Operating across offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, and Widnes, the family law practice at MSB Solicitors handles a wide variety of matters, including high-value financial remedy cases and children law mandates surrounding serious injuries and honour-based abuse. In Liverpool, Emma Palmer heads the team and specialises in children work involving asylum issues, international enforcement, and foreign authorities. Pippa Tudor focuses on financial disputes arising from marital breakdown and separation, while Nicola Harris handles contact disputes involving serious domestic abuse allegations. In Manchester, John Owens has extensive experience in divorce and financial remedy proceedings. Other key members of the team include Katie Camozzi and Hayley Catherall, who are based in Widnes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Pippa Tudor and Caroline Hamilton Barrett have been available when needed, giving me solid, clear, concise advice. They are both very experienced and tenacious.
- The team has given me good advice, is available, experienced, and tenacious.
- Mary Holmes and her team, including Caitlin Westall in particular, are excellent.
- Good communication. Strong team. Highly respected. Quality advice. Sensible lawyers with good client focus.
- Emma Palmer is a standout. She has a national reputation for difficult international law cases and has great experience in this field. She brings intellectual might to a case while being empathetic and providing clear, realistic advice. Katie Camozzi is excellent and extremely efficient. She is responsive, analytical, and effective in delivering an excellent service to clients. She is a pleasure to work with on a case.
- Dr. Emma Palmer is a great leader of the team.
Work highlights
Represented a client in FI v DO, which reshaped financial remedy law by challenging the traditional view of pets as mere property, centring on the emotional significance and welfare of a much-loved family dog.
Represented a client in S (A Child), a Court of Appeal decision involving the abduction of a disabled child, testing the limits of international cooperation and urgent protective measures.
Represented a client in A (A Child), a Court of Appeal case which delivered a powerful judgment emphasising that adoption should only be pursued when absolutely necessary, reinforcing the primacy of family placements wherever possible.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Emma Palmer
Other key lawyers
John Owens; Pippa Tudor; Nicola Harris; Katie Camozzi; Hayley Catherall