Stodarts People
Grant Wood – Senior Partner
Grant Wood has always practised law in Hamilton and has been a partner of Stodarts and its predecessors Stodart, Orr & Co. and Stodart & Hay Cassels for thirty years. He has a wide experience of property work, wills, estates and tax planning with particular knowledge of farming.
Grant is Secretary of the Lanarkshire Valuation Appeal Panel, a part-time Chairman of Tribunals with the Tribunals Service and a part time Convener of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.
Grant has lived all his life in Lanarkshire, having been born and brought up in Stonehouse and having lived in Hamilton for the last thirty years. He is married to Jane, also a lawyer, and they have three grown up children, Carolyn, who is an accountant, and Elaine and Gordon, both of whom are doctors practising in hospital medicine.
Contact Grant: grantwood@stodarts.co.uk
Stewart Graham – Partner
Stewart has been a solicitor in Hamilton for 27 years. He deals mainly with chamber practice and his work includes property, commercial, wills and estates. Born in Lanark, Stewart obtained an honours degree at Glasgow University and then completed his apprenticeship in a city firm before joining Stodart Orr & Co in 1980.
He has a keen interest in charity law and governance , has written on the subject in the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland, and in November 2006 was invited to act as subject matter expert in the training given to the members of the newly established Scottish Charity Appeals Panel. He also tutors in conveyancing at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law.
Married to Susan, a research scientist, they have two children, Lauren and Rory.
Stewart is a keen swimmer, and enjoys water skiing , windsurfing and karting. When this site was first set up his burning ambition was to learn how to snowboard before Lauren and Rory got there first – the rest, as they say, is history!
Contact Stewart: stewartgraham@stodarts.co.uk
Alan R. Bayley – Partner
Alan handles a wide range of work, particularly property and business matters. He also has a particular interest in family law issues, relating to divorce, separation and children. He has been commissioned to write a book on divorce law by one of Scotland's leading law publishers.
In addition to his work within the firm, Alan is a tutor with the Glasgow Graduate School of Law. His work there involves teaching on Wills, Trusts and Executries to post-graduate law students. He has also been appointed as a Peer Reviewer by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
Alan studied law at Glasgow University where he obtained his honours degree in 1989 and has worked in Hamilton for the whole of his professional life.
Outwith the office, Alan’s main interest is in the theatre, having directed several touring productions including a number of shows which have been staged at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
He is married to Shirley and has a daughter - Roslyn.
Contact Alan: alanbayley@stodarts.co.uk
Ruth Leonard - Assistant Solicitor
Ruth is a qualified assistant, having served her traineeship with Stodarts. Prior to that, she obtained her honours degree from Glasgow University and her Diploma in Legal Practice from the Glasgow Graduate School of Law.
Ruth is involved in a wide range of work, although she has a particular interest in conveyancing and family law matters.
Ruth lives in Falkirk and enjoys cooking, badminton and music.
Contact Ruth: ruth@stodarts.co.uk
Victoria Ulph - Assistant Solicitor
Victoria specialises in all aspects of family law work. She is happy to help in sorting out matters arising from a couple’s separation including resolving the division of property and arrangements for children. Victoria is experienced in pursuing family law matters through the courts but also recognises the importance of attempting to resolve the sensitive issues involved in family break-ups through negotiation wherever this is possible.
Victoria studied law at Glasgow University, graduating with Honours in 1989. She is a member of the Family Law Association and has practiced law in Ayr, Glasgow and the Cayman Islands.
Victoria enjoys travel, entertaining and watching football.
Contact Victoria: victoriaulph@stodarts.co.uk
Elaine McMeekin – Paralegal
Elaine joined the firm in March 2000 and is employed as a Paralegal/Executry Assistant. Elaine deals principally with Wills, Estates and Trusts but has extensive experience in all areas of legal work.
Elaine was born in Glasgow though spent her whole life in East Kilbride and still lives there today. She has worked in legal practices for over twenty years and completed her paralegal courses at Strathclyde University.
Elaine has one daughter, Nicola.
She spends her spare time reading books, socialising and going to the cinema.
Contact Elaine: elainemcmeekin@stodarts.co.uk
Lyndsey Clark - Trainee Solicitor
Lyndsey is a Trainee solicitor and joined the firm in 2006. She obtained her honours degree at Strathclyde University and her Diploma in Legal Practice from the Glasgow Graduate School of Law. She is currently gaining experience in a number of areas of law, in particular conveyancing and family law.
Lyndsey lives in East Kilbride and enjoys quizzes, badminton and walking her three dogs.
Contact Lyndsey: lyndsey@stodarts.co.uk
Joanne Nicoll - Trainee Solicitor
Joanne is a Trainee Solicitor and joined the firm in 2007. She studied at Strathclyde University where she obtained her honours degree before completing the Diploma in Legal Practice at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law.
Joanne is currently gaining experience in a wide range of legal fields, in particular conveyancing and wills and executries. Although she enjoys dealing with these matters, she is also keen to explore family law issues.
Outside the office, Joanne’s main interest is athletics. A former athlete, Joanne now coaches children of both primary and secondary school age at Motherwell Athletics Club, which is based in her home town. She also likes to keep fit and plays hockey with Dalziel Ladies. She is also interested in music and enjoys going to the theatre.
