We are very pleased to announce that David Howell-Richardson has joined us as a Consultant Solicitor and Mediator.
David is very well known and respected in our legal community. He brings with him more than 40 years experience in legal practice as a solicitor. The vast majority of this has been as a family law specialist.
David was for many years a partner and the Head of Family Law at Stones Solicitors. Stones were a long-standing Exeter firm of solicitors. Over the years Stones Solicitors assisted very many Exeter and Devon families. More recently Stones Solicitors merged with national firm Trowers and Hamlins Solicitors. He remained as a partner with Trowers and Hamlins and then as a consultant.
David will continue to work in Exeter as well as assisting clients from our offices in Honiton and Taunton.
David assists clients with divorce and separation, children issues and mediation.
We are very lucky to have gained such a respected professional with such a wealth of experience as a member of our team.
A very experienced team
We have one of the most experienced teams of lawyers in Devon and Somerset. In addition to Ian Walker (longstanding Chair of Devon Resolution, former Law Society Family Law Committee member and Family Mediators Association Trustee), 3 of our lawyers have been partner and head of family law at their previous practices; Kim Stradling (Everys Solicitors), David Howell-Richardson (Stones Solicitors) and Sandy Powell (Dunn and Baker Solicitors). We cannot think of another practice in Devon and Somerset which has as great a concentration of former heads of other family law teams as our practice.
We now have a team of 7 family law specialist solicitors and mediators, with additional growth planned in 2018. We are now one of the larger family law teams in Devon and Somerset. We have a shared ethos of assisting clients to achieve good solutions through sensible negotiation where possible.
Accredited Family Mediator
David is accredited by the Law Society as a Family Mediation Practitioner. David has regularly mediated since qualifying as a mediator in 1998. David is a strong advocate for seeking to resolve disputes through discussion and negotiation. Making a court application should be a last resort, (albeit sometimes necessary), rather than the a first step.
Law Society Family Law Accreditation
David is also holds the Law Society Family Law Accreditation for representation of adults on public law and children related issues.
We are very lucky to have gained such a respected professional with such a wealth of experience as a member of our team.
We are pleased to welcome Sandy Powell to our team as an Associate Solicitor.
Sandy qualified as a Solicitor in 1988 which means that she has practiced family law for 30 years.
Sand has also been a member of the Law Society Children Panel since 1992. (altogether between Ian, Kim and Sandy we now have over 60 years of Child Panel membership in the practice!).
In addition Sandy has been a Resolution Accredited Specialist since 2004 and her specialisms include Advanced Financial Provision.
Respected by fellow lawyers
Sandy is well known and respected in the Devon family law community and her joining adds additional strength and depth to our team.
Sandy’s career has included time with WBW, Trowers and Hamlin (who took over Stones), Ford Simey and Dunn and Baker (where she was a Partner and Head of the Family Team). She has mostly been responsible for the supervision of other solicitors and trainees.
Sandy also trained as a mediator a number of years ago. Whilst she never achieved accreditation with the Family Mediation Council, our view is that mediation training makes everyone who does it a better lawyer. The reason is that mediation training enhances negotiation skills and gives a better understanding that there invariably two ways of viewing a problem (at least) and that the best long term solutions are rarely achieved through confrontation.
We are now one of the larger teams of family lawyers in Devon and Somerset
Our team now includes 6 specialist family lawyers which makes us one of the larger family law practices in Devon and Somerset. With plans already in place the team should grow to 8 lawyers by the end of 2018.
Thank you for your email and thank you for all your help in bringing about a return to a fairer childcare arrangement. We have just spent a lovely weekend in xxxxxxxxx with the girls and it was such a relief not having to have the usual stressful negotiations regarding travel arrangements and the worry that everythingwould be cancelled last minute.(Ian)
Thank you very much for your help and advice (always constructive and realistic) including when dealing with other professionals whose conduct did not match yours. (Ian)
Just a little note to say a huge thank you for your help and support on our case. (Kim)
Thank you for your advice and help. (Sandy)
Achieving sensible solutions
Family Law clients are invariably dealing with difficult and stressful events in their lives. Sometimes when you are in a difficult situation you “cannot see the wood for the trees”. In other words clients can get locked in the problem and find it difficult to take a step back and put the problem in perspective and identify what really needs to happen for it to be resolved. This is where sensible advice is fundamental.
It is easy to mirror the problem back to a client (tell them what they want to hear). Good advice requires telling clients what needs to happen to achieve a positive outcome. Sometimes this means telling clients that they need to do something different (and it is not just the other party that needs to change). Good advice can be unpalatable. A good professional will not shy away from this.
Our philosophy is to focus on solutions and what needs to happen to achieve these.
Always room for improvement
It is always nice to receive thanks from clients for a job well done.
Our philosophy is also for constant improvement and we always welcome constructive comment which helps us to see where our service can be improved. One of the focuses of our Practice Manager – Leanne Cornock-Stark is to look at client experience and to implement improvements when we identify something that can be done better.
