NEWS

April 2022

Earth Month here at Austin & Carnley. This Earth Day 2022 Theme was Invest In Our Planet.  So what do we do? 

​

Kelli is our Environmental 'Officer', and she, together with the Green Team, encourage all staff to be greener, and help save the planet.  Here are some of the initiatives she and the company are responsible for:

​

• Rewarding Our Clients & Customers - as a company we plant a tree for each new client. Trees serve several important environmental functions, including reducing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping purify the air. Earlier in the year we joined with others to help plant a new woodland.

​

• Reducing Office Food Waste - We have installed food waste caddy's on both floors for staff to use, and we work closely to support the Leighton-Linslade Helpers, our local food bank.

​

• Starting a Composting Scheme - Now we have the caddy's for food waste, we are going to get a composter for our courtyard, to help us reuse organic material.  Composting, instead of throwing away, food scraps like coffee grounds, fruit scraps and vegetable waste also keeps these organic materials out of landfills.

​

• Using Less Electricity – we encourage our staff not to use their fans when it’s not too hot, and heaters when it’s not too cold.  To turn lights off when they are not being used.  Ensure PC monitors are switched off when leaving the office. One of our first jobs when we moved into our new office, was to install energy saving LED light bulbs throughout.  LED bulbs are today's most energy-efficient, saving energy contributing to the overall wellbeing of the planet’s environment.   

• Encouraging Recycling - Recycling office waste is a no-brainer. Did you know that the average office worker uses 156 plastic bottles and 500 coffee cups a year?  So, we have recycling bins throughout our office, to reduce this kind of waste. 

• Educating Our Office Staff - We are aware, that one of the most powerful environmental activities for companies is some kind of educational program. By helping our staff understand the importance of the environment and how they can help to protect it, we’re helping to ensure everyone's on board with our environmental policies.

• Allowing Remote Working - Until the global pandemic, remote working was something only a few people did. After that, many more discovered they could successfully work from home. That helps reduce the office's carbon footprint because there are fewer cars on the road, and much less energy use inside office buildings.

We believe that now is the time to preserve and protect our planet – for our health, our families, and our livelihoods.  There is still time to solve the climate crisis, to restore nature and build a healthy planet for our children and their children.  If we all work together, anything is possible. 

At Austin and Carnley, we try to make every day Earth Day and we challenge you to do the same. 

January 2022

As a firm, we believe in giving back.  That’s why last year we donated over 5 large boxes of food to our local foodbank, as well as making a monetary donation to the Hunger Project UK, whose goal it is to end world hunger by 2030.

We also want to give back to the planet.  As such, we have replaced all bulbs in our office with LED bulbs, which use less energy and last longer making them better for the environment.  We also have recycle points throughout the office to encourage staff to recycle their plastics, paper and tins, as well as recycle points for used batteries and toners. 

On top of all of that, we have donated 200 trees to the Forest of Marston Vale charity and together with members of our team and their families, we will be participating in Planting Season on Sunday 20 February 2022.  The trees we have donated will be planted at a new woodland being created on the Houghton Conquest/Ampthill border. This woodland will be included as part of the Queens Green Canopy which is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the UK to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.  For more information this, please visit: Forest of Marston Vale - Trees Make Life Better. 

Being environmentally conscious can be and should be done by everyone.  Just as we see how important it is to take our environment into account when it comes to policy decisions about transport networks, economic activities and healthcare, we should integrate environmental parameters across our different areas of life. This does not mean that environmental concerns will govern all our decisions, but they should be a factor for consideration.

December 2021

Partner, Debbie Neiteler, enjoyed her first networking event in person since lockdown in Covent Garden.

​

November 2021

The A&C team are thrilled to announce that we have two new salaried partners!

​

Congratulations Debbie Carvey and Graham Lovelock!!

​

We are so excited to see what their years of high quality experience and local knowledge will bring to the partnership

October 2021

We are very pleased to welcome solicitor Edward Tomlins-Gill to our Private Client department!

​

Edward joined us on the 11th October, and is ready to help you with Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Probate, Trusts and Tax Planning advice. Visit our Meet the Team page to find out more about Edward!

September 2021

The legacy of Leslie Arthur Jones

​

We were honoured a few years ago to be chosen as the executors of the estate of Leslie Jones, who left a lovely gift in his will to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
As a thanks for his kindness, the RNLI have informed us that they will be proudly displaying his name on the side of one of their lifeboats, so he can be a part of their incredible crew for many years to come.
It is their first ever Legacy Lifeboat, and will be stationed at the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Lifeboat Station in the second half of 2022.

It is such an honour to have been a part of Leslie Jones' life, and to be able to see the beautiful legacy he is leaving behind.

July 2021

It’s carnival day! 🎠
Celebrating 60 years of our beautiful town carnival, we can’t wait to see the procession!

