A Gosforth firm, four practice teams, on Lansdowne Terrace for one hundred years.
McKeag and Co Solicitors LLP was founded in 1926 by William McKeag and his son
Donald Clive McKeag, who is still associated with the firm. Today four designated members
run the partnership, Philip William Walton, Christopher Ward Thomson, Lisa Rebecca Bowes and
Jagraj Singh Sanghera, with around twenty SRA-regulated solicitors and staff. The criminal
department alone is over fifty years old; the 07850 line is answered out of hours by an
accredited duty solicitor.
Companies HouseLLP no. OC398140, England and Wales
Lifetime LawyerRoisin O'Donnell, accredited
1-3 Lansdowne Terrace · Gosforth NE3An Edwardian brick terrace, two minutes from Regent Centre Metro.
Four practice teams under one Gosforth roof
Crime, medical negligence, abuse claims, property. Named solicitors on every file.
Criminal defence
A 24 hour police station service, by an accredited duty solicitor.
Judith Curry, Head of Crime
A fifty year department. From a 2am attendance at Etal Lane or Forth Banks custody through to Magistrates and Crown Court trials at Newcastle and Moot Hall. Judith Curry runs the team with Gregg Stephens and John Kirkham; out of hours the 07850 565 543 line is answered by an accredited duty solicitor, not a call centre.
Police station representation, 24 hour line
Magistrates and Crown Court advocacy
Road traffic, theft, criminal damage
Serious assault and sexual offences
Crown Court trials at Moot Hall
Medical negligence
Birth injuries, delayed diagnosis, dispensing errors. The detail matters.
No win, no fee, 25 percent cap
We act on clinical negligence claims across the North East and beyond. Birth and obstetric injuries, A and E and paramedic claims, delayed cancer diagnosis, GP and dental negligence, brain and spinal injury, paediatric work, pharmacy dispensing errors. Funded on a no win, no fee basis, with the success fee capped at 25 percent of compensation. Many clients pay less.
Birth and obstetric injuries
Delayed cancer diagnosis
A and E and paramedic claims
Brain and spinal injury
GP, dental, pharmacy dispensing errors
Abuse claims
Survivor claims, scheme deadlines, North East detention centre work.
Medomsley, HMP Kirklevington, institutional
Sensitive, deadline-aware work for survivors of abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre and HMP Kirklevington Detention Centre (1960s to 1990s), and institutional abuse claims more broadly: care homes, sports organisations, schools and hospitals. No win, no fee, with a free first conversation. The team understands the scheme-specific evidence requirements that catch out non-specialist firms.
Medomsley Detention Centre claims
HMP Kirklevington Detention Centre claims
Care home and institutional abuse
Free initial conversation
No win, no fee
Conveyancing
A nine person team, around 700 transactions a year, Tyneside leases as standard.
Chris Thomson, Head of Residential
Chris Thomson runs the residential team alongside Kris English on the file side. Around 700 transactions completed last year. Sale, purchase, remortgage, transfer of equity, right to buy, buy to let, shared equity, new build. We write the Tyneside lease form routinely, which a non North East firm typically does not. Commercial property is led by Jagraj Sanghera.
Sale, purchase, remortgage
Tyneside leases (a Newcastle specific form)
Right to buy, shared equity, new build
Buy to let and HMO conveyancing
Commercial property and real estate
The partnership
Four designated members of the LLP. Named, not hidden behind a contact form.
Supported by Roisin O\'Donnell (Lifetime Lawyer, Wills and Probate), Kris English (Residential
Conveyancing) and the rest of the SRA-regulated team listed on the Solicitors Regulation
Authority register, number 636733.
One hundred years on Lansdowne Terrace
From William McKeag in 1926, through his son Donald Clive, to the partnership of today.
McKeag and Co was founded in 1926 by Mr William McKeag, joined in time by his son
Mr Donald Clive McKeag, who is still associated with the firm. The Gosforth office on
Lansdowne Terrace has been the long-running address. Across one hundred years the practice
has grown by absorbing two well-established North East firms: Stephens McDonald and Robson
in February 2019 and Brennans Solicitors LLP in July 2022. We are a local Newcastle firm
with a regional book, organised around four practice teams.
1926
William McKeag establishes the firm in Newcastle upon Tyne, joined in time by his son Donald Clive McKeag. The Gosforth office on Lansdowne Terrace becomes the long-running address.
1960s to 1990s
The criminal defence department, today led by Judith Curry, takes shape. Crown Court work runs out of Moot Hall on Castle Garth; police station attendance covers the Northumbria custody suites at Etal Lane, Forth Banks, Wallsend and Bedlington.
Feb 2015
Philip William Walton becomes a designated LLP member; McKeag and Co Solicitors LLP is the trading form on Companies House register OC398140.
1 Feb 2019
The firm acquires Stephens McDonald and Robson (SRA 629167), broadening the crime and private client teams under the Lansdowne Terrace banner.
4 Jul 2022
The firm acquires Brennans Solicitors LLP (SRA 542642), extending the personal injury and clinical negligence book and adding to the Gosforth team.
Oct 2023
Christopher Ward Thomson and Lisa Rebecca Bowes are appointed designated members. Chris Thomson continues as Head of Residential Conveyancing.
May 2025
Jagraj Singh Sanghera, Head of Commercial and Real Estate, is appointed a designated member. The four-partner shape of today is in place.
