Meet the team

Karen is the Chief Executive Officer of Solaris Law (Commercial) Limited, a law firm that has unparalleled experience and complete focus in the commercial debt sector. Karen founded Solaris Law in 2020 having been an Equity Partner in two National Law Firms and is responsible for delivering the firm’s strategy.

Karen has more than 30 years of experience in the recovery of SME and B2B assets acting for Commercial Lenders in her role as an Equity Partner at two national law firms. She has a proven track record in building, managing and leading high performing teams. Karen is experienced in setting strategy, leading recovery activities including complex legal matters and driving profitable business growth. Karen received her Legal Practice Course & LLM (Master of Laws) from Bournemouth University. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management.

Stefan has 20 years’ experience in Financial Services in both the UK and the US. Stefan was previously FD at Zopa Bank, where he supported the business through its PRA approval and successful equity fund raise. He has a proven track record in building strong teams and implementing necessary financial systems and processes demanded of a regulated industry. Stefan graduated from Nottingham University with a BA (Hons) Industrial Economics. He qualified as an accountant (CIMA) in 1996.

Chris has been working in law firms for over 20 years, specialising in managing teams in amicable collections and legal debt recovery. With a particular specialism in SME commercial recoveries, Chris leads the group’s debt servicing operations and built our case management system and operational framework. He has particular experience in portfolio recoveries and uses segmented strategies to achieve fair and sustainable customer outcomes.

Claire is acknowledged as being a transformational leader who excels at engaging teams to maximise colleague engagement and customer outcomes to achieve strategic goals. Building a high performing team has been key to her career as Chief Operating Officer at a number of major consumer lenders, delivering significant cost efficiencies while improving the customer experience. She is a former COO at Lendable and BNP Paribas Personal Finance UK, and Head of Debt Resolution at E.ON, with deep experience and understanding of working in a highly-regulated space. Claire graduated from Lancaster University with a BA (Hons) Economics.

Amy has been working in law firms for some 20 years, specialising in debt purchase, commercial and vehicle finance recovery and litigation. Her previous management role before Solaris was for a top tier Legal 500 debt recovery team for Blake Morgan LLP, a leading National Law firm.

Amy manages the operation to ensure that the operational aspects of the business and relevant deliverables are delivered to, and in line, with clients’ service level agreements.

She has particular skill and experience in volume portfolio recoveries, enhancing processes, streamlining and developing the team to ensure they deliver a consistent and compliant service for the clients.

Georgina joined the Azzurro Group  from private practice having worked as an Auditor and Client Manager in her previous roles.

Georgina  now leads the finance team within Solaris, and oversees the day to day finance function, which includes financial reporting and audits.

Stephen is a Senior Associate in the firm’s complex and defended litigation team. Having qualified as a solicitor in 2013, Stephen has been a commercial litigator gaining significant experience in the debt, banking and insurance sectors. Stephen’s case portfolio deals with a broad range of high value commercial disputes with a focus on business to business and guarantee disputes.

Stephen practices a commerciality first approach to disputes while retaining a proactive and robust approach to litigation. Understanding a client’s business and its commercial objectives is central to Stephen’s approach and informs his advice to clients. Stephen worked with Karen Bulgarelli at Lester Aldridge & Shoosmiths, and joined Solaris following the acquisition by Solaris of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team.

Jade is a Senior Associate at Solaris Law, specialising in defended commercial litigation. Jade qualified as a solicitor with Lester Aldridge in 2015 and joined Shoosmiths’ Commercial Recoveries team in 2016. Following the acquisition by Solaris Law of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team in June 2024, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli, Jade joined Solaris as part of the purchase.

Jade acts for a number of large corporate clients within the debt purchase, credit insurance, recruitment, trade creditor and motor finance industries. She deals with a wide range of high value, contested debt recovery matters, acting for both Claimants and Defendants. Jade regularly advises clients on a range of complex contractual disputes, including personal guarantees.

Adrian graduated from Portsmouth University in 2017 and started his career in the Commercial Recoveries with Shoosmiths in 2018, before joining Solaris Law. As a litigation paralegal his primary focus was litigating accounts from a variety of different commercial creditors and dealing with contested claims. In January 2025 Adrian qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive and continues his training to obtain his practice rights and rights of audience.

