Meet the Committee Member
How long have you been involved with Resolution?
I became a member of Resolution about 15 years ago.
What committees do you sit on?
I sit on the DR committee and am delighted to have recently taken over as co-chair with Elaine Richardson.
Why did you want to get involved with Resolution?
I’ve attended Resolution events since I joined QEB over 20 years ago, but became a member when I started to think about pivoting away from a traditional practice at the Bar towards NCDR work.
How have you benefitted from being a member of Resolution?
I’ve benefited in many ways, but the training I have received through Resolution stands out – in particular, the mediation foundation course, run by Angela Lake-Carroll, Suzy Power and Robbie Clarke, was brilliant and was instrumental in persuading me that I wanted to practise in NCDR.
What’s the one Resolution resource/service/achievement that you want everyone to know about?
It would have to be Resolution Together, which for those who haven’t come across it, is Resolution’s one-lawyer, two-client model.
Is there a Resolution resource not currently available that you would love to see?
I’d really like to see the NCDR options become more integrated. One way to help bring everything together might be a universal agreement for the different options (including mediation and collaborative practice) which helps with the transitions from one to another (eg mediation into arbitration).
What would you say to encourage more members to become volunteers with Resolution?
Volunteering affords members a great opportunity to meet like-minded practitioners, to effect change and make a real difference to people’s lives.
Why did you choose family practice?
I studied family law in my last year at university and I found it so much more interesting than other subjects, and the cases seemed to be more relevant to day-to-day life than any other area of law.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
It is without doubt when I feel that my contribution or intervention has made a meaningful difference, especially when it helps separating couples with children to reach a consensual outcome.
What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Knowing when to say nothing. In mediation, silence can sometimes be an incredibly powerful tool.
What do you think have been the biggest changes in family practice/the family justice system since you started out?
The family justice landscape has changed significantly since I started in the early 2000s. There is no escaping the impact LASPO has had, but the two really positive changes that stand out for me are the implementation of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 and the increasing recognition of the importance of mental health and wellbeing.
What’s the one government policy you would like to see changed or introduced?
I really hope that cohabitation reform is delivered.
Torquay United could also really do with being allowed to enter the FA Cup at the 3rd round stage every year.
How do you keep a good work/life balance and look after your wellbeing?
Practising only in NCDR gives me a lot more flexibility than I had previously. Exercise and being outdoors are both essential for my wellbeing. For me, it doesn’t get much better than a long day spent walking in the hills.
What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in family practice?
Unless you are imbued with self-confidence it may be tempting to beat yourself up when things go wrong and not give yourself enough credit when things go well. Remember that you won’t get everything right all the time and not to be too hard on yourself when things go wrong.
If you were not a family barrister, what would you be doing?
I would be a dive instructor. But only somewhere where the water temperature was consistently 28 degrees or above.
Who or what inspires you?
Jenny Roberts, who very sadly died earlier this year, was one of my pupil supervisors. As well as being a brilliant lawyer and judge, she was one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I have ever met.
What are you most proud of in your career?
I’m delighted to have developed a practice in NCDR, which I love.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Supporting Torquay United is a mistake.
Choose three words that best describe you.
Measured, empathetic and – if you were to ask my children – embarrassing.
What can’t you live without?
The outdoors.