Our People
Matthew is one of the founders of Bradley and Jefferies Commercial Solicitors and has worked in the Derby area for over 25 years, having originally trained with a leading London commercial firm of solicitors. Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and specialises in all aspects of company commercial advice to businesses and their owners. Some of the complementary terms to describe Matthew's approach to his practice include - approachable, astute, commercial, a people person, calm, entrepreneurial, likeable and all delivered with a caustic sense of humour!
Matthew's interests outside of Bradley and Jefferies include running a junior football team, acting as a first reserve taxi driver for his children and following the “fortunes” of Aston Villa
Amanda is one of the two co-founders of Bradley and Jefferies Commercial Solicitors and has worked in Derby for over 25 years. She was recently cited* in the press as one of the “inspirational 250” people and one of 44 “incredible women” in the city. She qualified as a solicitor in 1992 and has always worked and lived in the East Midlands having trained and worked post qualification with a major regional heavy weight firm of solicitors in Nottingham. Amanda is one of the few genuine employment law experts in the East Midlands and has a breadth of experience of handling all sorts of employment law cases and enjoys offering no nonsense employment advice to commercial clients and senior employees.
Some of the complimentary adjectives used to describe Amanda's approach include - direct, commercial, creative, sociable, but above all you want her on your side, not against you!
Amanda is also a part-time lecturer at Nottingham Trent Law School for both postgraduate and undergraduate law courses. Please feel free to contact both Amanda and Harry Farmer in respect of any employment matters you may have.
Amanda's interests include fitting in as many skiing holidays in one year as humanly possible and spending time with her dog and her horse.
*Derby Evening Telegraph September 2016
Harry first came to the firm on a 1-week work experience placement at the age of 16, following which he returned to join us on a part-time basis one day a week throughout the remaining year and a half of his A-levels.
He later joined us training in the commercial property department whilst qualifying. He has since gained a wealth of experience in landlord and tenant disputes, commercial property conveyancing, and leasing, Harry brings a strategic approach to every aspect of his practice. His expertise extends to guiding developers through acquisitions, high-level development finance, bridging finance, and agricultural deals and developments.
Harry has been called to the Bar of England and Wales.
Beyond the legal realm, Harry's adventurous spirit shines through his passions for scuba diving and shooting. His dedication to excellence is evident in his academic achievements, boasting a first-class honours degree in law and a master's of laws with merit. Harry's commitment to his craft is further demonstrated by his qualification at the Bar of England and Wales, coupled with his ongoing pursuit of cross-qualification. With Harry Farmer at the helm, clients can trust in his expertise, vision, and unwavering dedication to achieving their goals.
Penny joined the firm in March 2023 as part of our Company and Commercial team working closely with Matthew Bradley to manage the department's caseload. Penny has extensive experience in several areas of law including company and commercial law, debt recovery and uninsured loss recovery.
Penny has an LLB in Law from the University of Lincoln and LPC, LLM from the University of Law. Penny is currently a trainee solicitor at the firm and is anticipated to complete her period of recognised training in January 2025.
Outside of work, Penny enjoys playing hockey and is a keen Leicester Tigers fan.
Fearn joined the firm as a Commercial Property Paralegal in March 2024 following an insightful two-week work experience alternating throughout Bradley and Jefferies’ Commercial Solicitor’s various departments, ultimately settling in our Property department after showcasing her keen interest in property affairs.
Fearn has an LLB qualification in Law from the University of Nottingham and will shortly graduate with an LPC LLM from BPP University Cambridge. Her compulsory and optional studies predominantly engaged with Commercial and Property focused modules in her perseverance to prepare herself for a thrilling career in the Commercial Property field.
Outside of work, Fearn enjoys practicing her art skills, reading, visiting friends and family, and going to the gym.
Danica has joined the firm as a placement student from Nottingham Trent University where she studied various modules, including Land Law and Commercial Law. She is now keen to get stuck in at the firm and learn all that she can.
At university, Danica founded and acted as President for the Book Society, shaping it to form a community of avid readers. Also, she acted as a Networking Officer for the Space Law and Exploration Society where she helped organise a guest lecture
Sam joined the firm in November 2023 as a paralegal and is an integral part of our commercial dispute resolution team. Managing his own complex caseload, Sam has the ability to resolve all manner of disputes with specific experience in the area’s of commercial debt recovery and breach of contract claims for both claimant and defendant. Sam’s approach is meticulous but efficient, leaving no stone unturned, whilst constantly trying to find the most cost-effective and commercially-viable method to resolve disputes.
Some of Sam’s recent successes include a long-standing £95,000.00 share purchase settlement and a circa. £7,000.00 oral contact dispute. Sam also assists our employment department and has experience with commercial contracts and data protection issues.
Sam graduated from his LPC in the summer of 2020 (following the completion of his undergraduate degree, masters degree, and GDL!) and is now striving to obtain a training contract to qualify as a solicitor and become a leading litigator. Outside of work, Sam spends the majority of his time either in the gym or following the highs (and lows) of Chelsea Football Club
Julie joined Bradley and Jefferies Commercial Solicitors as a Legal Secretary. She is now Senior Legal Secretary.
Julie worked in the financial services sector for over 20 years in a Legal/Compliance role, during which time she completed her ILEX qualifications.
Some of the complementary terms to describe Julie's approach include being fast and efficient when it comes to completing tasks, has a keen eye for detail and excellent time management skills, which allows her to effectively manage the workload within the admin support team.
Julie's interests outside of work include spending time with family and friends and taking as many holidays to Fuerteventura as she can manage.
Melanie joined BJCS as a Legal Secretary in November 2022.
Melanie previously worked in Local Government for almost 25 years; mostly in a Trading Standards role where she dealt with consumer problems, compliance issues, carried out inspections and testing, under age sales and other projects.
Mel’s interests include walking, running, reading and being out in nature as much as possible. Favourite hobbies include creating beaded jewellery, drawing and painting flowers and cooking ( especially roasts, chillies and curries!)