Ian has been working in the Recoveries industry for over 30 years, first in a credit control/consumer recoveries role, then within a B2B team at Shoosmiths LLP for 23 years. Ian joined Solaris Law in July 2024. Following the acquisition of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team by Solaris, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli, Ian joined Solaris in June 2024 as part of the purchase.

Ian has a trusted client base whose businesses include recruitment providers, builders merchants, auction houses, recycling and vehicle finance. Ian adopts a commercial approach in the advice he offers, and has Court experience across all tracks, bankruptcy/insolvency, and asset recovery.

Abbi is a CILEX qualified paralegal currently working within the Defended Team at Solaris Law. Having started her career as a Paralegal Apprentice in the B2B Recoveries team at Shoosmiths, Abbi joined Solaris in June 2024 as part of Solaris Law’s acquisition of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli.

Abbi has worked for a large variety of clients across numerous industries including debt purchase, recruitment, insurance, and vehicle finance. Abbi is a Senior Defended Paralegal and handles an extensive case load and is experienced in B2B recoveries, defended civil litigation claims, bankruptcy and insolvency and is focused on providing commercial advice to our clients to help achieve a desirable outcome in each case.

Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the banking and financial services sector, specialising in credit control and pre-legal recoveries. Lisa began her career as a Privilege accounts manager, and has significant experience in customer relations, credit management and customer care.

Lisa is experienced in setting financial strategies for her clients and has the relevant management experience to lead teams effectively, drive performance, and achieve her clients’ collections targets.

Louise has worked in law firms for approximately 10 years specialising in debt recovery, dealing with predominantly business to business debt and litigation; but also has experience in vehicle finance, landlord and tenant disputes and complaints. Louise has completed her CILEX Graduate Qualification to become a specialist lawyer.

Louise leads a team of paralegals specialising in debt purchase accounts within the business, ensuring performance targets are met and collections optimised during the litigation process. She has a track record for building and maintaining good business relations with clients and servicers alike with a focus on streamlining processes and achieving results.

Ella has 10 years experience working in law firms, specialising in the recovery of commercial debts and litigation. She also has experience in consumer debt recovery, vehicle finance recovery and dealing with disputes. Ella leads the Debt Purchase Litigation Team to ensure that cases are actioned promptly and competently, whilst monitoring key performance indicators so that collections are optimised, and an effective service is delivered for her clients. Ella is also a member of CILEX.

Kim has over 20 years’ experience in financial services, litigation, dispute resolution and B2B Legal debt recovery. Following the acquisition of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team by Solaris, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli, Kim joined Solaris in June 2024 as part of the purchase. Prior to that she has worked for both National and regional firms.

At Solaris Law, Kim manages a team of paralegals for a range of B2B clients dealing with both bulk debt recovery and bespoke cases. Her particular expertise is recruitment debt dispute, bankruptcy and winding up proceedings.

Kim has assisted a large client in implementing a legal debt recovery procedure from credit control, through to litigation and enforcement.

Richard has been working in the Recoveries industry for over 30 years, starting his career in-house with a nationwide construction company, then working within the Commercial Recoveries team at Shoosmiths LLP for 25 years. Richard joined Solaris Law in June 2024 following the acquisition of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team by Solaris, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli.

Richard has vast experience in the B2B Recoveries sector, supporting clients in a wide variety of sectors include construction, utilities, security, office supplies, and credit insurance, and dealing with a wide range of matters throughout the legal process from pre-legal collections through to enforcement and bankruptcy/insolvency.

Lucy has over 25 years of experience in the banking & financial services sector, and qualifying in Cemap as mortgage advisor. Some five years ago Lucy moved across to debt recovery and litigation, working with regional and national clients dealing with their debt disputes from pre-legal to enforcement.

Following the acquisition of the Shoosmiths B2B Recoveries Team by Solaris, which was led by Karen Bulgarelli, Lucy joined Solaris in June 2024 as part of the purchase. In this move Lucy took up a team leader role and she now leads  and manages a team of paralegals supporting the recovery needs of commercial clients.

Lucy has a wealth of experience in dealing with high volume cases and excellent organisation skills with a strong focus on client care.

Marc has 20 years’ experience within the collections’ industry, specialising in the recovery of commercial debts and litigation. Prior to his role with Solaris, Marc has lead teams of collectors; focusing on increasing collection rates and ensuring the teams were effectively managing client expectations.