Kerry Underwood

Kerry is an acknowledged expert on funding, costs, regulatory matters relating to fee arrangements between solicitors and clients, and the legal system generally.

He is the author of several books on these matters.

He is a former Judge, current author, lecturer, broadcaster and a former Councillor and Parliamentary Candidate.

Kerry has extensive experience in virtually all types of litigation and has appeared as an advocate in many high profile and reported cases.

Kerry is mentioned in the Dictionary of International Biography, Debrett’s People of Today and American Biography Institute – Great Minds of the 21st Century. Kerry is a Regional Committee Member of the Lord’s Taverners Charity for disadvantaged children and is Knight Commander of the Order of St John (for charity work). He is a patron of Cape Town Opera.

Kerry travels extensively and home is his beloved adopted town of Hemel Hempstead.

In his spare time Kerry enjoys watching cricket and football and can be found during the football season cheering on QPR and Hemel Hempstead Town FC. Underwoods Solicitors is a Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassador. He also enjoys gardening and reading. Nelson Mandela, TS Eliot and Elvis are amongst his heroes.

kerry.underwood@lawabroad.co.uk

Leah Waller

Leah is a keen advocate of Employee Rights and always looking to achieve the best results for her clients, whether Employee or Employer. Leah qualified in 2013, after training with Underwoods Solicitors under Kerry’s supervision, and has experience in a broad range of disciplines but has a passion for Employment Law. 

Leah has experience in dealing with both Employers and Employees and understands the headache that can be caused when problems arise in the workplace and is always happy to help her clients, every step of the way, to relieve some of that burden whilst bringing the best resolution for the client. 

Leah is author of ‘Babysteps: A Guide to Maternity Leave & Maternity Pay’. Leah also writes and presents training material for the legal profession on Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace, Maternity, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave Rights, amongst other topics.

Leah also volunteers extensively in the Dementia arena as well as with Young Carers and Vulnerable Adults with CHUMS Charity.

With extensive experience working with the elderly, mentally impaired and vulnerable adults, alongside their families, Leah enjoys assisting clients with later life planning, including Wills, Trusts and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

In her spare time, Leah loves keeping fit through a variety of exercise classes such as strength training and zumba. She is obsessed with all things Disney and an avid collector of Disney Snowglobes. 

leah.waller@lawabroad.co.uk

Emma Dorrington

Emma is an accounts manager with over 20 years’ experience and joined Underwoods in October 2019. 

Emma is responsible for all aspects of accounts within the firm.   

In her spare time, Emma enjoys singing and has won a few karaoke competitions and has taken to the stage in her sons’ school PTA panto and cabaret. 

Emma is also an Active Youth Worker in her local church helping in the Sunday school and is the Treasurer at her Sons school PTA. 

Emma enjoys spending quality family time with her husband and two sons and can usually be found having fun at Paradise Wildlife park. 

When the chance arises, Emma also enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends over a drink or two. 

emma.dorrington@lawabroad.co.uk

Claire Long

Claire is responsible for all marketing and business development activities within the firm including direct marketing, digital marketing, advertising, seminar and event planning, sponsorship and PR.

Claire has over seventeen years’ marketing experience within the professional services industry.  

With a height of only 4ft 10.5in Claire is smaller than petite Australian singer Kylie Minogue.

In her spare time Claire enjoys keeping fit, and spending quality family time with her two daughters.

claire.long@lawabroad.co.uk

Ashlynne Pilz

Ashlynne was born in Port Elizabeth, also known as the Windy City, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She then later moved to the majestic Winelands in the Western Cape and has been living in Wellington for the past 20 years.

Ashlynne joined the Underwoods team as a Legal Secretary in September 2020, she then became an Admin Assistant in December 2020, and was then promoted to NCT Team Leader in June 2022.  Ashlynne has become exceptional in reaching her short-term goals since joining the team and is looking forward to the next big milestone in her career. 

