John Cooke Director
Working between our Kendal and Rural Law offices, I deal with a variety of property related work, including residential, commercial and agricultural transactions. I have particular experience with more complicated transactions, including unregistered titles, dealing with rural and higher value properties and acting for developers and other businesses, as well as private individuals.
I studied law in Huddersfield and Leeds and qualified as a solicitor in 1987, and since then I have spent most of my career with Thomson Hayton Winkley and its predecessors. I became a partner in the firm in 1989. During the early part of my career, I dealt with a large range of legal work, including dispute resolution, criminal work, acting as a deputy Coroner, local authority work as well as within my main area of conveyancing. I now specialise in property work, but feel my range of experience helps in my understanding of our clients and the issues they face. I am a member of the Agricultural Law Association.
My approach is to take time to listen to clients and get a good understanding of their needs and what outcome they want, as well as looking beyond their immediate issues. I take care to investigate every aspect of a property transaction, to make sure that no stone is left unturned. I often adopt a collegiate approach to a client’s work to involve colleagues with other specialities, so that at all times clients know that their interests are being fully advanced and protected.
I originally came from Yorkshire in the early 1980s, but am now firmly embedded in Kendal and the local area. I am married with four children, all of whom attended school in Kendal or Kirkby Lonsdale. I am actively involved in my local church and am associated with a number of charities in the area. I enjoy travel and occasionally I find time to go walking with my family in the Lake District, sometimes even spending time under canvas!
