McMillan Williams shortlisted as Family Team of the Year in Law Society Awards

DAVID HALL >

Director of Private Client

Tue 8 September 2020 McMillan Williams shortlisted as Family Team of the Year in Law Society Awards

David Hall, Head of Private Client, is delighted to announce that Taylor Rose TTKW's sister firm McMillan Williams has been shortlisted for Family Law Firm of the Year: London in this year’s Excellence Awards.

The Law Society’s Excellence Awards is a nationwide annual programme that celebrate the work of solicitors and showcase the best of the profession across England and Wales.

Nicola Jones-King, Head of Family & Child Law commented “Being shortlisted for this award recognises what the Family team stands for and the high standards of legal service we continued to provide to clients throughout the pandemic lockdown and McMillan William’s merger with Taylor Rose TTKW.”

Nicola continued “These have been challenging months in many ways, with the new pressures of remote working and juggling family and work within a changed world where most client work began virtual overnight, combined with huge rises in care and domestic abuse clients needing help. We are a strong, dedicated team of lawyers with a commitment to Legal Aid, and an emphasis on growing young lawyers to build a robust team and nurture new Legal Aid Family Solicitors.

"We have developed close links with agencies in the regions we cover, embedding ourselves in the community which we strongly believe is the key to clients feeling confident that their needs are understood. That the team were able to adapt so well to new ways of working is testament to the hard work and dedication of every member. I truly believe we have the best group of family lawyers who demonstrate true team spirit, are a joy to manage and being nationally recognised, is justly deserved."

Nicola, winner of the Jordan’s Family Partner of the Year Award 2015, is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children, (Co-Chair, November 2012-2015, Executive Committee Member, since 2005), and now Honorary Life-Time Vice President. She was involved in negotiations with the Legal Services Commission with other family law organisations over fixed fees and Legal Aid funding. She is also on the Pan London Family Drug & Alcohol Court Steering Committee and involved in supporting the setting up of the FDAC service across South London.

As part of Taylor Rose TTKW, Nicola and her team advise clients across a wide range of services from 31 offices nationwide. As a specialist Family Law team, many of whom have won awards in their own right, they undertake publicly funded certificated work and private Family work from Abduction, Adoption, Care, Child Arrangements, Divorce, Forced Marriages, FGM issues, Family Law Act applications, Financial Remedies through to Wardship. In addition they undertake Legal Help work for both Public Law and other matters. Links with referrers allows them to provide clients with a holistic advice and support, be that around housing, refuge accommodation, benefits advice or updates from the local police. This enables them to make urgent Court applications, so vulnerable clients are immediately protected. The ability to refer to other specialists within the firm (Crime, Civil, Actions Against Public Bodies), means they offer clienst a full service.

More information about Nicola and her team can be found at mwsolicitors.co.uk.