Visit the Leighton Carnival website (our contribution to the festivities) to see what they have planned 🎡

April 2021

We have always believed the firm was founded in approximately 1884, however, a recent delve into the financial archives revealed we’ve been around since 1864!😱

April 2021

Our signs are up!

Thanks to Liquid Designs, Bridge House has been beautifully branded and we are feeling very at home. Welcome!

March 2021

We have re-branded! 

Although we are still proud to honour the history of the firm in our values and work, our vision for the future requires some modernisation to our historic firm, and we are excited to now have a brand which reflects this.

September 2020

Whilst managing partners, David Backhouse and Debbie Neiteler, were extremely saddened to hear of the closures of two well established and reputable firms in the town, they are pleased to welcome the following new joiners to our team.

• Graham Lovelock – Residential Property Solicitor

• Alison Pearce – Conveyancing team member

• Mel Buteux – Conveyancing team member

• Denise Garner – Conveyancing Team

• Vanessa Spurr – Support Team

• Stefano De Nisi – Commercial Property Consultant

• Derek Barker – Private Client Consultant

• Debbie Carvey – Residential Property Solicitor

• Jess Dedes – Commercial Property team member

• Linda Coleman – Private Client team member

• Simon Peacock – Matrimonial, Employment and Litigation Solicitor

• Kelli McGarry - Personal Assistant to Senior Partner, Deborah Neiteler

We are confident that together we can meet the legal needs of the clients affected. If you have been affected by the closures of Ray Nixon brown or Giffen Coach and Archer please contact our office.

​

February 2022

In the Storm Eunice aftermath, we had the privilege of gathering on the hill tops near the historical ruins of Houghton House. 

​

The mission was to plant as many trees as we could before being too battered by the weather. We are proud to be partnering with the Forest of Marston Vale charity and collaborate with the community and local businesses. 

​

Over the next 3 years the project will plant around 50,000 trees next to the ancient woodland Kings Wood.

​

True legacy is said to mean:

"to plant trees under who's shade we will never sit."

It was an honour to witness grandchildren planting trees with their grandparents and families working together. You can see some pictures from the day here

December 2021

During the course of December, the Austin & Carnley team collected food for the Leighton Linslade Helpers, a charity dedicated to helping people in hardship and providing support to the local community. We were delighted to be able to donate over 4 boxes of food.

​

November 2021

Wonderful turn out in the town today for Remembrance Sunday.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them..

Austin & Carnley honours all our armed forces and fallen veterans

October 2021

Partner David Backhouse and his guests Mark Wesley, David Schofield and Jonathan Bond took part in a charity golf day in aid of the Milton Keynes Hospital Charity Cancer Centre yesterday. Golf was played on the picturesque Marquess Course at Woburn Golf Club.

The total raised was £50,000 for the charity.

David would like to thank his guests for their golf and company on what was a tricky day to play golf (blustery wind and occasional rain). We will be back next year to move up the leader board!

David would like to thank the Milton Keynes Hospital Charity for organising the day. 

​

October 2021

We attended our first wedding fair!

​

On the 3rd October our partners and trainees had a lovely day at Luton Hoo Conservatory wedding fair, hosted by www.wedding-exhibitions-uk.co.uk

​

We spoke to lots of excited brides and grooms about planning for the future, including how they hold their property, making provisions for children, re-drafting their Wills and writing contracts to protect them when booking wedding vendors.

​

If you are getting married and have any concerns, contact us today to book a free wedding appointment consultation at office@austinandcarnley.co.uk

July 2021

Another birthday last week, this deed turned 188 years old!🎂

Found in the depths of our archive, this deed is entirely hand drawn and written, and still has its original seal attached (very rare!)

Beautifully preserved by Picture Corner in Ampthill, it now takes pride of place in our reception.

July 2021

It’s been a big week here at Austin and Carnley!
The whole A&C team would like to wish the happiest 40th birthday to Debbie and 50th birthday to David, our lovely equity partners!

April 2021

Some of the beautiful history of our firm has now made it to our new office walls!

Thanks to the skill of Peter from Picture Corner in Ampthill, one of our original hand painted signs, the Law Journals found in our archive, a hand drawn picture of old Leighton Buzzard and a carving of old Aylesbury are now carefully framed and presented in our offices.

We are so proud to be able to honour and share the long history of our firm with our clients and growing team.

April 2021

The big move!

Following the sad closure of two local firms, our team expanded beyond the capacity of Albion Chambers. However, we were presented with a fantastic opportunity to take over Bridge House!

We are thrilled to say that all of our departments have now moved in, and our new office address is:

Bridge House,

Bridge Street,

Leighton Buzzard,

LU7 1AH

Find us here

February 2021

While exploring the cellar at Albion Chambers on the 27th February, we discovered some more of the fascinating history of our beautiful offices. 

We found the huge furnace that was used to heat the building when it was a hotel,  a coal cellar and some (slightly rusty!) old oil lamps. 

Head to our facebook page to see more photos.