We have just published the flyer for the annual Devon Resolution Family Law Conference, which is organised by Devon Resolution, of which I am the longstanding Chair.
I have reproduced the flyer below. Family Law professionals who are not from Devon are also welcome to attend. We hold the conference on a Friday so that non-local delegates and speakers have the chance to spend a weekend in lovely Devon if they wish.
There is something for everyone and it promises to be the best yet (and much better than the thing going on in Bristol on dates I have forgotten organised by nation resolution).
We are celebrated the 5th Birthday of Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors on Friday with a small drinks reception at East Devon Business Centre in Honiton.
It was so nice to catch up with some old friends who have supported us with our journey.
We enjoyed a selection of lovely cakes and a glass of fizz.
I was reminded it was Groundhog Day. Having enjoyed the movie, I was very relieved not to wake up the next day and find myself back at day one; in a room all by myself, armed with a computer, legal expertise and some good ideas.
5 years of progress
And what a five years it has been. My first business plan anticipated that I might have had a couple of colleagues by this point. Instead I have been lucky enough to be joined by (in order of joining) Karen Elliott, Carrie Meikle, Kim Stradling and Stef Hinde.
On Friday we bade temporary goodbye to Stef who is now on maternity leave, but I was delighted to announce that we will be joined by the very experienced and respected Sandy Powell.
Sandy deserves a separate post and that will follow shortly.
We will also be joined (as a consultant) by former CAFCASS Officer/Children’s Guardian/Independent Social Worker and trainer; Julie Cornwell.
Julie is going to assist our Mediation practice by assisting in taking children’s wishes to assist the mediation process. Julie will do the same in support of my Child Law Arbitration practice. More to follow.
Exeter and Taunton
Since we started we have gained our own office at Exchange House in Taunton, and most recently at the Senate, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter.
We have spent the last few weeks getting our office in the Senate ready.
Our main base will remain in Honiton.
New Faces
We also have some more new faces in the pipeline.
Sadly Beth and Hannah have left us for personal reasons, but this has allowed us to revamp and expand the backroom team. More news to follow, but it is all very exciting.
We also hope to expand our legal team further during the next year, but I cant talk about that yet…
Thanks
Thanks so much to my team, and to our clients and to all those who have helped us along the way.
Devon Resolution is a vibrant Resolution region with around 160 members. I am very proud to be its longstanding Chair.
We are able to arrange our own training to meet the specific needs of our members.
I am especially looking forward to our 4th Annual Conference on 11 May 2018, which promises to be our best yet.
In the meantime we are running an update for our child law specialists. This is open to solicitors who are not members of Devon Resolution. (We have awarded ourselves a discount, but the full price is still outstanding value)
Children Law Experts
The Children Law specialists from Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors will all be going, namely; Kim Stradling, Carrie Meikle, Karen Elliott and myself.
2017 was a really good year for Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors, but 2018 promises to be even better. Below is what I can tell you about our plans for 2018, but first, the highlights of 2017 (in no particular order):
2017
Child Law specialist Kim Stradling joining us. This was a very big event. Kim was previously a partner and head of family law at Devon practice Everys. Kim is one of the leading childcare law specialists in the South West. She chose to join us because she liked our vision and business structure. Most importantly Kim has settled in very very well.
Recruiting Stephanie Hinde. Stef joined as a Solicitor in November. unfortunately she will be leaving on maternity leave at the end of January(ish), but we will look forward to welcoming her back when she is ready. Stef has a lovely manner and has slotted seamlessly into the team. Whilst relativily junior, she clearly has it in her to her to be an outstanding family solicitor. Our flexible and homeworking policy will assist Stef to return to work in a sensible way.
In the Summer we added Hannah Elliott as a paralegal. Hannah was fresh from University of Exeter and a very good 2.1 law degree. Hannah is now combining working for us with part time study on her Legal Practice Course and LLM Masters Degree at the University of Law. Hannah has passed every study unit so far with flying colours and she has been a great help around the office. In due course she will be an outstanding Solicitor as well.
Beth Hazeltine has been a brilliant member of the team. Beth joined in February. Ever helpful and willing. If only she could have been free when we attended the Somerset Resolution quiz night, we would have picked up enough points in the food and drink section to have won.
In October I attended the Resolution Dispute Resolution Conference in Nottingham and had the great pleasure of chatting at length to Family Law legend Henry Brown (Former Solicitor to Nelson Mandela, founder of mediation in UK, founder of Family Mediators Association and CEDR and the person who trained me as both a family mediator and a civil mediator) Henry is now 80 and is nearly completely retired. I was honoured when Henry told me how much he liked our website. In return I recommended him the pleasures of chess.com
In 2017 I was re-elected as the Chair of Devon Resolution for a third 3 year term. This is a great honour. Together with my committee we have established the annual Devon Resolution Conference. A great annual get together for Devon family lawyers. We have a truly vibrant region.
