Our staff

Director/Senior Solicitor

Ngaryan Li

Ngaryan qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and has since specialised in Social Welfare Law in both the private and charitable sectors.

Ngaryan focused on assisting clients with complex Welfare Benefit cases during her 12 years at Stephenson’s Solicitors. She managed a team of advisers and set up a Pro Bono Welfare department when legal aid was removed for welfare benefits advice. She then went on to become the first employee of the Greater Manchester Law Centre as the Supervising Solicitor and successfully worked with the Board to build the organisation. Ngaryan joined VLC in June 2019 as the Senior Solicitor and Centre Director. She is responsible for the day to day management of the Law Centre and has been instrumental to the redevelopment of the Centre. She is the registered Training Principal responsible for supervising the work of Trainee Solicitors.

Ngaryan also sits on the Board of the Law Centres Network and EDI committee as well as being an active member of the Liverpool Law Society’s EDI committee and Access to Justice Committee. Ngaryan has been elected as the representative for the Inhouse and Charity Sector on the Law Society Council. She is a member of the LJMU Law School Advisory Board.

Development Officer

Alan Kelly

Alans main responsibilities include working with the Team to secure additional resources to enable the sustainability and development of the Law Centre. Alan has a long history of working with initiaves challenging poverty. His background of working as a welfare rights worker at Kirkby Unemployed Centre, his role as manager of the Anti-Poverty Team at Liverpool City Council and his work in Regeneration across the City has proved useful for developing the Law Centre.

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Alan is looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Law Centre in 2023 and is assisting with plans to further expand the scope of the work of the Centre in diversifying the work of the Law Centre and its role in supporting access to justice and supporting other projectschallenging poverty.

Welfare Rights Solicitor

David Taylor

Qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and has been employed in the Centre since 1989. He has advised on welfare rights since 1982. He is a part time judge of the First-tier Tribunal in social security and immigration and asylum appeals. He has also dealt with employment, housing, and debt cases since 1982. David represents regularly at Tribunal.

Welfare Rights Caseworker

Nancy Hatenboer

Started in May 2019 as a full time Welfare Rights Case Worker. Nancy has advised on welfare benefits issues since 2006 and worked at charitable organisations in St Helen’s, Cheshire and the Wirral. Nancy gives advise on benefit entitlements as well as how to claim, complete application forms including Attendance Allowance, Child Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments, Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit Work Capability Questionnaires. Nancy can give advice on benefit reconsiderations, appeals including hearing advice and representing clients at tribunal hearings. 

Debt Advice Caseworker

William Armstrong

A former volunteer at Vauxhall Law Centre, Bill has an LL.B. and has passed the Legal Practice Course. In relation to debt work, Mr. Armstrong can advise on general debt issues, tax issues, VAT, self-assessment, bankruptcy, IVAs, and Debt Relief Orders. Mr. Armstrong represents in court and at the tribunal.  

Social Welfare & Housing Solicitor

Siobhan - Taylor Ward

Qualified in 2019 under the Justice First Fellowship having trained at Greater Manchester and then Merseyside Law Centre. Siobhan helped set up and coordinate the MLC Our Liverpool project focussing on providing expert legal advice to vulnerable migrants and asylum seekers on housing, destitution and asylum support. Siobhan was a board member for VLC up to accepting this post and had previously volunteered as a welfare benefits adviser from 2012-2013.

Siobhan spent three years working with the families’ legal team in the Hillsborough Inquests at Broudie Jackson & Canter and then moved onto spend two years as a senior case worker in the Asylum and Immigration Department.

Siobhan is a committee member of Young Legal Aid Lawyers coordinating the Liverpool group and sits as their representative on the Liverpool Law Society Access to Justice committee. She is a member of the University of Liverpool Law school Advisory Board. Siobhan has been the Chair of the Liverpool branch of ACORN tenants’ union since May 2019 and was awarded the Legal Aid Newcomer award at the LALYs 2020.

Development Officer

Elly Smith

Graduated in 2019 with a degree in International Politics & Policy from the University of Liverpool. Elly had previously been a volunteer at Vauxhall Community Law & Information Centre prior to being employed. Elly has experience in supporting the development of the Law Centre. Her work consists of developing the organisation, fundraising and communications across the organisation. Elly has completed an apprenticeship in fundraising and has achieved Distinction for the Level 3 Chartered Institute of Fundraising Foundation Certificate in Fundraising. She is also a trustee at her local community centre in Waterloo.

Administrator/Receptionist

Jade Skilling

Jade has previously completed an apprenticeship before joining our organisation gaining her NVQ Level 2 business admin qualification. Jade has approximately 4 years’ experience in an admin-based role previous to the law centre. Jade started through the kick start scheme and is the first point of contact in most instances. She is here to take on enquiries and provides a warming, friendly face to all our wonderful clients.

Trainee Solicitor/Justice First Fellow

Alex Feery

Graduated with a degree in history from the University of Warwick and completed his legal education at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has been a volunteer at Greater Manchester Law Centre via the Legal Advocacy Support Project and supported clients at welfare benefit tribunals. He was also a volunteer at Citizens Advice Salford providing triage and discrete social welfare law advice. He has previously worked as a paralegal and was working for Citizens Advice prior to joining the Law Centre.

Asylum Support & Housing Caseworker

Alice Coles

Graduated in 2017 with a MA in International Relations & Security from the University of Liverpool. Alice has volunteered and worked for an organisation working with women seeking asylum since 2017 in Outreach, Casework and Advocacy & Policy. Alice works with Siobhan to provide support and advice around general housing issues and issues relating to asylum support and destitution for people seeking asylum.