Our People

Every member of Hall Brown Family Law has been handpicked from a top family law team with the aim of offering clients fantastic service, a no-nonsense approach and the best possible outcome. Each of our lawyers is a member of Resolution, an organisation committed to non-confrontational solutions to divorce, separation and other family law issues.

Sam Hall

Senior Partner

Sam is a founding partner of Hall Brown, an independently ranked leading expert and is listed as one of the top 10 family lawyers in the country.

Meet Sam

James Brown

Managing Partner

James is a founding partner of Hall Brown and is one of only a handful of family lawyers to represent a client in the Supreme Court.

Meet James

Andrew Newbury

Partner

Andrew is a Leading Expert who brings over 30 years of experience and has won multiple awards which recognise his skills and technical expertise.

Meet Andrew

Izzy Walsh

Partner/Head of London

Izzy is the head of Hall Brown’s London office, a member of the British Russian Law Association, British Ukrainian Law Association and the International Bar Association.

Meet Izzy

Martin Loxley

Consultant

Martin is recognised as being a Leading Expert in Family Law and is well known for his empathy, accessibility and commitment to helping clients.

Meet Martin

Alison Fernandes

Partner/Head of Sheffield

Alison is the head of Hall Brown’s Sheffield office, has over 20 years’ experience and is ranked as Band 1 in Chambers & Partners and Tier 1 in Legal 500

Meet Alison

Beth Wilkins

Partner

Beth Wilkins has been a family lawyer for over 30 years, working for a large cross section of clients and is described as the “doyenne of family law”.

Meet Beth

Mike Devlin

Partner

Mike has specialised in the law relating to children for over 35 years and is ranked in the Legal 500’s top tier, having a reputation for finding positive solutions.

Meet Mike

Catherine Bell

Consultant

Catherine advises on all aspects of family law, specialising in the financial complexities of divorce and acting for high net worth individuals

Meet Catherine

Claire Reid

Partner

Claire is an expert in her field and has significant experience in dealing with complex financial settlements including companies, offshore assets and trusts.

Meet Claire

Laura Guillon

Partner/Head of Leeds

Laura specialises in financial remedy proceedings and gives concise, straightforward advice and seeks to ‘cut through the detail’. She speaks French fluently.

Meet Laura

Katie Welton-Dillon

Partner/Head of Children Family Law Team

Katie is known for her clear and structured approach, her meticulous preparation, her exceptional level of client care and is a well respected advocate.

Meet Katie

Zoe Round

Consultant

Zoe has nearly 30 years’ experience and is particularly well known for representing high net worth clients and/or those with complex financial arrangements

Meet Zoe

Alice Rogers

Senior Associate Solicitor

Alice specialises in complex high value financial settlements, international and variation cases and private children law proceedings

Meet Alice

Ellen Fell

Senior Associate Solicitor

Ellen assists on high value and complex financial settlements which often involve business assets, family trust structures and cases with an international element.

Meet Ellen

Madelaine Hailey

Senior Associate Solicitor

Maddy is a Resolution accredited expert in complex higher income financial remedies and cohabitation & TOLATA and advises on all aspects of private family law

Meet Madelaine

Melanie Hadwin

Senior Associate Solicitor

Melanie specialises in complex financial settlement cases and has a particular interest in wealth protection in the form of pre-nups/cohabitation agreements

Meet Melanie

Sarah Hewitt

Senior Associate Solicitor

Sarah advises on all aspects of divorce and dissolution, high value complex financial settlements, child arrangement and cohabitation disputes.

Meet Sarah

Emma Dewhurst

Senior Associate Solicitor

Emma forms part of the children team in Manchester and London is committed to adopting an amicable and non-confrontational approach for her clients.

Meet Emma

Abigail Jones

Senior Solicitor and Professional Support Lawyer

Abigail is a central resource at the firm training and developing the junior members of the team and providing professional legal support across the firm

Meet Abigail

Michelle Ashworth

Senior Solicitor

Michelle’s approach is constructive, pragmatic and proactive; she prides herself on delivering a bespoke service for all clients, focusing on their individual needs

Meet Michelle

Melanie Kalina

Senior Solicitor

Mel specialises in arrangements for children after separation, Special Guardianship orders, adoption and child welfare issues involving social services

Meet Melanie

Rachael Brownlee

Associate Solicitor

Rachael advises and represents clients on all aspects of divorce and dissolution, financial settlements, child arrangement matters and cohabitation disputes.

Meet Rachael

Louise Butcher

Associate Solicitor

Louise has a particular interest in private children cases with a specific skill in surrogacy law and experience in cases involving substance and alcohol misuse

Meet Louise

Holly Cook

Associate Solicitor

Holly has a wide range of experience in all aspects of family law including cases with assets and income of high value and complex children cases

Meet Holly

Rachel Darrell

Associate Solicitor

Rachel advises and represents clients on all aspects of divorce and dissolution, financial settlements, pre and post nuptial agreements and cohabitation disputes

Meet Rachel

Emma Hubbard

Associate Solicitor

Emma has particular expertise in private child arrangement cases and has built an excellent reputation for providing first class advice and representation

Meet Emma

Rebekah Edwards

Associate Solicitor

Rebekah Edwards (nee King) deals with high value financial settlements with complex business structures, international elements or jurisdictional disputes

Meet Rebekah

Michael Swanick

Associate Solicitor

Michael brings his wide-ranging depth of experience including complex cases where mental health and parental alienation issues are a factor

Meet Michael

Bronwyn Warmington

Associate Solicitor

Bronwyn goes the extra mile for her clients and offers valuable support alongside her straightforward advice every step of the way

Meet Bronwyn

Hannah Currie

Solicitor

Hannah considers her approachability and communication skills to be her key qualities and understands that building a level of trust is essential

Meet Hannah

Jodi Ford

Solicitor

Jodi specialises in cases involving children including relocation, abduction and domestic abuse. She also sits on the Fostering Panel.