I also joined Resolution’s Dispute Resolution Committee. As a solicitor/collaborative lawyer/mediator/arbitrator I practice what I preach, which is helping clients to resolve their cases fairly through sensible negotiation. The work of the national committees is important in encouraging good practice and it is important for those from the regions to join in.
Our clients are extremely important to us. I had great pleasure in completing a difficult case for a very nice and (too)longstanding client in December in a very favourable way. This will allow them to finally moving their life on.
The team is also very important. I haven’t mentioned Carrie Meikle or Karen Elliott above, but they have been so important in us being able to move the practice on. For the time being at least we are the magnificent 7! Its fundamental to work with people you get on with, where everyone is pulling in the same direction.
2018
At the beginning of February 2018 the practice will be 5 years old. We have brilliantly surpassed our initial 5 year plan. The start was kind of staggered for various reasons, but I started in the office at the start of 2013. To celebrate we will be having a small get together. My initial guest list of those I wanted to invite was over 150, so I have had to pare the list down by quite a bit, but if you would like to join our celebration then don’t be shy and let me know. Apologies in advance for those I couldn’t fit in.
From 01 February we will be moving our Exeter service to The Senate, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter.This is a prestigious office block which is much more convenient for the Court and is within the “Legal Quarter” of the city, and so will be better for our Exeter clients. It also gives us extra capacity to grow our Exeter service. We are recruiting, so if you can add to the team, please let me know…
I have plans to promote the use of Arbitration and our Mediation with Arbitration Service. Arbitration has been slow on the uptake, in large because it is different, (and practitioners are cautious about change – even if it is for the better) but it does offer a genuine and viable and more cost effective way of resolving cases than the public courts for less complex cases. I have a plan…
And more… I wish I could say, but I can’t for now, but do watch this space for further exciting news
Thanks to all who have helped us get this far. I am looking forward to 2018
In 2017 the family Family Solicitors organisation, Resolution published a briefing paper on the future of family law called : Law and Justice briefing ; The current landscape and direction of travel
For those who don’t know, I have been a member of Resolution for over 20 years and I am the longstanding Chair of the Devon Region. I am also a member of the national Dispute Resolution Committee.
The paper was written by my old friend Angela Lake-Carroll who I first met nearly 20 years ago when I was one of a handful of solicitors invited by the Legal Aid Agency to participate in their FAINS: Family Advice and Information Networks project. Angela is well respected in the family law community and also a member of the Dispute Resolution Committee.
Threats to family law practice
In summary, the paper analyses the market for the demand for and the delivery of family law (and mediation) services and discusses threats and opportunities.
Threats will include:
Artificial Intelligence and automation
Increasing demand for unbundled and pay as you go services
deregulation
government reforms; including reducing funding of the courts and the ongoing crisis in Legal Aid
The decline in marriage (and consequently divorce)
Growing, dynamic, specialist Family Law Solicitors Practice seeks additional team members.
Ian Walker founded the practice from scratch in 2013 with just a computer. We are now team which includes 4 Solicitors and a Legal Executive plus support. Ian is the longstanding chair of the Devon region of the family solicitors organisation Resolution and is a past member of the Law Society Family Law Committee. Ian is also an accredited mediator and a child law Arbitrator (private judge).
We have an experienced and respected team. We have grown through recommendation and good business planning.
We enjoy the work we do. It is important to us that we do our work in the right way; also that we all get on with each other and that we are a genuine team. No office politics please. We have a commitment to Legal Aid and fair charging.
We are already one of the larger family law teams around Devon and Somerset and we have more growth planned in 2018.
Our clients are from around Devon and Somerset. We have a permanent presence in Exeter (from 01 February; the Senate) and Taunton (Exchange House) but our main base is in Honiton; so that we don’t have to drive through commuter traffic every day.
Flexible working is encouraged. Our practice software is all cloud based.
Part time applicants also considered.
The Role – Solicitor/ Legal Executive
We are looking for a Solicitor to help us grow the Exeter/Honiton axis of our business.
We will be pleased to hear from candidates with all levels of experience. We can adjust the role to right person. What is important is that they either are already or want to become an outstanding family lawyer who wants be part of our growth.
For the right candidate there are genuine equity prospects.
Remuneration is dependent on PQE. We can offer salary or fee share or a mix.
Person Specification
Most importantly we are looking for someone who will fit into the team, who is hardworking and self-motivated with a good sense of humour.
Essential
Passion for family law
Technical knowledge; demonstrated by panel memberships or willingness to gain
Resolution Member
Team player
Car owner and Clean driving licence
Tidy and organised
Desirable
Experience of working in another leading family Law team
Trained as Mediator and/ or collaborative Lawyer or interest in training.
Advocacy skills
Willingness to attend networking events/ interest in practice development
Outstanding IT skills
Familiarity with SOS connect case management software
Knowledge of legal aid including legal aid agency case management system
