Behiye (Becky) Karaman

Behiye graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a combined honours degree in Law Major and Philosophy minor.

She then completed her LPC from the College of Law (London) and undertook her training contract with a well established law firm in London and qualified as s Solicitor in 2005.

Behiye established ABS Solicitors LLP with Shahin (who heads up our Luton office) back in 2011 and has steadily built up the Braintree office since then.

Behiye specialises in the Private Client practice area of law and undertakes the preparation of Wills, Tax Planning and Probate related work. She advises on Lasting Power of Attorneys and Court of Protection.

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Aldene Derrick

Aldene qualified as a Solicitor in 2003 and has during that time gained extensive experience specialising in commercial property matters including commercial leases (acting for landlords and tenants), sales and purchases of both commercial premises and the businesses themselves and secured finance including bridging finance.

Her residential property experience includes the exercise of statutory leasehold rights such as the right of first refusal, collective enfranchisement and right to a new lease under the Landlord & Tenant Act 1987 and Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.

Aldene represents both the corporate and individual client and their pension schemes from various sectors including housing, hospitality, charitable and retail. She particularly enjoys working with consortiums such a tenants associations and on multidisciplinary projects such as business sales and the property aspects of larger corporate transactions and focuses on ascertaining the client’s needs and working towards a common goal.

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Cari Tottman

Cari joined ABS Solicitors in 2018, initially supporting just Behiye but since 2020 has helped develop and grow the Braintree Office and ensures that it ticks along how it should!

Moving into a more managerial role, Cari supports with the day to day management of the Braintree Office, as well as supporting fee earners with their obligations, marketing, training and entertaining us all with her bubbly personality!

Cari is a fundamental member of the office and always ensures birthdays and achievements are acknowledged and celebrated, as well as ensuring our clients are well looked after.

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Veronica Mark

Veronica qualified as a Solicitor in 1996. She has advised and acted in a wide range of commercial property transactions involving charities, individuals and business owners. Veronica undertakes a mixed caseload of transactional work including acquisition and disposal of commercial property.

Veronica also specialises in the grant and termination of commercial leases and related leasehold management e.g. licence to alter, deed of variation and lease extensions.

It is often the case that Veronica is requested to work swiftly and within tight deadlines. This can, of course, be challenging but it gives her a considerable amount of job satisfaction, knowing that she has delivered a successful outcome for her clients.

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Vanessa Gillbanks

Vanessa is a chartered legal executive and a fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives with over 30 years’ experience in dealing with family law and relationship breakdown and acts as a consultant for ABS Solicitors. She is a member of Resolution, a group of family lawyers who believe in fair play and use a non-confrontational approach to resolving family issues.

Vanessa has vast experience in practising family law and her experience has seen her helping families resolve complex matters, from difficult situations involving applications to remove children from the UK, applications to determine what school the children should attend, restricting parental responsibility, assisting family members to assist with care of the children when social services become involved, to general post-separation applications made in relation to children as to where they will live and when and how they should see the other parent and or extended families. She also has experience in dealing with high income and capital asset cases in relation to financial issues, plus routine financial negotiations and issues around sharing and preserving the family home/pensions. Vanessa can assist with the legalities of ending a marriage and dealing with the necessary paperwork to affect a divorce. Vanessa can also assist with pre-marital agreements and living together agreements and protection orders when required.

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Sunny (Mohammad) Miah

Sunny joined us in June 2022 as a Paralegal and is now our Trainee Solicitor. He has completed his LPC and is due to qualify as a Solicitor in October 2024, where he will join our Family Law Department.

As a Trainee Solicitor, Sunny undertakes various aspects of law practice but predominantly assists Becky with Family Cases, such as divorce or consent orders.

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