Meet Jodi

Matthew Hodgson

Solicitor

Matthew qualified as a solicitor in March 2022 after achieving a distinction in both his LPC and Masters in Legal Studies at the University of Law in Bristol

Meet Matthew

Hayley Jetson

Solicitor

Hayley advises on fraud litigation in the family context, surrogacy, Hague applications and securing equal parental rights for same sex partners.

Meet Hayley

Hannah Pilling

Solicitor

Hannah also has a particular interest in company assets and helping clients achieve a financial settlement with their business interests in mind

Meet Hannah

Emma Whitehead

Solicitor

Emma has recently completed her training contact with Hall Brown and is now developing her expertise across divorce, finances and children matters

Meet Emma

Allie Pitchford

Solicitor

Allie advises and represents clients on all aspects of divorce and dissolution, financial settlements and child arrangement matters

Meet Allie

Sky Langwieser

Trainee Solicitor

Sky is studying the LPC whilst completing her Training Contract and assists senior fee earners in all aspects of divorce, financial remedy and children matters

Meet Sky

Rachel Cocker

Trainee Solicitor

Rachel is now completing her Training Contract having graduated with a first class honours degree in Law prior to joining Hall Brown in February 2020

Meet Rachel

Savannah Davies

Trainee Solicitor

Savannah achieved a first class in her undergraduate at the University of Manchester in Theology, Philosophy and Ethics before joining Hall Brown in October 2021

Meet Savannah

Rebekah Fender

Trainee Solicitor

Rebekah graduated from The University of Manchester with a first class degree in Sociology and Criminology and has completed her GDL at the University of Law.

Meet Rebekah

Alexandra Marshall

Trainee Solicitor

Alexandra achieved a First Class degree in International Relations at the University of Exeter before going on to study the GDL, achieving distinctions in all modules.

Meet Alexandra

Hannah Durkin

Trainee Solicitor

Hannah joined the firm in September 2022 and brings her brings her experience and passion working as a paralegal, acting for high net worth individuals

Meet Hannah

Kirsty McKenzie

Trainee Legal Executive

Kirsty assists senior fee earners across all the firms’ offices in all aspects of divorce, financial remedy and children matters

Meet Kirsty

Eleanor Scott

Paralegal

Eleanor joined the firm in June 2022, having graduated with a Law degree from Oxford University and was an ambassador for Oxford Women in Law,

Meet Eleanor

Anna Davies

Paralegal

Anna joined the firm in May 2023 and brings her knowledge working as a paralegal specialising in the law relating to children

Meet Anna

Megan Woodcock

Paralegal

Megan achieved a first class degree in Law at Sheffield Hallam University and prides herself on her compassionate nature

Meet Megan

Isobel Culf

Paralegal

Isobel joined the firm in September 2023 and is currently studying with CILEX for her level 3 paralegal qualification in family law.

Meet Isobel

Will Taylor

Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Will has 15 years’ experience in finance leadership roles in consumer-facing businesses and brings a personal and inclusive approach to financial management

Meet Will

Jo Wilson

Senior Office Manager

Jo is a highly experienced multi-award winning office manager/PA with over 35 years’ experience and has specialised in family law for over 30 years

Meet Jo

Eve Fitzpatrick

Legal Secretary/Assistant Office Manager (Manchester)

Eve has spent her career as a legal secretary and has specialised in family law for 22 years meaning she is familiar with all stages of the legal process.

Meet Eve

Hayley Flaherty

Legal Secretary

Hayley has worked for a number of family solicitors at varying levels for over 15 years and has also successfully achieved her CILEX qualification.

Meet Hayley

Cathy Matthews

Legal Secretary

Catherine’s 15 year knowledge and expertise of family law legal process allows her to provide support with both confidence and with the highest quality.

Meet Cathy

Lisa Le Boutillier

Legal Secretary

Lisa is a highly experienced legal secretary, having spent her whole career in law and specialising in family law for the last 18 years.

Meet Lisa

Jessie Watkins

Office Manager/Legal Secretary (London)

Jessie joined in February 2019, has over 10 years’ family law experience and is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs.

Meet Jessie

Gillian Sadler

Legal Secretary

Gill has worked in the legal sector since 1989, working for a family law solicitors and then within a court of protection firm before joining Hall Brown in April 2019.

Meet Gillian

Zoe Barker

Office Manager/Legal Secretary (Sheffield)

Zoe began her family law career back in 1990 and her experience and knowledge of the legal process enables her to perform at the highest level.

Meet Zoe

Kelly Thickett

Office Manager/Legal Secretary (Leeds)

Kelly has over 18 years of PA and Secretarial experience and enjoys coordinating a number of different projects and taking care of client relationships

Meet Kelly