Family Law Team of the Year 2022
Top: L - R Izabelle Gisby, Samantha Thompson, Daniel Maiden, Charlotte Perry, Suzanne Oldnall, Sam Hulse, Phil Harris, Erica Abbey, Daniel Williams, Karen Hunt
Bottom: L - R Sophie Niblett, Jordan Spalding, .Danielle Hanley-Hall, Peter Lewis, Esme House, Paul Ford, Nicola Green
QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright won the Family Law Team of the Year Award 2022, sponsored by St Philip Chambers at the annual Worcestershire Law Society Awards 2022.
The Worcestershire Law Society (WLS) chose Family Law as its discipline of the year. Five family law teams were shortlisted for this award and the judging panel found all nominees to be of very high quality. After considering all the written submissions from the family law teams, QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright was awarded Family Law Team of the Year.
The firm covers all aspects of family law and have enhanced the profession by focusing on client's needs. Children in care work and victims of domestic abuse was an area that significantly increased during the pandemic and staff members worked out of hours manning telephone lines to give urgent legal advice.
The employees are actively encouraged to progress and the firm have worked closely with the University of Worcester offering work experience for their placement module. Five students have been offered a position in the family law department upon completion of their degrees. One has qualified as a solicitor, two are trainee solicitors and three are currently paralegals working towards a training contract.
Peter Lewis, Partner and Head of Family Law says, “We were pleased to be nominated in the Family Law Team of the Year category at the recent Worcestershire Law Society Awards 2022. A number of other well respected firms were also nominated so we are delighted to have been chosen as the Family Law Team of the Year.
We are extremely proud to see that our family law team which covers all aspects of family matters with compassion and expertise has been recognised for the outstanding work that they do. The award is not only an acknowledgment of service to our clients but also to the development and wellbeing of our employees."
Sarah Phillips - Solicitor of the Year 2022
L-R Andrew Chandler, President of the Worcestershire Law Society, Sarah Phillips, Kate Bould, Index West Midlands.
Sarah Phillips joined QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright in 2010 and became Head of Conveyancing in April 2021. The firm nominated Sarah for The Solicitor of the Year category which is highly contested and all finalists were skilled legal professionals. After interviewing all candidates the judges awarded Sarah Phillips, Solicitor of the Year, sponsored by Index West Midlands.
Sarah's commitment to the conveyancing process was demonstrated throughout the pandemic when at the beginning of lockdown the housing market was put on hold unless you were already in the transaction process. Clients were understandably confused and Sarah, along with all conveyancers, were inundated with enquiries and instrumental in calming the panic that ensued. After lockdown restrictions were eased, the stamp duty holiday was introduced and from 8th July 2020 to 30th June 2021 the housing market boomed. Sarah and her team worked tirelessly to ensure that client's transactions progressed as smoothly as possible despite delays in the process that were beyond her teams control.
Sarah Phillips says, I am delighted to accept the Solicitor of the Year Award from the Worcestershire Law Society in light of the high quality of my fellow nominees. QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright have always offered me invaluable opportunities throughout my career and I am thankful for their nomination.
Faye Green, Head of Residential Property says, "I was delighted to see Sarah Phillips win Solicitor of the Year at the Worcestershire Law Society Awards 2022. The conveyancing market has been extremely challenging over the past few years and throughout it all Sarah has made the transactional process as stress free for her clients as possible by providing a first class service. This award is very much deserved and we are proud that she has been recognised by the Worcestershire Law Society for her hard work."