‘Strong, collaborative and diverse team providing excellent advice and strategy for cases at all levels of complexity and value.’

‘Sarah Hoskinson is a hands-on commander – both strategically aware and good on technical points of law. Hebe Thorne is exceptionally good. Hannah Petherick is wise and able.’

‘Burges Salmon are well known leaders in the field – they offer a Rolls Royce service. Predominantly West Country based, but with a good presence in London.’

‘Gareth Schofield: Highly thought after across the board in Bristol – a real go to partner dealing with high end finance and complex children act matters. Cannot recommend him highly enough. Phillipa Yeo produces very good quality work, offering pragmatic and clear advice. Hannah Livsey has great attention to detail – nothing escapes her, a real fighter for her clients.’

‘Gareth Schofield is the best family finance solicitor in the South West and leads a team in his image.’

‘Gareth Schofield is excellent.’

‘This is a very strong firm of solicitors which can offer representation to clients in a variety of different circumstances, particularly involving international law (including child abduction proceedings). Their ability to take instructions and file statement and evidence from clients abroad in a speedy manner is most impressive.’

‘Philippa Morgan has been a leading practitioner in the field of international child abduction for many years and is experienced in representing clients in the most complex of cases. She is a joy to work with and has an immediate grasp of what work needs to be done.’

‘Truly exceptional teamwork, availability, and client care. Every member of the family team is incredibly committed to their cases and goes the extra mile. They are particularly great at working with international clients and have developed a fantastic range of interpreters to be available at almost any time. They ensure great handovers take place so a matter is never dropped while someone is away and are always very communicative.’

‘A full-service law firm with footholds around the world, they bring excellence wherever they go.’

‘Pippa Allsop is clever and hard working. She brings a real air of realism to a case.’

‘Shine with their knowledge and client skills.’

‘A strong matrimonial finance team and with offices in London and across the south and south west of England, they provide an excellent service over a wide area.’

‘Maria Mulroe brings a wealth of experience and real-world pragmatism to her cases, in an understated and client-friendly way. She builds an excellent and trusting professional relationship with her clients and goes above and beyond for them. She is tactically excellent and involves counsel as and when strategic planning is required, which as counsel I find extremely helpful as it means we all work together as a team throughout, not just at a particular hearing.’

‘Excellent team of experts with a really strong reputation for delivering a high quality service.’

‘Approachable team that is strong for vulnerable clients. The private and public law teams have depth of experience.’

‘Mark Smith has a very high profile in all types of family matters. He is results driven but pragmatic. Bill Wilkins has a depth of knowledge in public law matters and provides a reassuring presence in difficult cases. Both deal with cases of the utmost complexity and gravity.’

‘Elizabeth Fergusson is establishing a good reputation.’

‘Very responsive, professional and engaged. Highly motivated to provide an excellent service.’

‘Samantha Newton is used to dealing with complex cases, gives realistic and robust advice. An excellent solicitor focussed on her client’s case. Stellar communication.’

‘Exceptional service with a very compassionate manner. The team are super professional yet warm and friendly and ensure that you understand everything. Communication is efficient and legal fees are very transparent.’

‘Complete professionalism from the most senior partner to the most junior associate. Ellis Jones are clearly a tight knit, effective and very happy team.’

‘Sean McNally’s wealth of experience is reassuring to clients and he offers pragmatic advice. Deborah Leask has a fantastic ability to forensically dissect complex issues and only focus on what is relevant. Lauren Harley has a great reassuring manner with clients and is a very safe pair of hands.’

‘Ellis Jones are trailblazers in family law in the South West. They are exceptionally talented in terms of both legal knowledge, procedure, but also with case management. The family team are all extremely adept in getting to the heart of the issues quickly and providing clients with excellent advice that ensures they are able to achieve a quick and effective resolution or alternatively a well prepared case for court.’

‘Emily Botham is hard working, skilful and knowledgable, with an extremely high attention to detail.’

‘The team is good at looking at the needs and wants of the client whilst trying to remain pragmatic in a difficult area. They are excellent at responding promptly and working collaboratively. Compared to other firms, they offer a personalized client-centered service well suited to the area.’