Ashlynne worked in the hospitality industry prior to joining the team and has gained exceptional communication & leadership skills. 

In her free time, Ashlynne enjoys spending priceless moments with her adorable son (and is expecting another baby boy) watching historic documentaries and reading online fictional books. She is also currently writing a fictional book. 

ashlynne.pilz@lawabroad.co.uk 

Ulreka Joshua

Ulreka was born and raised in Paarl, Western Cape, and joined the Underwoods team in the South African Office in December 2020 as a Legal Secretary. She joined the NCT admin department in 2022.

Ulreka was promoted to NCT Admin Team Leader overseeing the Admin and Reception department to ensure the smooth day to day running of the operation.

Ulreka has been involved in co-ordinating events, pageants, reception duties and has a passion for working with various charities. She also has a  Diploma in photography and is looking forward to the new chapter in her life with the Underwoods Team. 

Ulreka has two children which she enjoys spending her spare time with.

ulreka.joshua@lawabroad.co.uk 

Clint Hefca

Clint is a receptionist in our South African office. He is a hardworking young man who loves working with people within the Social Development field. He has an education history and future within the Human Resources sector as well as the Social Development field. 

He enjoys music and his other hobbies consists of community work and sports.

Isabel Suse

Isabel was born in Paarl and works as a legal secretary for Underwoods team in South Africa. Isabel believes in professionalism in the workplace and together with her positive attitude and tireless energy, she encourages others to work hard and succeed in the goals they are setting to themselves. 

Janine Daniels

Janine resides in Paarl, South Africa and joined the Underwoods team in 2022 as a New Client Enquiries Assistant. Janine has been in the travel and tourism industry for nine years. She lives to deliver outstanding service and has an excellent customer service skillset. 

She enjoys good food, great music, singing and serving her local community. 

Kaylin Smith

Kaylin Smith, born in Paarl, joined the Underwoods Team in June 2022 and is based in the South African office. She is responsible for client experience from first contact, until signed up and the file transferred to a solicitor. 

She is a very outgoing person and loves helping others.

In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her children.

Tharen-Lee Van Schoor

Tharen-Lee is an NCT Assistant in our South African office. She is a dedicated young woman who loves her privacy. She has worked in the retail industry for a few years and also has a background and future in Human Resources. 

She is madly in love with her daughter and prefers spending time with her above anything else. She loves listening to inspiring music and considers motivating others as a hobby. 

Chia-Hua Wang

Chia-Hua Wang is an independent mother born and raised in South Africa. She has studied and worked in the hospitality and catering industry as well as in various other industries and now finds herself as a receptionist at Underwoods Solicitors in our South African office. 

She is a love life type of person who always accepts new challenges thrown her way. She is a hard worker and always tries to do best in life at everything she does. She enjoys life adventures, watching Netflix and spending time with friends and family. 

Julius Mupinga

Julius was born in Zimbabwe and moved to South Africa in 2009. He has been working for Underwoods Solicitors since 2017.

Julius is in charge of the property maintenance at the office in Wellington, South Africa and the extensive grounds and gardens.

In his spare time, Julius loves spending time with his two children at home and visits his eldest son in the Northern Cape when on holiday.

Julius also enjoys watching football and listening to music.

Andrew McCabe

Andrew created our website including the online booking and payment systems. He also manages our email system. He's worked with Underwoods for 14 years.

He lives in the south of Spain between the mountains and the sea.

Anville Van Wyk

Anville specialises in Property Law, General Commercial Law, Estate and Tax Planning, Administration of Deceased Estates and Trust Law. Through the years, he contributed to the community life in Paarl. He was a founding member of the Drakenstein Rotary Club in Paarl, founding member of the Paarl Attorneys Association, served as Captain, President and Chairman of the board of the Paarl Golf Club and has played a major role in establishing the Boschenmeer Golf and Country Estate.

Anville obtained his BA LLB degree at the University of Stellenbosch in 1974. He served his articles with Silberbauers Attorneys in Cape Town and joined Solomon Miller, Hymie Maisel and Willem Gaum in Paarl in May 1977.

