Avalon Legal

15 months of hardship has shown the Wells family that the fundamental purpose of life is to surround yourself with your loved ones. After making the life-changing decision to start up his own law firm, Colin Wells and his wife Karen have found the perfect work/life balance here in Devon. We met the husband-and-wife team and their 10-year-old daughter, Grace, to find out what happened prior to the move and what their plans are for the future.

Born and raised in Plymouth, Colin decided to move to South West London and pursue his musical aspirations by studying for a degree in musical engineering. After completing the degree, he fell into a series of different careers that helped to settle his rent payments in London. He worked for a security company and then a Finnish timber company for 10 years. During this time, he met Karen.

Karen was a senior paediatric nurse for the NHS in London for over 21 years. She enjoys nothing more than meeting new people and helping them in any way that she can.

In 2001, Colin was on the search for a new career opportunity after being made redundant. He attended a summer BBQ with some friends and got chatting with a senior partner at a law firm who required a filing clerk. Colin took this opportunity which sparked a new interest in the legal industry. After a few months, he was offered a full-time position by the senior partner which included a training position to work his way up to partner level.

Colin trained in Wills and Probate as a non-solicitor partner of a London law firm. He did this for 17 years before the long days became too much for him as he was missing out on his family life. Colin valued the relationships he made with his clients and the trustworthy service he provided therefore, he felt confident to set up his own law firm.

“Let’s just say the move was a leap of faith but it has definitely worked out for the better.” – Colin

After enjoying a work-free summer with their daughter, Grace, Avalon Legal became a fully-fledged company on the 1st of September 2018.

The term ‘Avalon’ came from Colin’s passion for King Arthur and medieval history. He has recently published a book called ‘The Sky Angels’ which encompasses themes of medieval history and action and is now available to purchase in stores and online.

The couple enjoyed their life in London where they had brought up their daughter, Grace but Colin’s old life in Devon was calling him back. Karen was caring for her mother in London therefore, it wasn’t the right time to move to Devon.

The family had a tough time during the Covid-19 pandemic and unfortunately, they lost Karen’s mother to Covid in January 2021.

A few months of mourning had passed and then Colin and Grace both caught Covid at the same time. Colin had severe covid reactions and was admitted to hospital several times before having to be stabilised in an ICU ward for one month. Karen’s knowledge in the ward meant that she could advise the doctors to keep him on the CPAP machine and medication for as long as possible without resorting to ventilation. The doctors had told Karen and Grace that he may not survive. He was given 24 hours to improve on the CPAP and medication and in the 24th hour, he showed signs of improvement. Without Karen’s continued help and support, Colin wouldn’t be here today.

During this time, Karen’s mother’s dog that they were looking after collapsed and had to be rushed to the vet, where sadly he was put to sleep. It felt as if everything was crumbling around them. After this emotionally draining time, Karen realised that she didn’t want to be a nurse anymore as it became a constant reminder of the trauma her family had experienced. She also wanted to spend more time with Grace and take a slightly more relaxed way of living.

The family decided that February 2022 was the right time to move down to Devon and start up a new life by the coast.

The move came with several challenges but with Karen, the driving force, and Colin, with great knowledge of the industry, they soon obtained new clients in the Plymouth area.

On the 31st of January 2022, Karen left her job as a nurse and looked after the marketing side of Avalon full-time. In-between her school studies, Grace also likes to come up with marketing ideas and has become the smiling face of the company.

Avalon Legal specialise in Wills, estate planning, powers of attorney and probate advice. They cannot legally process probate as you have to be a qualified solicitor however, he is still able to advise. Colin has a large network of brilliant financial advisors who can help his clients in different specialist areas.

As opposed to a corporate law firm with thousands of employees, you know that you will be dealing with Colin and his family every step of the process. They pride themselves on being friendly, approachable and knowledgeable.

The family-run business is an affordable service and they like to be transparent with their rates. There are no added fees or hidden charges and they are not VAT registered which keeps the costs down. Often you have to pay for the hours taken to complete the Will, however, Avalon has fixed prices from £150 for one person and will never rush a client out of the door. They love to build lasting relationships with their clients and offer them their time in order to get the process done effectively.

Distance is not an issue for Avalon, so long as they are able to reach you by one means or another. They are happy to drive to meet their clients at their houses in the Devon and Cornwall area or if they are further afield, Colin will schedule a video call meeting.

Colin understands that clients are more comfortable in their own homes and therefore, more willing to open up. Writing a Will is a particularly difficult thing to do and Colin wants his clients to feel at ease when discussing important matters with him.

Their regular office hours are 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, however, they are very flexible and will arrange appointments to suit you and your lifestyle.

The core values of Avalon are that of nursing values; open, honest, caring, upfront and friendly’ – Says Karen. ‘We have been through a lot which has, in turn, amplified our core values.

With the combination of personable, friendly service and knowledgeable expertise, they have received lots of positive feedback from their clients over the years. Don’t just take it from us, here is a great example of one…

“Avalon Legal was our favourable choice of company when we were looking to do our will. We received a first class service from Colin who is highly experienced and professional. Our will is just as we wanted it to be. He listened to our requirements and implemented them with his valued advice included. Thank you Colin we highly recommend Avalon legal” – PG

The best way to contact them is either by email or through the website. Karen is very active through the social media channels so she is more than happy to answer any questions via Facebook messenger and Instagram.

The family have never regretted the complete lifestyle change from London to Devon, they have a much healthier work/life balance and are able to spend far more time together as a family in the relaxing coastal setting. They would like for Avalon to grow in the future however, they are really happy with how far they have come and their lives have become all the richer for it. We wish the Wells family all the best for the future of Avalon legal.

www.avalonlegal.org

07506 583669

Airport Business Centre, 10 Thornbury Road, Plymouth PL6 7PP