Silk Family Law has retained its position as one of the North’s leading family law firms with top rankings in both Chambers UK and Legal 500 guides for the eleventh consecutive year.

The legal guide rankings are independently researched and judged based on an assessment of each law firm’s performance and interviews with clients and other industry professionals.

Silk is described by Chambers as a “pre-eminent team at the forefront of the market in family law, with notable strength in dealing with high-value separation cases involving inheritance, tax, trust or pension issues” and Legal 500 as a “seamless team” that is “regularly sought out by high-net-worth business owners, landowners and farmers to handle complex finance cases arising from divorce and separation.”

During interviews for the guides, clients and peers described Silk as “exceptional in the service they give to clients and will not miss anything” with “a broad range of experience and specialism to provide the best possible advice on the most complex issues in a cost-effective way” and as having “experience and knowledge, combined with teamwork and the will to win”.

 

Top ranking family law firm in the North

Six of the firm’s lawyers have been individually mentioned in the guides for their outstanding client work and industry contribution.

At the Newcastle and North Yorkshire offices, partners Ian Kennerley, Margaret Simpson, Kim Fellowes and Wayne Lynn have all been recognised by both guides; with Silk’s three founding partners all listed by Legal 500 as leading individuals and all four achieving a band one or band two ranking in Chambers, occupying over fifty per cent of the total spaces within these top two categories among all firms across the whole of the North region.

“Class act” Margaret Simpson is recommended as “one of the best family lawyers in the country” and “an exceptional family and divorce lawyer who takes a pragmatic approach and produces results.” She is noted in the guides for her “extensive experience acting for high net worth individuals on divorce and associated financial remedy proceedings, including complex cross border cases”. Interviewees go on to say she “strikes the perfect balance between clear, calm and logical advice delivered with kindness, warmth and genuine compassion.”

Kim Fellowes is “recognised for her experience handling high-value divorces” with interviewees said she “is the most dedicated solicitor I have ever worked with” who “gives her all to every case” and that “nothing is too much trouble for her”.

In-house family law barrister and co-founding partner Ian Kennerley is “nothing short of brilliant”, with one client explaining that “having him as an in-house barrister at the firm meant I had the benefit of his advice at all times” and another saying he “put my case forward with passion and intelligence.”

Wayne Lynn is noted for his expertise “in the growing areas of cohabitation agreements and pre- and post-nuptial arrangements” as well as matrimonial finance and cross border matters. He is described as having “the patience of a saint” and “filling his clients with confidence” as well as being both “supportive and compassionate” and “excellent and knowledgeable”.

 

Silk Family Law Leeds office is “exceptional” in family law firm Yorkshire rankings

Family lawyer and partner Teresa Davidson is recognised in Legal 500 for establishing and leading “the ‘exceptional team’ at Silk Family Law in Leeds”, with partner Harriet Reid and associate Matthew Miles noted as other key contacts.

In Chambers, Teresa is praised for being “a very warm and extremely knowledgeable lawyer who is keen to seek out the best solutions for her clients” and “practical, clear and compassionate in finding a solution.”

The Leeds family law team is described as “notably strong in divorce, financial disputes, children matters (including live with orders, adoption, abduction and special guardianship) and nuptial agreements” as well as “handling cohabitation agreements, civil partnerships, Inheritance Act claims and complex matters pertaining to injunctive/emergency relief”. 

 

Silk Family Law is a specialist family law firm that has achieved top tier and band one rankings in both independent legal guides every year since the firm was first established in 2010.

With offices in Newcastle, North Yorkshire and Leeds, Silk advises and represents clients across the UK in all aspects of matrimonial and family law cases.