He is an experienced and seasoned attorney who commenced his career in litigation and migrated into Commercial, Trust and Tax work. He obtained his post graduate diploma in Tax Law at the University of Cape Town, with distinction, in 1993.

Anville celebrated his 40th year in practice in 2017.

Nazlee Abrahams

Nazlee Abrahams grew up in Paarl and obtained the degrees B.Sc. and LLB from the University of Stellenbosch in 1992 and 1997 respectively.

She commenced with her articles at Van Wyk Fouchee in 1998 and was admitted as an Attorney with right of appearance in the High Court in 2000 after which she consequently became a Director at the firm.

In October of 2002 she was admitted as Conveyancer and also Notary Public in 2006. She currently manages Bonds registrations in the Conveyancing Department and further specialises in family & marriage law, drafting of wills, administration of estates and all notarial work.

Nazlee makes a valuable contribution in pro-bono work when the opportunity arises and invests a considerable amount of time in community service. She also serves as the current Chairperson of the governing body of William Lloyd Primary.

Willem Van Heerden

Willem van Heerden is a Direct at Van Wyk Van Heerden in the dispute resolution, litigation and mediation department. He specialises in contractual disputes, company law, shareholder issues, evictions, family law, banking law and insolvency law. He provides sound strategic advice and direction on all commercial and company issues.

He is an accredited commercial mediator as well as a business rescue practitioner.

He has encouraged the appropriate use of mediation in the resolution of all disputes.

He has acted for various international and cross border trade, transport, agricultural and construction companies. Willem has acted for major banks, insurance houses, leading retailers, property groups as well as high network of entrepreneurs and individuals. He serves as a trustee on a number of trusts.

Willem has written various articles and is a co-author of a published legal book on farm evictions.

Charl Ackermann

Charl obtained his law degree at the North West University in 2008. And finalised his articles at Van Velden & Duffey Attorneys where after he practised at the same firm and became a director in 2014.

Charl was recruited by Van Wyk Van Heerden in 2017 to strengthen and assist our growing litigation department. He handles a wide range of litigation matters including company, family, insolvency, banking and delictual law.

Carla Geldenhuys

Carla grew up in the Free State and decided to relocate to the Cape Winelands to study law at Stellenbosch University. She obtained her LLB degree in 2002 and furthered her studies at the University of Cape Town’s School for Legal Practice where she received the Dean’s award for the best student in Business Management and Administration.

She joined the litigation department at Van der Spuy & Partners as a candidate attorney where-after she decided to pursue a career in property and commercial law, specializing in sectional title schemes, security estates and developments, servitudes, subdivisions and consolidations as well as commercial contracting.

Carla heads up the Conveyancing Department of the firm and mainly assists estate agencies and developers and is actively involved in the marketing of the company. 

Leonette Ackermann

Leonette completed her studies at the University of Pretoria and obtained her LLB degree in 2009. She practised in Rustenburg for 8 years and specialised in debt Recovery, debt review and related matters.

Leonette joined the firm in 2017 and manages all correspondent work.

Antionette Rawlings

Antionette obtained her LLB degree, with distinction, in 2015 at the North-West University of Potchefstroom.

She completed her articles at Van Wyk van Heerden Attorneys in 2017, and currently practices as an attorney in the litigation department. She completed her conveyancing examination in 2018 and will be admitted as a conveyancer in 2019. Antionette handles a wide range of litigation matters, including company, property, estate, family and insolvency law.

Gaynor Bezuidenhout

Gaynor obtained her LLB degree in 2012 from the University of Stellenbosch. She then completed her articles at a law firm in the North West Province where she gained experience in General Litigation, Family Law and Debt Collection. In 2016 she moved back to the Western Cape and finally joined the firm in November 2018 where she forms an integral part of the Evictions Department, assisting clients in both ESTA (Agricultural) and PIE (residential) evictions.