In the latest round of family law appointments, Knights, Burgess Mee and Watkins Solicitors have announced new partners, with family teams across the country sharing news of appointments and promotions.
Knights has strengthened its team in Bristol with the appointment of Hannah Livesey (main picture) as partner. A family law expert, Livesey brings more than a decade of experience to Knights’ Bristol base, advising clients on complex financial and children matters, as well as issues relating to asset protection and disputes between unmarried couples.
Arriving at Knights from Clarke Willmott, where she spent 11 years, Livesey brings a strong reputation for advising on financial remedy matters and Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act disputes, supporting both married and cohabiting couples in cases involving the division of assets, property ownership and third-party interests.
Her practice also includes asset protection and succession planning, with particular expertise in prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and separation agreements designed to help clients protect personal and generational wealth.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Knights during such an exciting period of growth,” Livesey said. “I have worked in Bristol for my entire career so far and Knights’ ability to balance national growth with a strong local presence is one of the reasons I decided to make this move – alongside the chance to work with such a talented Family team in the South West and nationally.”
Family law firm Burgess Mee has appointed Susie Barter as partner. Formerly partner and head of the family law team at Child & Child, Barter has over 30 years of experience in the sector with extensive experience across several roles, including running her own practice, Percival Rose & Co Ltd. She also spent two years as judicial assistant in the Court of Appeal and as family lawyer to Lady Butler-Sloss in the High Court Family Division.
Barter specialises in advising high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in complex financial remedy cases – including cross-border issues and complex asset structures – and in children matters. A trained mediator and collaborative lawyer, she also advises families on wealth protection structures including pre- and post-nuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements.
Barter said: “Burgess Mee is one of the most innovative, client-focused family law firms in the country – I’m really excited to be joining the team and contributing to its continued success.”
Watkins Solicitors has announced a series of promotions, including Yatin Amin as partner and head of public law (children). Amin joined the firm as a paralegal in 2018 and has progressed through the ranks, becoming associate solicitor and senior associate solicitor before being made partner.
He plays an important role in a wide range of complex children law matters and is highly regarded across the firm for his leadership, commitment to clients and support for colleagues.
Amin said: “It has been a privilege to progress my career within this incredible firm and to work alongside such dedicated and supportive colleagues across all of our offices.
“I am looking forward to continuing to grow the Public Law team in the years ahead, supporting our clients to achieve their aims and helping to further strengthen the excellent reputation Watkins Solicitors has built across the region and beyond.”
Also at Watkins, Andy Kerese has been made associate solicitor and head of the International Family team.
Managing partner Beverley Watkins said: “These promotions reflect the hard work, professionalism and commitment shown by each individual, as well as the collaborative and supportive culture we have built across the firm and our continued commitment to client care.”
MSB Solicitors has welcomed family law solicitor Francesca Crank (pictured right) to its growing Chester office. Crank joins as a qualified solicitor with an exclusive, focused and consistent specialism in family law, having trained and qualified within leading private family law teams.
She advises clients on a full range of family matters, including divorce, financial remedies, children’s arrangements and domestic abuse cases. Her experience across a broad range of private family law matters combined with her strong grounding in client care will play a key role in supporting MSB’s continued growth in this area.
Simpson Millar has announced a wave of promotions, including new associate roles for Ameeta Bhuhi (Education & Children’s Rights) and Saskia Coles (Child Care Proceedings). Gloucestershire-based WSP solicitors has expanded its Child Law team with Jessica O’Shea, also as associate.
O’Shea is a Child Panel accredited solicitor with specialisms include care proceedings and advising on cases involving social services, kinship care, special guardianship and child arrangement orders.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with our clients, understanding their individual circumstances, and supporting them every step of the way,” O’Shea said.
