About Us

BACKGROUND

The partners of Dean & Co are the husband and wife team of Janet and Graham Dean. Janet started the practice on the Hagley Road Stourbridge in 1977. Graham joined her in May 1979. The philosophy of the firm was that the work would be general to provide a wide base of services that the average client would need. Whilst this philosophy continues the growing complexities of law has led to a certain level of specialisation by the fee earners.

For a short time from 1984 the firm practised with Brian Senter as Senter Dean & Co but reverted to Dean & Co in 1986. In 1997 we re-organised moving to the present office in Church Street, Stourbridge and at the same time opened the office in the Inhedge, Dudley. Since that time Janet has run the Stourbridge office and Graham the Dudley office although both partners operate form both offices.

In December 2000 we were approached, due to the serious illness of Philip Southall, to run the Dudley office of Southalls, solicitors. Southalls closed in March of that year and we took on the then current clients. Rico Maneffa who had worked for Southalls for 20 years joined Dean & Co as an Executive.

THE TEAM

JANET DEAN

Born in Aylesbury Janet moved to Dudley with her parents at the age of 10. She was a pupil at Dudley Girls High School going on to Exeter University to read Law and then the College of Law at Lancaster Gate for the Law Society professional qualification. She was articled to the Town Clerk of Dudley and was admitted as a solicitor in 1971. She worked as a solicitor at Dudley Council and then Birmingham City Council until she started Dean & Co in September 1977. She deals mainly with residential conveyancing and Wills and Probate work and is based at Stourbridge. She has been married to Graham for nearly 37 years.

ANTHONY GRAHAM DEAN

Graham is Dudley born and bred. He started at Dudley Grammar School in 1957 at the time that saw the launch of the first artificial satellites. His early ambition was to follow a career in space research. He read physics at University College, London moving to Birmingham University to pursue his ambition, taking a M.Sc and then a Ph.D in Space Research followed by four years as a Research Fellow. In 1975 he changed careers to law and was articled at Wyre Forest District Council. After being admitted as a solicitor in 1978 he spent a year as a police prosecutor in Birmingham before joining Janet in the firm in May 1979. He supervises the Dudley office and handles the Wills, Probate and Trust work and the commercial side of the firm including company, business sales and purchases, commercial leases and employment work. He is a member of the Law Society Probate Section.

ENRICO MANEFFA

Rico is a Birmingham man. Born and educated there he started his career with a Birmingham firm of solicitors. When Philip Southall started his practice in Dudley Rico joined him and gained a wide experience as a solicitor's clerk. This included civil litigation and conveyancing but in particular matrimonial matters. He joined Dean & Co in 2001 bringing with him over 20 years experience. He deals with the matrimonial side of the firm as well as residential conveyancing. He is married to Dot and has two adult children.

ELIZABETH DAW

Liz joined a Dudley firm of solicitors from school and stayed there as a secretary for some 25 years. She joined Dean & Co at the Dudley office in 2007. Her vast experience means that she is more a PA than a secretary and her thorough knowledge of the work at Dudley makes her a valuable member of the team. If Graham or Rico are not available she is usually able to deal with client's queries.

LESLEY LLOYD

Lesley has worked at the Stourbridge office as Janet's secretary for over 10 years. Like Liz she has a detailed knowledge of the work she deals with.

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