‘Jess is an excellent lawyer in this area – knowledgable, pragmatic and best described as a steel fist in a velvet glove – able to deliver where needed but diplomatic and pragmatic otherwise. A pleasure to work with.’

‘Caroline Green is rightly highly respected and extremely experienced. She’s basically unflappable and good at resolving cases.

‘James Grigg is charming, excellent, knowledgeable and very experienced.’

‘James Shorrock will be one of the stars of his generation and is excellent value.’

‘Taler Kelly’s work ethic is astonishing. She has a real eye for detail especially with drafting.’

‘Irwin Mitchell have a highly successful family law team and are well known across all legal sectors. They deliver a first -class service for their clients.’

‘Jen Pollock is an exceptional solicitor, she is on top of all the issues, incredibly prepared and works hard for her clients.’

‘Eleanor Barber has been very supportive, knowledgeable and professional.’

‘The knowledge and information that was passed down to me was second to none and the efficiency was more than I could have hoped for. I was kept in the loop every step of the way which has been by far better than any other firm that I have used. The use of the online paying has been flawless also and easy to use.’

‘Anne Shears is the ultimate professional and always on hand to answer any queries that I had. She has the ability to break down the information to make it understandable especially having not been in this situation before.’

‘Steele Raymond are a well rounded firm with expertise in a vast number of areas. This is particularly useful when you have cases which require advice from multiple areas.’

‘Dan Sanders heads up the team very effectively. He is approachable, methodical in his preparation while able to deliver outstanding advice.

Lindsay Halliwell is able to build a rapport with a client like no other practitioner. She has a lovely manner while delivering a first class service.’

‘No praise is too high for Caroline Fell. She is extremely efficient, reassuringly knowledgeable in all her advice, and very on the ball. Everything has been done remarkably quickly and she has been good at chasing the solicitor on the other side as well. I have been most fortunate in having her act for me and she has caused me to transfer all my affairs to Stone King.’

‘Rebecca Eels displays exceptional client care and delivers detailed briefs to counsel. Extremely experienced, which means clients trust her advice. Content to give robust advice when required.’

‘Caroline Fell is a stand-out partner. She is a calm, capable and knowledgeable lawyer who has a wonderful manner with clients. I recommend her both as a solicitor and as a mediator. She is technical and also pragmatic. Rebecca Eels is a stand-out partner who I recommend particularly for child inclusive mediation work. She is brilliant with clients.’

‘Excellent client focus. Providing forensic and pragmatic advice.’

‘Rachel Fisher is very sensible, with good judgment and knowledge.’

‘The team works fearlessly to achieve results for their clients.’

‘The Family Law practice supported me through a very challenging and complicated divorce which was conducted over three years. The service provided was both excellently professional at all times and equally human and caring . The practice felt like a family, and when I called in there was always someone who knew who I was and could help me. I was a person, not just a client’.

‘Ashley is a real driven and fierce protector of his clients, but is able to see a pragmatic outcome too.’

‘Mark Sage is enjoyable to work with, adopts a constructive and collaborative approach and is excellent with clients.’

‘Natalie Drew is the person leads by example and ensures that the team as a whole embodies and delivers the supportive and engaged culture referred to above. She thinks proactively, practicably and laterally.’

‘Excellent team, with a great cross-section of experience, ably led by Natalie Drew.’

‘Natalie Drew is an excellent lawyer and a formidable opponent. She is very approachable and has a great commercial outlook for her clients but is also prepared to fight diligently for her clients.’

‘Abi Cousins is is brilliant at working with tricky clients and getting on top of the legal landscape. She is definitely one to watch!’

‘Excellent quality advice from accessible, local lawyers with a strong reputation in matrimonial finance work.’

‘Kirsten Hale is approachable, knowledgeable and applies her considerable expertise in a practical way that her clients understand and find hugely reassuring. Matrimonial finance claims can be bewildering and confusing for the parties and Kirsten works hard to make sure the legal mysteries are dispelled and anxieties are managed with sound, tactical advice. She is a stand-out practitioner in her field.’

‘Truly work as a team. There was evidence of a collaborative approach between the directors and the associates, and I was aware of team discussion around my own case which gave me great confidence. I knew that I not only had one brilliant mind working on my case, but several.’

