Newly appointed Jack Chapman joins the firm as a solicitor having recently completed his law degree and legal practice course at the Nottingham School of Law.
Jack has experience dealing with care proceedings, private disputes involving children and securing protection for domestic abuse victims.
Also joining the firm is Jamila Fatima, who is a newly qualified solicitor with broad experience in a variety of children and family law matters, including care proceedings and private children act proceedings.
Jamila Fatima and Jack Chapman, new solicitors in the family team at Stephensons.
Elsewhere in the department, Catherine Hudson and Nicola Horrocks have begun solicitor training contracts – this will allow them both to build up a range of experience in family law and meet their solicitor training competences.
In addition, Claire Pilling has qualified as a CILEX fellow and is now a chartered legal executive – this alternative route to qualification has been championed by Stephensons for many years.
The department has also recruited two new paralegals; Özgü Horozal, based in the firm’s Wigan office and Meerab Mazhar, in the Manchester office.
Özgü comes with experience of international family matters having worked in family law, in Turkey, specialising in international private law and family law disputes.
Finally, Tim Galbraith has recently been accredited as a specialist by Resolution in abduction and private children work.
Along with head of the family department, Victoria Gethin, and partner, Jackie Price, Tim is one of very few solicitors nationally with both a Resolution and Law Society Children panel dual accreditation.
Stephensons now has eight Children panel accredited specialists, and six Resolution accredited specialists, amongst the highest numbers of accredited solicitors of any family law practice in the North West of England.
Victoria Gethin, equity partner and head of the family department at Stephensons, said: “I am thrilled to be able to welcome all our new starters and congratulate those who have begun exciting new chapters in their legal careers.
“Stephensons continues to see incredibly strong demand for its expertise in family law matters therefore investment in attracting the very best legal talent remains a key priority for the firm.”
