Skill and sensitivity have seen a member of Hall Brown Family Law’s legal team honoured as one of Manchester’s most impressive professionals.

Senior Associate Emma Dewhurst has been named Legal Professional of the Year at the city’s Young Talent Awards, which were organised by the local chapter of the global personal development organisation, JCI.

The category, one of 12 in the city-wide competition, was established to celebrate the achievements of a “truly exceptional individual” who had demonstrated an “exemplary performance”.

Judges described how Emma, who has made her mark handling complex high-conflict and international cases, had triumphed due to her “technical knowledge and human touch” in dealing with clients.

Hall Brown co-founder and Managing Partner James Brown has paid tribute to her success.

He added that the regional award illustrated once again the capabilities across the firm’s operations.

“We are utterly thrilled that Emma has received an award which we believe is thoroughly well deserved, especially as Manchester is home to so much young legal talent.

“Since she arrived, Emma has very much become an integral part of what we do, making a considerable contribution.

“The fact that the judges recognised the effort and sensitivity which she has put into her work with clients is, for me, significant. It is something which everyone in the firm is conscious of, given the delicacy of the issues which clients find themselves having to confront.

“Her development is another reminder of how so many of our young recruits have been able to thrive, doing immensely important yet often very challenging work alongside individuals who are rightly regarded as being among the very best family lawyers in the country.

“In realising her potential and in winning this award, Emma is herself a role model for her junior colleagues, demonstrating not only what can be achieved but the tremendous strength in depth which we are fortunate to have within this firm.”

Emma joined Hall Brown’s Manchester headquarters in 2018 as a newly-qualified solicitor before moving to the firm’s London office three years later.

A specialist in children law, her promotion to Senior Associate has coincided with her earning respect both inside and outside Hall Brown for dealing with cases involving child arrangements, domestic violence, abduction and surrogacy, often extending across different jurisdictions.

Founded in St Louis, Missouri, in 1915, JCI has expanded into a worldwide not-for-profit network with approximately 200,000 members in 100 countries.

Each year, its Manchester Young Talent Awards sets out to honour outstanding individuals between the ages of 18 and 40 working in the local area.

Emma’s win is the latest award victory in successive months for Hall Brown.

In October, Hall Brown took the Niche Law Firm of the Year title at the Yorkshire Legal Awards just 12 months after taking the Family Team of the Year prize in the same competition.

Judges described how the latest win had been down to Hall Brown’s “exceptional expertise” and “dedication” to providing clients with the best possible service.

The firm has also been named as a finalist in two categories at the forthcoming LexisNexis UK Family Law Awards.

Organisers have shortlisted Hall Brown as a contender for both the Family Law Firm of the Year – Regional, and Financial Remedies Team of the Year prizes.

Prizes for those categories and the other titles on offer will be handed out during an awards ceremony at London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel on the 18th of this month.