Today
Donald Clive McKeag still associated with the firm. Four LLP members, around twenty SRA-regulated solicitors and staff, fifty years of criminal defence work behind the 07850 line, one hundred years on Lansdowne Terrace.
Why we surface this
Three things a Gosforth client should not have to scroll for.
01
The line that picks up at 2am when a family member has been taken into Etal Lane.
The names of the solicitors who will run your file, on the same page as the practice areas.
Four LLP members, three named criminal solicitors, the rest on the SRA register at no. 636733.03
The clear answer to "did you absorb my old firm" if you used to instruct Brennans or Stephens McDonald and Robson.
Brennans Solicitors LLP joined 4 July 2022; Stephens McDonald and Robson joined 1 February 2019.
Criminal defence, the granular detail
From a 2am attendance at Etal Lane to a Crown Court trial at Moot Hall.
The criminal defence work is the spine of the firm and the detail matters. The 07850 565 543
line is answered by an accredited duty solicitor, not a call centre, and a member of the criminal
team attends the relevant Northumbria custody suite where attendance is required. Judith Curry
runs the department, with Gregg Stephens and John Kirkham alongside her.
Police station attendance. Etal Lane, Forth Banks, Wallsend, Bedlington and the surrounding Northumbria Police custody suites. Out of hours via the 07850 565 543 line.
Magistrates and Crown Court advocacy. Trials and appeals at Newcastle Magistrates and at the Moot Hall Crown Court on Castle Garth.
Tyneside lease conveyancing. A Newcastle specific lease form covering most pre-1947 terraced flats, mutual covenants for repair between flying freeholder and leaseholder. Chris Thomson\'s team writes them routinely.
Medomsley Detention Centre claims. Active scheme work for survivors of abuse at Medomsley between the 1960s and 1990s, scheme-specific deadlines, North East police evidence.
HMP Kirklevington Detention Centre claims. The parallel North East detention centre work, sexual, physical and mental abuse claims from the same era.
Birth and obstetric clinical negligence. Birth injury claims that turn on cardiotocograph traces, fetal heart-rate decelerations, and the specific RCOG guidance current at the time of the labour.
No win, no fee. 25 percent success-fee cap, often less, on personal injury, medical negligence and abuse claims. Free first conversation, conditional fee agreement signed before the case is accepted.
Lifetime Lawyer. Roisin O\'Donnell is the firm\'s accredited Lifetime Lawyer for wills, probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection.
Enquire
Tell us about the matter, and the relevant team will call back.
For criminal matters out of hours, ring the 24 hour line rather than waiting for an email.
For medical negligence, abuse claims, conveyancing or wills, the form is the quickest route
to a callback the next working morning.
1-3 Lansdowne Terrace, Gosforth. Two minutes from Regent Centre Metro.
We are on the run between High Street and Lansdowne Gardens, on the Gosforth side of the
Great North Road. From Newcastle city centre take the Metro to Regent Centre; from
Northumberland the A1 south, off at Gosforth, the office is two minutes off the High Street.
Pay and display parking on Lansdowne Terrace and the parallel streets.
Address
1-3 Lansdowne Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1HN
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA no. 636733
Companies House
LLP no. OC398140, England and Wales
VAT
280 1684 06
Hours
Mon to Fri
09:00 to 17:00, full team in the office
Saturday
Closed to walk-ins, helpline answered
Sunday
Closed to walk-ins, helpline answered
24hr line
Police station representation, every hour of every day
Where to find us
FAQ
The five questions we are asked most.
If the answer is not here, ring the office or the 24 hour line and a named solicitor will reply.
Is there a solicitor I can speak to at 2am if someone has been taken into Etal Lane?+
Yes. The 07850 565 543 line is the 24 hour police station number. Out of hours it reaches an accredited duty solicitor who can attend Etal Lane, Forth Banks, Wallsend, Bedlington and the surrounding Northumbria Police custody suites at short notice. The line is answered every hour of every day, including weekends and bank holidays.
I was previously a client of Brennans, or of Stephens McDonald and Robson. Do you hold my file?+
In most cases, yes. McKeag and Co acquired Stephens McDonald and Robson on 1 February 2019 (SRA 629167) and Brennans Solicitors LLP on 4 July 2022 (SRA 542642). The files transferred to Lansdowne Terrace, and the partners who handle ongoing matters from those firms are now part of the McKeag and Co team. Ring 0191 213 1010 and ask for the relevant department.
How does no win, no fee work on a medical negligence or abuse claim?+
We agree the conditional fee arrangement before we accept the case. If you do not win, we do not charge a fee. If you do win, the success fee is capped at 25 percent of the compensation. In many matters the actual percentage is lower. The first conversation is free, and the conditional fee agreement is signed in plain language.
Do you write Tyneside lease conveyancing as standard?+
Yes. The Tyneside lease is a Newcastle specific lease form, covering most pre-1947 terraced flats in the city, with mutual covenants for repair between flying freeholder and leaseholder. Chris Thomson's nine person team writes them routinely, around 700 residential transactions a year.
Where is the office, and is there parking nearby?+
We are at 1-3 Lansdowne Terrace, Gosforth, NE3 1HN, on the run between High Street and Lansdowne Gardens, two minutes from Regent Centre Metro and the Great North Road. Pay and display parking is on Lansdowne Terrace and the parallel streets; the Metro is the easier option in office hours.