Meet the Team

Ceri Bater – Director and Solicitor

Ceri Bater is a qualified solicitor, with over 16 years experience in litigation matters. She obtained her 2:1 Honours degree from the University of Wales Cardiff and an LPC distinction from the University of West of England, whilst working as a paralegal at Morgan Cole (now Blake Morgan LLP).

She undertook her training contract with Rickerby Watterson Solicitors in Cheltenham before qualifying with international law firm Eversheds LLP in 2002 where she then remained for 12 years, working as a Senior Associate specialising in insurance claims, financial services dispute resolution and professional negligence.  Ceri managed a team of solicitors and paralegals, acting on behalf of high street banks pursuing negligence and breach of contract claims against other professionals and recovered damages in excess of £4,000,000.  Ceri is experienced in group and bespoke litigation and works with mediators to settle disputes without litigation where possible.

Since leaving Eversheds LLP in 2014 she has built up her own practice locally assisting individual clients, entrepreneurs and SMEs with commercial, employment and litigation matters and is continuing to work alongside these clients and new clients offering a specialist range of services covering:

• Commercial and Civil Dispute Resolution
• Debt Recovery Services
• Financial Services Litigation
• Professional Negligence
• Employment Law

Elaine Richardson – Consultant Solicitor

After starting her legal career in 1996, Elaine qualified as a solicitor in 2011 and also is experienced in resolving matters by mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Elaine has over 15 years’ litigation experience, specialising in professional negligence and fraud claims. Prior to joining Bater Law, Elaine worked at global law firm Eversheds Sutherland in the Financial Services Dispute Resolution department working with major financial institutions, assisting in the recovery of millions of pounds in damages. Elaine has regularly worked on large scale group actions which involve complex issues regarding insolvency and insurance coverage.

Elaine can assist you with:

• Professional negligence
• Fraud
• Financial services litigation
• Commercial dispute resolution
• Debt recovery

Nicola Caluan – Consultant Chartered Legal Executive

Nicola is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Legal Executives, qualifying in 2003.  Nicola specialises in all aspects of litigation, gaining significant experience working for Eversheds LLP for 14 years in the Financial Services Dispute Resolution Team where she specialised in banking and financial services litigation (both unsecured and secured finance) on behalf of major financial companies. Her work involved every stage of the litigation process in addition to pre-litigation and post litigation (to include different methods of enforcement).

Reported Cases:

The work included some complex litigation with one case in particular being reported and remains as good authority on the question of capitalisation and securitisation [Santander -v- Harrison and Another [2013] EWHC 199 (QB) 7 February 2013].

Nicola can assist with:

• Debt recovery
• Breach of contract matters
• Dispute Resolution
• Financial Services litigation
• Professional Negligence
• Landlord & Tenant disputes including possession proceedings and enforcement
• Property litigation

Elizabeth Jones – Consultant Solicitor

Elizabeth Jones is a qualified solicitor with over 11 years experience in civil law. She obtained her 2:1 Honours degree from the University of Glamorgan and qualified as a Barrister (non-practising) undertaking her Bar Vocational Course in London. Having practised in London and returning to South Wales, Elizabeth specialises in Private Client Law.

Elizabeth is an expert in a range of Private Client Services. From Will Drafting to Probate and Estate Administration, Lasting Power of Attorney and Court of Protection matters. Elizabeth also acts as Professional Deputy and Attorney for clients who require that service. Elizabeth also has a weekly legal show on Radio Cardiff discussing legal matters.

Elizabeth can assist with:

• Wills
• Estate planning
• Probate
• Estate administration
• Lasting Powers of Attorney
• Court of Protection (Deputy, Applications, Statutory Wills)
• Trusts

Chrissie Monnelly – Legal Support/Paralegal

Chrissie provides full PA, paralegal and secretarial support to the Director and Consultant Solicitors.  Chrissie assists in the smooth running of Bater Law on a day to day basis, with high levels of client service.  Chrissie obtained a law degree from Cardiff University in 2012 and for almost 15 years has provided supported for solicitors in the Bristol and South Wales area, ranging from sole practitioners to international law firms, and everything in between.  With a diverse background in many different areas of law, including Family, Matrimonial and Children Act, Employment, Corporate, Commercial, Litigation and Criminal, Chrissie can offer a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Bater Law Ltd work alongside other solicitor firms so that if they cannot assist with your query they have trusted partners who they have worked with for many years and can refer you to them with full confidence that they will look after you.