Meet the Howard & Over Team

Donna Baker is a partner of the firm and head of the Property Department. 

Donna qualified as a solicitor in September 2005 after completing her training contract with Foot Anstey. Donna has experience in a wide range of property transactions including business leases, business sales and purchases, commercial property sales and purchases, commercial mortgages, plot sales, small development agreements, and residential sales and purchases (particularly the high value and complex matters).

Donna is working from the Plymouth office specialising in commercial property.

In Donna's spare time she enjoys body combat classes and walking her lively dogs on Dartmoor.

Donna's clients say:

"Donna and her team made this complicated purchase easy"

"Donna was excellent.  She is friendly, approachable and knowledgeable.  Very happy with the service provided"

Katherine is a partner of the firm and the head of Howard and Over’s private client department. Katherine qualified as a solicitor in 2010 and joined Howard and Over in 2012.

Katherine works from the Ivybridge Office and deals with all aspects of private client work including the administration of estates/probate matters, dealing with the administration of trusts and the preparation of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Katherine has vast experience at dealing with agricultural matters, coming from an agricultural background herself, and is able to deal with difficult matters such as succession as well as tax planning.

Katherine is a fully accredited member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly). The Association of Lifetime Lawyers is an independent, national organisation of lawyers who provide specialist legal advice for older and vulnerable people, their families and carers.

Katherine enjoys exploring the local countryside especially walking on Dartmoor and the coastal paths with her spaniel and children.

Katherine's clients say:

"Katherine was very efficient and business-like, she and her team worked well together, were friendly and explained the jargon in simple language"

"Katherine was very easy to deal with, gave us good personalised advice and made Will writing and the whole LPA process very easy. She made a very complex process very simple for us"

"The service was exceptional, I cannot thank you enough"

"You can't improve upon perfection"

Julia works alongside Katherine in the Ivybridge office supporting the private client department including preparing Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney and assisting in probate matters.

Tallulah joined Howard and Over after completing her LLB Law degree at Plymouth University where she also worked in the pro bono law clinic.  

Tallulah works in the residential property department assisting Jasmine Morris with the sale and purchase of properties.

In her spare time, Tallulah enjoys going for bike rides and trying different coffee shops.

Baden joined Howard and Over in 2024 and works in the dispute litigation department in the Marsh Mills office.

Baden has a lot of experience in representing clients in court and currently undertakes contentious civil matters such as professional negligence, debt recovery and property disputes.

At the weekend, Baden enjoys a fight in the boxing ring.

Dan joined Howard and Over in 2022 and is currently studying an LLB in Law at Plymouth University.

Dan works in the commercial department within the Marsh Mills office.

When Dan is not in the office, he can be found farming or being an active part of his local Young Farmers club.

Lisa joined the firm in 2024 as a Commercial Property Assistant, working at our Plymouth Office.

Lisa has over 18 years’ experience working within the Public and Private legal sector and has worked on some high value and complex cases.

Lisa assists with the sale and purchase of property and businesses as well as leases and land.

Ellie started as a paralegal in our private client department after gaining a first class honours degree in law and following completing her LPC has now a training contract with the firm.

Ellie is from Plymouth and has a good knowledge of the local area and works alongside Katherine Millman and Catherine English in the private client department dealing with Will drafting, Probate matters and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Ellie enjoys evenings at the beach and foraging for fresh produce.

Charlotte joined Howard and Over in 2024 after having worked in a medical surgery.  

Charlotte works in our accounts department and is based in our Plymouth office.

Natalie is a Licensed Conveyancer in our Plymouth office and joint head of the residential conveyancing department.

Natalie has been with Howard & Over since 2015 and has over 10 years of experience within conveyancing.

Natalie specialises in dealing with a wide range of residential conveyancing transactions including the sale and purchase both freehold and leasehold property, new builds, transfers of equity and re-mortgages.

At the weekends, Natalie can be found enjoying live music.

Natalie's clients say:

"Very efficient. Natalie was excellent and answered all my queries quickly and clearly. Howard & Over dealt with the correspondence timeously. Could not have received a better service"

"Many thanks to you and all your team for the great work you have done for me in the two sales and one purchase. I am absolutely delighted... You have both been really helpful and made the whole thing happen in record speed. Thank you again"

Jacob is a chartered legal executive and has extensive experience advising businesses on a wide variety of commercial property matters, including transactions involving household names such as The Cooperative, Screwfix, and Costa Coffee. His specialisms include commercial leasehold, development schemes, option agreements, overage, complex residential, commercial and investment property.

Jacob has a strong academic background having achieved a first-class LLB law with business degree at Plymouth University and was awarded the “Best Law Graduate” prize overall. Notably, he won the UPLS mooting competition in 2016 where he appeared in the Supreme Court to argue a point on breach of trust for Lord Neuberger.  

In his spare time, Jacob enjoys walking his dog, Lily, and when he gets the chance, he loves to go fishing.

Vanda works within the property department at Howard and Over dealing with the purchase and sale of residential properties.  

Vanda is based at the Ivybridge office and works closely with Claire and Danielle.

Vanda spends her spare time babysitting and socialising with her many friends.

Sam has been with Howard and Over since leaving school, working her way up in the firm to become manager of the offices as well as head of the accounts department.

Catherine is a CILEx Probate Practitioner in the firm.   

Catherine has lived and worked in Plymouth all her life and has more than 30 years experience in the legal profession and 20 years experience in Private Client. 

Prior to joining the firm Catherine worked at Bond Pearce (now Womble Bond Dickinson) for 18 years as a private client paralegal. 

Catherine deals with all aspects of private client work including administration of estates/probate, preparation of Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection work.

