Professional Accreditations & Memberships

The Law Society accreditations

Thackray Williams has been accredited with the LEXCEL Practice Management Standard, a quality mark of client care, compliance and practice management specifically for solicitors. Only a small percentage of firms in private practice have attained this standard. The standard is recognition that Thackray Williams' clients can expect to receive a first class service.

We also hold the Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation, a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices and the Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme accreditation, a best practice quality mark for wills and estate administration advice.

  • Lexcel - Practice Management Standard
  • The Law Society Accredited - Conveyancing Quality
  • The Law Society Accredited - Wills & Inheritance Quality

Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025

Thackray Williams' Residential Real Estate team is ranked in band 2 in the high value residential category for national leaders outside London.  Partner, Claire Josef is ranked in band 3.

The firm's Private Wealth team is ranked in band 2 for the private wealth law high net worth category for Kent. Partner and Head of Private Client, Elliot Lewis is ranked in band 2.

In this year's Guide, glowing feedback included, "Elliot Lewis is the consummate professional and highly knowledgeable in his field. He has a great understanding of what ever the matter, challenge or request he is faced with." and "Claire Josef is experienced and very able." "Claire is the best solicitor I know."

You can read more here.

Chambers UK Guide 2025

Thackray Williams' Employment and Real Estate teams are ranked in the Chambers UK Guide for 2025 for the South.

Head of Corporate, Nick Gabay, is ranked in band 1 for corporate/M&A: £5 million and above in the South and Joint Managing Partner and Head of Employment, Emma Thompson, is ranked in band 3 for employment in the South.

Legal 500 Guide 2025

Thackray Williams' Employment, Family, Private Client (personal tax, trusts and probate) and Real Estate (commercial property and property litigation) teams are currently ranked in the Legal 500 2025 Guide for the South East.  Our Corporate and Commercial team is a 'Firm to Watch'.

Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)

The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) is a global professional membership body comprising of lawyers, accountants, trustees and other practitioners that help families plan for their futures in terms of inheritance and succession planning.

At Thackray Williams we have eight STEP members.  Anthony Macey, Claire Lovis, Nima Stepney, Mitchell Thompson, Sophie Boxall and Lee Ann Diaz are full STEP members who are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience. Rachel Whitmey is an Associate member and Leah Cregg is an Affiliate member.

The Association of Lifetime Lawyers

Private Client Partners, Andrea Kershaw, Claire Lovis and Nima Stepney are members of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (previously named Solicitors for the Elderly), a community of like minded legal professionals with additional skills to support older and vulnerable clients with the right legal advice. 

Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP)

Our Leasehold team are members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP), an association who promotes best practice by vetting individual barristers and organisations to ensure they have the requisite expertise in leasehold enfranchisement.  The ALEP acts as a badge of assurance so that leaseholder and freeholder clients can be confident that they are employing professionals with the right level of expertise in handling potentially complex transactions.