‘The billing was transparent, predictable, easy to understand and fair. The firm’s responses were always timely, reliable, courteous and considerate. I was never left wondering when I could expect to hear and I never received an unexpected bill. I received phone calls when these were most sensitive and appropriate.’

‘Bessie is a truly exceptional family solicitor. I will always feel grateful for her wisdom and professional guidance, her intuitive, compassionate approach and her deep integrity.’

‘Excellent client focus and service’.

‘For financial remedies work in the West Country, James Myatt is your man. He is incredibly well known in Bristol and further afield, and one of the most experienced there is.’

‘The team has a wealth of experience in family law. The team has worked together for several years and the structure ensures clients needs are met.’

‘Georgina Catlin is a fantastic solicitor. She cares deeply about her cases and takes special care to ensure she is doing everything she can for her clients. Her briefs are always timeous and well-prepared. I am always happy to see a brief from Georgia.’

‘This firm has an exceptional team from the Partners through to their Associates. The instructions I receive are properly prepared, well thought out and the client has been given excellent advice. They work with counsel as part of a team around the client.’

‘Alice Blackmore is going to go far in her legal career. She is meticulous in her preparation and she provides sound advice to her clients.’

‘Nicky Howarth and Fiona Greener are sublime. They are very involved and know their client’s cases like the back of their hand. They are friendly and approachable whilst also being sensitive and professional.’

‘All the team are very diligent and caring towards their clients.’

‘Katy Zikking is very collaborative in her approach and very conscientious. Her calm nature does not detract from her tenaciousness.’

‘I appreciate the personalised, friendly, yet professional service they provide. They work well as a team, and know exactly which associate/partner is best suited to deal with any queries I have.’

‘Throughout my time with Lester Aldridge I have felt that I have been treated as a real person, not just a source of income. They have been kind, friendly, and professional, while also giving me a personalised service.’

‘Lester Aldridge have a very strong reputation in Family Law expertise. The team have a friendly, warm, and effective approach to case management. Clients love the team and feel fully supported throughout one of life’s most stressful experiences.’

‘The family law team have been extremely professional, thorough, communicative and sensitive where at times in these sorts of cases facts need to be handled with care. They strike a good balance and always remain realistic regarding expectations and fees.’

‘Porter Dodson have an excellent local reputation and are well-regarded for their client-focused approach, with service levels setting them apart from the competition.’

‘Zoe Gaitskell is a class act; able to provide insightful advice at an early stage, saving clients huge amounts in costs and resolving conflicts that seemed intractable. In the financial remedies space Zoe is diligent, accurate and persistent, working effectively to secure outcomes for her clients that achieve their goals. She is known for her keen eye for detail and client-friendly manner. A local superstar.’

‘Thrings’ family division is extremely knowledgeable and were invaluable throughout my divorce. Not only were they very responsive to my questions, they continued to provide this support after my divorce had been finalised. They are utterly professional and extremely easy to deal with.’

‘Tara Connor-McLaren and Zhenja Cann addressed (and continue to address) all my concerns in a thorough and professional manner. I can’t speak highly enough of the service I have received.’

‘The team works closely together and any handover is done in a very professional manner.’

‘The Tozers team are very capable and highly communicative with clients and professional collaborators.’

‘Aimee Aspinall and Caroline Ryan are both very compassionate and always looking to ensure that their clients achieve the best outcome.’

‘The team at Tozers takes a client focused approach providing clear advice and guidance. They are a safe pair of hands and go above and beyond to assist clients. They take a collaborative approach when instructing counsel ensuring that clients have support when meeting and working with counsel.’

‘Trethowans are a really excellent regional law firm. They are probably one of the best law firms in the South West.’

‘Andrew Mercer and Emma Wilders Pratt and both excellent. They have excellent client care skills and really understand family litigation. Dawn Gore’s knowledge of children law is very impressive. She has a natural ability for private law proceedings and her advice is nearly always spot on. Having won paralegal of the year nationally is no surprise.’

‘Well established family team that has grown successfully in recent years attracting the best practitioners and now the firm has a formidable and talented team. Probably one of the best (if not the best) family teams in the South West (Wiltshire, Dorset & Hampshire) with an unrivalled stable of first-rate practitioners.’

