About Us

In addition to their continuing professional training our staff are taught the importance of the firm’s clients both collectively and individually, this follows the firm’s ethic of setting high standards for our staff, listening to our clients, tailoring our knowledge base to the individual clients needs and explaining the law, the choices and the implications in terms our clients understand. We are fully committed to keeping our clients fully and regularly informed as to the progress of his or her case, next steps and costings and timings. It is our job to be comfortable with the law while appreciating that for many of our clients dealing with legal matters will be unfamiliar to them and can be stressful. At Fryer Chandler we are all aware that confidence in our own ability must be coupled with the involvement, understanding and reassurance of the client. We believe we have succeeded as so many of our clients come back to us and/or recommend us to others.

We have built up our practice focused on the client as an individual.

We all need somewhere to live – so we have a thriving property department acting for buyers and sellers in the private residential market from leasehold maisonettes to large mansions, including extensive experience of newly built property so that we can offer a niche service to buyers and/or developers working to strict timetables on new developments.

Our clients may need somewhere to carry on business and our property department also has considerable expertise in the Leasehold and Freehold commercial property market.

We can also advise Landlords and Tenants in the lettings market.

Most of us also form relationships as we go through life – but sadly sometimes those relationships breakdown. Our family department has great experience in offering clear constructive advice in an understanding manner when couples divorce and the difficult questions of residence and contact for the children, accommodation and finances have to be sorted out. The same also applies to single sex couples in Civil Partnerships or couples simply cohabiting without any formal legal union.

However, family law is not just endings. It can be the exciting new beginnings of new relationships: adoption, couples starting out, sometimes on say a second relationship by mutual consent making provision for the protection of children from a previous relationship, or good friends clubbing together to make a joint purchase to get both feet on the property ladder – our family department can help them all.

We will all die – and we all want to do the best for our families and loved ones. Our wills and probate department is skilled in interpreting the wishes of clients and giving effect to them in wills. Our clients have the reassurance of knowing that their wishes are set out clearly. Their loved ones will not have the distress of confusion or doubt as fair provision has been clearly made for those who need it thus avoiding worry, hardship or argument. Our clients will also know that all that can be done to protect the estate from the impact of inheritance tax or predation by the Local Authority has been done.

We handle probate in a timely and efficient manner observing the need for transparency of costs and business like professionalism whilst acknowledging the particular sensitivities of the situation.

Our firm has been built around the individual and the importance of each individual client is paramount.

Howard Fryer - Senior Partner, Head of Wills and Probate Department

After completing my education at Brentwood school and Leicester University, I entered private practice in 1977 and qualified as a solicitor in January 1981.  I went on to become a partner in a 7 partner / 5 office Essex firm before founding Fryer Chandler in 1991.

In my 25 years as a solicitor I have gained substantial experience in many areas of the law including residential and commercial property; Landlord & Tenant; Company and business affairs; civil and matrimonial litigation and criminal and civil advocacy. As such I am well placed to over see the areas of law in which Fryer Chandler excel.  However in my 25 years since qualification I have particularly concentrated on and honed my skills in wills and probate including inheritance tax planning which has been my recognised expertise and area of practice for many years.

I see the personal development of my staff and colleagues as the key to Fryer Chandlers continued success.  I am proud of the  growth Fryer Chandler has achieved since its inception and am excited by our prospects for expansion and increasing depth of service and expertise.

In my spare time I enjoy travel; fishing and bird watching with my family as well as having a keen interest in several sports as a spectator and player. I am a member of the Law Society; Mid Essex Law Society and Chelmsford Solicitors Group.”

Gavin Smith - Head of Conveyancing Department

Gavin Smith is the head of the Conveyancing Department at Fryer Chandler.Gavin has over 10 years of specialist conveyancing experience together with a wealth of knowledge accumulated from working for one of the Country’s largest developers, a firm of  property lawyers and now running Fryer Chandler's well established conveyancing department. In 2002, Gavin qualified as a Licensed Conveyancer and Commissioner for Oaths and is currently in his last year on the road to becoming a Legal Executive. A keen sportsman and West Ham United supporter, Gavin served in the Territorial Army, enjoys mountain walking, running and outdoor activities.