Demelza Wrigley is an experienced family lawyer specialising in advising on all aspects of relationship breakdown including divorce, financial aspects of marital breakdown, arrangements for children, pre- and post-nuptial agreements as well as cohabitation agreements. She has a particular interest in dealing with complex child arrangement matters and financial aspects of separation. She has also represented grandparents seeking to maintain a relationship with their grandchildren. Demelza is also a Resolution accredited specialist and a member of the local Resolution committee.
What was your career path to your current role?
I attended Sheffield Hallam University and did a combined studies degree, studying a qualifying law degree and half a media studies degree, as I couldn’t decide between the two. Sheffield Hallam University was one of the very few universities to offer that at the time. After that, I did the legal practice course part-time at the College of Law in York, whilst working to gain qualifying work experience. I qualified as a solicitor on 1 April 2003. I originally wanted to be a criminal lawyer and then fell into a career in family law and have practised family law exclusively since December 2002.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
Not other than wanting to be a criminal lawyer initially, once I gave up on the idea of being a criminal psychologist! I then just wanted to achieve as much as was possible for me in terms of progression.
What keeps you motivated in your work?
The clients. I really enjoy being able to help them through an incredibly difficult period. We are the person the client never wants to meet in many circumstances and can end up knowing things about them and their relationships that no one else knows. I think the relationship with our clients is different to in many other areas. Every client comes with a different set of circumstances, and no two cases are the same.
What has been the best development in family law in the last 20 years?
The changes in the way domestic abuse is treated. I remember about 20 years ago a police officer saying to one of my clients “I don’t know where this will end until one of you is dead”. I found that very chilling and still do. Clients were frequently told that if they hadn’t been physically harmed, it wasn’t domestic abuse, or it wasn’t ‘enough’
And the worst?
This is a more difficult question, and possibly the same answer as above in a way. The fact that the definition of domestic abuse has been extended is right, but it also leaves it far more open to abuse by false victims.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
I think reforms on the law around cohabiting couples are long overdue. The ‘set-up’ of families has changed considerably since I started practising but around cohabitation, nothing seems to have kept up. We are still asked about how long you have to live together before you are common law husband and wife and people still believe this is something they need to be concerned about.
What piece of legislation would you take off the statute books and why?
I am not sure about taking it off the statute books, but I think I would like there to be further clarity around section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 and when it should properly be used in terms of preventing spurious applications. There seems to be little consistency in when it is considered as appropriate and when it is not.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
Don’t let this be all that you are!
What’s the best piece of advice you’d like to give to someone just starting out?
Be yourself with family clients – they want to be represented by a human. Whatever area of law you choose to practice in, do it because you enjoy it.
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I originally started to train as a dental nurse.
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