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Burges Salmon LLP is highly recommended, handling a full range of divorce matters and increasingly giving pre-nuptial advice. Head of the team Catherine Hallam is ‘non-confrontational but clear‘.

‘Among the best in the country‘, Clarke Willmott LLP specialises in ancillary relief cases but undertakes all aspects of privately funded family work. The ‘brilliant‘ Gareth Schofield (Bristol) and Felicity Shakespear (Taunton) lead the practice.

Foot Anstey lost Vanessa Priddis to Michelmores LLP but remains significant in Plymouth and Truro. Mark Chanter leads the team, which advises on financial disputes between divorcing high-net-worth individuals.

Jane Porter at Lester Aldridge LLP provides a ‘high standard‘ of advice and displays ‘excellent client-handling skills‘. The practice focuses on ancillary relief work and disputed children cases, receiving instructions from Spain and the US. The ‘highly efficient‘ John Randle specialises in high-net-worth and complex ancillary relief cases.

Rickerbys LLP has ‘high-quality expertise‘. Its specialist matrimonial section is a ‘solid team‘ that ‘gets the job done‘. Carolyn Green provides ‘great client care‘, while Helen Cankett and Elizabeth Bruce are ‘very efficient and swift to identify issues‘.

Stephens Scown’s Liz Allen provides a ‘practical and realistic service‘, ‘speaking in a language clients understand‘ and ‘applying the law sensibly‘. The team is ‘hardworking, and cheerful while remaining professional'. The primary focus is on divorces involving substantial business elements.

The ‘fantastic‘ Matthew Humphries at TLT LLP is prompt and known for ‘creative thinking‘. David Woodward is a ‘a marvellously calming and reassuring influence‘. The practice receives instructions from Poland, France and the US, and works closely with the corporate finance practice.

Tracy Lambert heads a five-partner department at Tozers LLP, which advises on public law Children Act matters out of Plymouth and Newton Abbot, while the Exeter and Teignmouth offices provide a complete family service.

Ashfords LLP has been joined by child law expert Andrew Dodd from Tozers LLP. John Smith heads the team, which advises on publicly funded work and receives private client instructions. One focus is ancillary relief cases involving businesses.

The ‘totally specialist and steady‘ practice of Hartnell Chanot & Partners focuses on divorce and separation matters, including mediation and counselling support. Experienced mediator Norman Hartnell is recommended.

Michelmores LLP hired international adoption and surrogacy specialist Vanessa Priddis from Foot Anstey, whose ‘legal knowledge is first rate‘. Simon Thomas heads the team, which specialises in ancillary relief matters.

At Stones, collaborative practitioner Graham Simm specialises in ancillary relief. David Howell-Richardson advises on child law cases. The practice continues to handle publicly funded cases.

Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons advises on cases involving assets sited in several jurisdictions and family trust structures. The team, headed by Fiona Kellow, has been enlarged following the merger with Wood Awdry & Ford.

Wilsons’ practice is headed by the 'cool-headed' Christopher Nisbet and Katharine Shaw. The team receives national and international instructions. High-net-worth individuals from financial institutions make up part of the client base, and the team offers ‘City law at Salisbury rates‘.

Withy King’s ‘dynamic and proactive‘ team is ‘always on hand‘, and is recommended for its ‘excellent information flow‘. The team is led by Richard Ellis, and specialises in ancillary relief and childcare matters. Sharon MacDonald is ‘a firm-but-fair individual‘.

Martin Davis and Leanne Weatherill are recommended at Battens Solicitors Limited.

Horsey Lightly Fynn has former family judge Michael Cook.

Collaborative lawyer Jonathan Talbot is recommended at Laceys.

Parker Bullen’s team features Tricia Gower.

Richard Baker is recommended at Porter Dodson.

John Brownrigg heads the family and mediation practice at Stone King Sewell LLP.

The Stokes Partnership’s Joanne Butler is recommended.

Veale Wasbrough Lawyers’ Oliver Early is recommended.

Willans LLP’s team includes divorce specialist James Grigg.

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