Our People - Manchester

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

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

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

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

Michelle Ashworth

Senior Solicitor and Professional Support Lawyer

Michelle’s brings her significant and valuable experience to the training and career development of junior team members

Meet Michelle

Melanie Kalina

Senior Solicitor and Head of Children Law Department

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

Meet Melanie

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

Michael Swanick

Associate Solicitor

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

Meet Michael

Jodi Ford

Associate Solicitor

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

Meet Jodi

Hannah Currie

Associate 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

Hannah Pilling

Associate 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

Sky Langwieser

Solicitor

She assists senior fee earners across the firms’ four offices 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

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

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

Trainee Solicitor

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

Phoebe Gergely

Paralegal

Phoebe joined Hall Brown in March 2024 and brings with her an empathetic and pragmatic approach as a result of working on mental health cases in serious injury law

Meet Phoebe

Cara Duffy

Paralegal

Cara graduated from The University of Liverpool with a first-class honours degree in Law and completed her LPC at BPP university with a distinction

Meet Cara

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

Operations and Senior Office Manager

Jo is a highly experienced multi-award winning Operations and Office Manager with over 35 years’ experience, specialising in family law for over 30 years

Meet Jo

Eve Fitzpatrick

Secretarial Manager and Legal PA

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

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