‘Emma Perkins is exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled. She is a first-rate solicitor at the top of her game in both private and public law children act cases.’

‘The team is incredibly hard working and involved in highly complex public law cases. Nothing is ever too much to ask for clients. The solicitors I work with are able to form a close working team through all aspects of a case from start to finish. Their approach is flexible and adaptable.’

‘Paul Sykes is a very experienced and knowledgable solicitor. He gives 100% to all of his cases and is on top of the finest of details. Paul has a wonderful ability to put clients at ease and take complex material and explain it in an effective way so clients can understand and retain the information.’

‘Jonathan Eager is unfailingly honest in his advice even if he was aware it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I respected that. It allowed a level of trust to develop rapidly.’

‘Great reputation. They pick up a good proportion of the high net worth clients in the area – excellent client care. A real player in the Gloucester and Cotswolds areas.’

‘Jonathan Eager is incredibly good to work with. Has excellent on point judgment and sees solutions in a case form the outset. He is focussed on his clients and getting the best results for them whilst also being fair and pragmatic. I would definitely recommend him.’

‘Very user friendly. Exceptional understanding of a very difficult and emotional situation. Walked me through every stage in clear, layman’s terms.’

‘Julie Keogh has been excellent throughout the process. Very understanding.’

‘Laura Martin and her team have been so very honest and honorable throughout this. As a company I cannot find fault.’

‘The team is very responsive and puts their clients’ needs first. They are always looking for ways to resolve matters in a pragmatic and constructive way, rather than just fighting every battle for the sake of it.’

‘The team has both a broad and deep understanding of children law. They make huge effort to be available to clients.’

‘Sarah Evans handles clients with a combination of sensitively and directness. She is insightful and very quick to pick up on the nuances of a case.

‘GA have provided me with wonderful service. They offer a truly personalised service, have taken time to get to know me, listened to my worries, always reply quickly and I couldn’t have got through the last few years without them by my side.’

‘Michelle Grove and her team are wonderful. From the very first call I made to Michelle, she has provided advice, reassurance and often been my calming influence when I’ve been worried. She offers the highest level of professionalism and care.’

‘Key strengths include forensic attention to detail; excellent communication, good visibility to parents and professionals alike and advice which is both robust and consistent.’ 

‘A well-run, dedicated family law firm which will work hard for its client’s interests.’

‘The team have a high level of expertise surrounding domestic abuse and honor based violence for a company operating in the South West.’

‘The Family Law Company is as far as I can see exactly what it says on the tin, a family. They have been instructing me for approximately 12-18 months and it has been clear to me that they have a collegiate approach to their work and are like a family.’

‘Naomi Owen has been very attentive and supportive in what has been a challenging case. She has always carried out my instructions and used a very good barrister to represent me in all hearings. There has been a lot of email communication with between the parties and I have been copied into everything so I always know what is happening.’

‘The team are welcoming and have good legal knowledge and experience.’

‘Naomi is approachable and has good people skills. She is able to talk through any concerns that I have and give appropriate advice.’

‘The team, were amazing from start to finish. Always very clear, honest and made the process very straightforward. The billing was great, and all done online – very clear and easy.’

‘Alison was amazing. She made me feel very at ease, was very helpful and always on point with her advice. I could not be happier with her, and the outcome we achieved. She always was great at listening and then explaining everything to me. Her advice was always spot on and I got what I wanted when it came to the court case.’

‘The team were able to give constant sensible advise but empathised on a personal level too throughout.’

‘The Wolferstans team are always highly supportive and act promptly to any concerns. They are highly skilled in all areas of family law and very personable.’

‘Vikki Martin delivers exceptional legal advice. Her explanation is always well received and understood and delivery is concise and to the point. She is very reassuring and always supportive.’

‘I work frequently with Andrew Dodd, who is meticulous and considered in all that he does. Working with Andrew fills me with confidence that everything that needs to be done for the client will be done, and more.’

‘This team is unusual as although there are more than one office in the area it focuses in providing a consistent high level of service to local people and having specialist knowledge and understanding of the region and its culture.’

‘Rachel Carter is in my view the best child care lawyer in the country with a nationwide practice.’

‘An absolute leader in the field of children public law. The go-to firm in England relation to this area of law.’