At the weekend, Catherine enjoys a day at the garden centre.

Tina has worked in the property department at Howard and Over for many years and gained a wealth of experience in property and commercial matters.  

Tina works in the Plymouth office.

Tina is a keen gardener and spends her weekends tending her plants.

Heather joined the firm in 2022 as a paralegal having completed a degree in law.

Heather works in the commercial property department dealing with the sale and purchase of property and businesses, leases and land.

Heather has a keen interest in travelling and her greatest experience has been swimming with turtles.

Matilda started working as a Legal Assistant in the Ivybridge office in October 2024 in the Residential Conveyancing Department assisting in sales and purchases.

She Graduated from Plymouth University in 2022 with a Law Degree.

In her free time she enjoys walking on Dartmoor and baking cakes. 

Annette has worked for Howard and Over for many years and has vast experience in property transactions.  Annette assists the conveyancing department in the Plymouth office.

Annette likes to spend her weekends by the beach at her caravan.

Thomas joined Howard and Over following a law degree at Swansea University.  He is currently completing an LLM in Legal Practice including the Legal Practice Course.

Thomas works in the commercial department assisting with business and land transactions.

Thomas enjoys playing rugby and when he isn't playing, supporting Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

Following a Law Degree, LPC and LLM Masters in Law, Olivia joined Howard and Over and is now undertaking her training contract with the firm.

Olivia has a lot of experience in litigious matters such as personal injury following works as a paralegal in this area before her training contract.  She is now undertaking a seat in private client preparing Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate.

Olivia dotes on her Golden Retriever and spends her weekends doing DIY.

Lorraine has worked for Howard and Over for many years and has a wealth of experience in Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate.  Lorraine assists Catherine English in the Plymouth office.

Having completed a Law Degree, Alice joined Howard and Over in 2023 and works in the private client department dealing with Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the administration of estates.

Alice spends her weekends taking her little girl to karate classes.

After gaining extensive experience working as a paralegal undertaking litigation matters, Nick started his training contract with Howard and Over in 2022 and is now a qualified solicitor.

Nick utilises his previous experience in private client matters and civil litigation to specialise in contentious probate matters such as claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act and disputes with regard to Wills and estates.

At the weekends, Nick enjoys paddle boarding and visiting places of historic and religious interest.

Daisy works in the property department in our Ivybridge Office, assisting Danielle Harris with regard to property sales and purchases.

Daisy is in the process of completing a business administration apprenticeship.

Daisy enjoys singing karaoke at the weekends.

Jasmine graduated from Bournemouth University and now works in the residential property department in the Marsh Mills office.

Jasmine in born and bred in Cornwall and loves classic cars, she works alongside Natalie Couling dealing with the sale and purchase of properties.

Rosie is an experienced residential conveyancer working in the Ivybridge office dealing with residential conveyancing matters including the purchase and sale of properties as well as transfers of equity and re-mortgages.

Rosie completed the CILEx paralegal qualification specialising in land law and conveyancing in 2020. After starting as an apprentice administrator in a small Plymouth firm in 2015 Rosie has progressed her career and joined Howard & Over in November 2024.

Rosie enjoys walking and the gym in her spare time.

Tina joined Howard and Over in 2023 and runs the reception in the Ivybridge office.

Tina is ridiculously clean and organised and at the weekends, if she is not re-arranging her furniture she can be found walking her Jack Russell. 

Nicky joined Howard and Over after gaining experience in the property industry through estate agency.  

Nicky is able to use her wealth of experience in the industry to deal efficiently with both sale and purchase transactions, working closely with Claire Waldren in the Ivybridge office.

Nicky enjoys travel and spending time with her grandchildren.

Amy recently joined Howard and Over following a background of working in the medical profession.

Amy is part of the reception team in the Plymouth office.

Danielle works in the Ivybridge office dealing with residential conveyancing matters including the purchase and sale of properties as well as transfers of equity.

Danielle initially joined Howard and Over in 2017 under an apprenticeship scheme and after successfully completing a level three in business administration she worked her way up to becoming a paralegal before starting training to be a Legal Executive. Danielle has since completed her Level 3 exams as is now a member of the chartered institute of legal executives.

Danielle enjoys baking at the weekends, as well as going to the gym.

Danielle's clients say:

"You are an asset to Howard & Over"

"She was approachable, thorough, responsive, professional, efficient and friendly throughout"

Michelle joined Howard and Over following a background in property including working as an estate agent.

Michelle works with Natalie, assisting in the sale and purchase of residential properties within the Plymouth property department.

Michelle practices yoga and is an advocate for women's body positivity.

After completing his law degree, George joined Howard and Over as a paralegal and now works within the private client department undertaking the preparation of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and assisting in the administration of estates.

Claire qualified in 2013 after completing her training contract in-house with AECOM Davis Langdon, a global construction consultancy.  Claire is joint head of the residential conveyancing department at Howard and Over.

Claire has experience in a wide range of commercial transactions including commercial contracts, financing, business leases, business sales and purchases, commercial property sales and purchases, and high value and complex residential sales and purchases.   

In 2015 Claire qualified in Scots Law and spent several years dealing with residential and commercial property in Scotland. From Plymouth, Claire has good local knowledge and understanding of the Plymouth and surrounding areas and market.

Claire enjoys spending time with her two daughters.

Claire's clients say:

"You were so helpful and kind and always on hand for my queries."

"I would like to thank you Claire personally for all your help & hard work & keeping me up to speed in every step of the way"

Debbie works in our accounts department and is based in our Plymouth office.

Debbie enjoys exploring the world and if she isn’t in the office can usually be found on sunbed with a margarita in her hand.