With the company expanding to meet growing demands for a specialist family law service, The Family Law Company has taken on three new support staff for its Exeter team.
Two legal secretaries have also been appointed. Lisa Combrink, who has experience as an events manager, had previously temped at the company. She says she enjoyed working with the team so much that she asked to be put forward for a permanent role.
Catherine Ankers comes to The Family Law Company after a stint at a car hire company. She said:
“I was looking for a position that offered a good work/life...
Unmarried couples can now avail themselves of expert help, with the appointment of a specialist solicitor to support The Family Law Company’s unmarried finance team.
Experienced civil litigator Jane Swannell joins the company to provide advice in the resolution of property disputes. In addition, she will be concentrating on cases involving mental health law and Court of Protection work.
Originally from the Midlands, Jane first came to the region when her family moved to Exeter where she was educated at The Maynard School. After taking her law degree in Bristol and attending...
Three family law specialists from The Family Law Company are celebrating after winning awards in the 2017 Devon and Somerset Law Society (DASLS) Awards. With the marking of International Women’s Day this week, it is particularly apt that all three are women.
The trio, Business Development Director and Director of Legal Services, Rachel Buckley, Senior Associate Solicitor Grace Bradley and Associate Chartered Legal Executive Gemma Sparks collected their awards during a glittering event at Sandy Park.
Rachel said: “The company was shortlisted in four categories and we were...
The Court has ruled against a heterosexual couple seeking to enter into a Civil Partnership instead of a marriage. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, appealed the decision of Mrs Justice Andrews DBE in the High Court, who held that the restrictions under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, preventing opposite-sex couples from entering into a civil partnership, were lawful.
The Family Law Company solicitor Sasha Walton, explained: “The parties argued that, as a heterosexual couple, they did not have the same choice as a same-sex couple when choosing the route of legal recognition for...
‘Time to Talk Day’ on Feb 2 aims to encourage around the clock conversations about mental health issues, says a family law specialist who is committed to encouraging more openness about anxiety and stress-related difficulties.
Donna Hart from The Family Law Company, which helps many to deal with difficult and often mentally challenging family issues, explained: “At the moment, too many of those with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless by the way they are treated by others. This is something we can all help to change.
With Trustees’ Week running from November 7 to 13, three experts from The Family Law Company are keen to explain why they became trustees with local charities.
There are currently around 194,000 charities in the UK with just over 1 million trustees; just under half are women, and the average age of a trustee is 59 in England and Wales, although 86,000 are aged 16-34.
Donna Hart and Stephen Sowden, who are based in Exeter, and Ann Shears who works at the Plymouth office, have taken on the role of trustee with three very different charities.
The South West’s largest specialist family law firm, The Family Law Company by Hartnell Chanot, is celebrating 25 years as a specialist legal firm.
The company was set up as Hartnell & Co in 1991 by Norman Hartnell, after he realised there was a need for specialist family lawyers.
He was joined by Jane Chanot in 1997 when the company became Hartnell Chanot, and in 2013 a significant rebrand to The Family Law Company by Hartnell Chanot, meant the company’s specialism became clear to all.
Norman Hartnell said: “I felt strongly then, as I do now, that family law is...
The Family Law Company has been shortlisted in the Modern Law Awards 2016.
The specialist family law company with offices in Plymouth and Exeter has been shortlisted for the Private Client Team of the Year.
The company entered Director Jane Chanot’s team, which handles not only private clients but also domestic violence, HBV and child abduction cases.
The awards focus on the achievements of those working to change the face of business strategy and development, regulation management and client care throughout the organisation.
With increasing numbers of couples choosing to live together outside of marriage, a family law expert has turned his hand to writing to help unmarried couples understand their position better.
The resulting book, Living Together and the Law: A Guide to Cohabitation provides essential information for unmarried couples, whose rights when in a relationship or when separating are a conundrum - even for the legal community.
The author is David Cobern, Director and Shareholder with The Family Law Company in Exeter. David has worked in family law for 27 years and has a particular...
A family law specialist has spoken out about domestic abuse after the recent media storm surrounding The Archers.
Imran Khodabocus of The Family Law Company says that the long-running Rob and Helen storyline in The Archers, which culminated in a violent act, has been a timely reminder that victims of abuse need to know that there is help available to them.
“Too often victims of domestic abuse will put up with their situation until they can’t take anymore,” explained Imran.
“If you are continually being bullied and controlled, and have fears for your children, then a...
