About Birketts’ Ecclesiastical Team
Our dedicated Ecclesiastical Team are specialists in advising on all aspects of the law of the Church of England.
The team’s wide range of legal expertise best places them to provide support to clergy, laity, church officers, parishes, dioceses and the national church institutions as well as to bishops, cathedral deans and chapters.
Our lawyers are committed to supporting the Church’s mission and ministry. Knowledge and experience gained over years of practice means we understand the structures and workings of the Church of England and appreciate the full range of challenges and opportunities our clients may face.
The Lawyers
Partner and head of the team Kevin Wilson is the Diocesan Registrar of the Diocese of Guildford (since 2024) and Deputy Registrar of the Dioceses of London, Norwich and St. Edmundsbury & Ipswich. Stuart Jones is the Diocesan Registrar of the Dioceses of Norwich (since 2009) and London (since 2020) and James Hall is Diocesan Registrar of the Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich (since 1998).
Kevin, Stuart and James are joined, by Associate, Stephen Coleman, on a part-time basis whilst also Priest-in-Charge of the Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair, as well as a very experienced team of Registry Clerks: Richard Hastings (Guildford and London), Jo Pelan (Norwich) and Angie Long (St. Edmundsbury & Ipswich).
Offering a full service, the Ecclesiastical Team is supported by lawyers from across the firm in the Birketts Ecclesiastical Network on legal topics including employment, data protection, safeguarding, property, dispute resolution, construction, commercial contracts, environmental, and charity law.