legal Aid Agency franchise for family law cases and handle public funding applications.
How can I make a complaint?
Download our complaints handling procedure from our website or contact us directly for resolution.
Reviews (3)
Rob Porter
Mar 09, 2025
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An awful experience from start to finish. It took Haywards over 2 1/2 years to do a simple probate of one property and a few bank accounts. They are unbelievably slow at doing anything, staff left during the process and their customer service is poor - if you don't chase them nothing seems to happen. The main delay of nearly a year was due to the property they were "looking after" having a burst pipe over winter (as they forgot to turn the water off) and it taking over 9 months to get it fixed. It has been a very stressful experience and never once did they offer any sort of apology or compensation. Would not recommend for probate services.
Glenn Williamson
Feb 24, 2025
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Have used Haywards (Jennifer, Claire & Lynn) for conveyancing many times and they have always been efficient, friendly, helpful and very professional.
Jane White
Dec 02, 2024
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Superb experience with Haywards conveyancing team. Professional, friendly and everything dealt with quickly. Best decision i made was to stay local.
