Emma Handley
Emma Handley is a Chartered Legal Executive with over 19 years of experience in Residential Property and Equity Release matters. She specialises in advising clients entering into lifetime mortgages and equity release arrangements and has supported hundreds of clients throughout her career. Emma combines deep technical expertise with a practical, client-focused approach, helping individuals navigate complex property transactions with confidence.
Prior to joining Mezzle, Emma led the Equity Release Department at Blacks Solicitors, managing and mentoring a team of lawyers and paralegals while overseeing a substantial caseload of lifetime mortgage transactions. Alongside her specialist Equity Release expertise, she has extensive experience advising on residential conveyancing matters, landlord and tenant issues, lease extensions, remortgages, portfolio transactions, auction sales and investment property acquisitions and disposals.
Highlights
- Equity Release and Lifetime Mortgages
- Residential Property• Residential Conveyancing
- Property Investment Transactions
- Landlord and Tenant Matters
Expertise
- Equity Release and lifetime mortgage transactions
- Independent legal advice for equity release borrowers
- Residential freehold and leasehold sales and purchases
- Remortgages and transfers of equity
- Lease extensions and leasehold property matters
- Landlord and tenant transactions
- Property portfolio acquisitions and disposals
- Auction sales and purchases
- Property investment acquisitions and sales
- Home reversion schemes
- Residential property compliance and technical support
Experience Highlights
- Over 19 years of experience advising clients on residential property and equity release matters
- Successfully led the Equity Release Department at Blacks Solicitors, managing and mentoring a team of lawyers and paralegals
- Advised hundreds of clients entering into lifetime mortgage and equity release arrangements throughout her career
- Established and continues to operate a specialist Equity Release legal consultancy providing home-visit legal services across Yorkshire and surrounding regions
- Managed a large and varied caseload of residential property transactions for one of the UK's largest residential landlords and investor clients
- Extensive experience advising on freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, remortgages, lease extensions, portfolio transactions and investment property acquisitions
- Specialist experience acting in relation to Home Reversion Schemes and equity release transactions for both borrowers and funders
Career History
Chartered Legal Executive / Legal Assistant, The Property Buying Company (2025 – Present)
Business Owner & Consultant Chartered Legal Executive, Equity Release Legal Services Ltd (2019 – Present)
Equity Release Team Lead & Chartered Legal Executive, Blacks Solicitors LLP (2017 – 2019)
Equity Release Chartered Legal Executive, Blacks Solicitors LLP (2016 – 2019)
Experienced Real Estate / Conveyancing Chartered Legal Executive & Supervising Senior Paralegal, DWF (2009 – 2016)
Real Estate Legal Advisor / Paralegal, DWF (2008 – 2009)
Residential Conveyancing Legal Assistant, Levi Solicitors LLP (2007 – 2008)
Residential Conveyancing Legal Assistant, Enact Conveyancing Ltd (2007)
Residential Conveyancing Legal Assistant, Shulmans LLP (2006 – 2007)
Education
Fellowship (FCILEx), Residential Conveyancing and Landlord & Tenant Law, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (2006 – 2011)
LLB (Hons), Law (2:1), Liverpool John Moores University (2002 – 2006)
Professional Membership
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (FCILEx)
