Lanyon Bowdler LLP

Although the sale of our house became quite difficult for reasons outside of our control, Saffia dealt with it all with a very professional attitude. She was approachable and ready to answer questions, helping me to understand what was happening. I felt supported throughout.

Tim Treherne of Lanyon Bowdler Hereford office has acted for my sale and purchase on a number of occasions. Every time his diligence and expertise has been unparalleled! They say that selling property is one of the most stressful time but at no time did I experience that due to Tim’s informative and expedient support. I presume that Lanyon Bowdler are resourced with this calibre of people.

I should have provided a review a while ago as my childcare proceedings concluded in February 2024. But I have struggled to find the right words - and am not sure it is really over!

I engaged Lanyon Bowdler and their Family Solicitor,, Anne Lewis in May 2023 on a matter of divorce and childcare arrangements. On the childcare arrangements, Anne guided me through ten very intense months involving four family Court hearings, a CAFCASS interview, a S7 report, a supplementary S7 report, and multiple legal orders including a Final order.

When I first met Anne in LB office, I had a few days earlier experienced an unexpected and life changing personal shock involving my relationship, and my daughter, and was not in the best of places. From a legal perspective, it was also a tough situation - we had no information. Anne anticipated allegations against me which, sure enough, did happen - allegations are really tough because the law requires them to be fully considered, however unfounded. And this takes a lot of time and energy which, in turn, can have an impact on children and relationships. Family matters like this involve the complexities of people, and that also makes it really tough - it's not just about law and fact, but the makeup of people.

But ten months later, in spite of that and other challenges, a final Court proceedings was, at the last minute, cancelled and an outcome reached which was what I sought right at the outset, was supported by the professionals , and most importantly, was the outcome that gives my daughter the stability and support she wants and needs. I think someone said something like, 'from 0 to 100' to describe the journey we had taken, from those early days. I believe it is rare to be able to manage this kind of process to the outcome we got in that timeframe! Amazing to think back on!

And all that only happened because of Anne Lewis, and because of the law, and I think I am very lucky to have engaged Anne and have had the law to support me! What can I say?

Navigating family law is a challenging painstaking slow process, and Anne has a great knowledge of that and those processes - there are many forms, and applications to be made, draft orders written, and she guided me through those, always explaining patiently whilst moving things forwards, setting out pros and cons, being positive but being clear on risks and not creating too much expectation, taking each step at a time - that is a hard thing to do, in affairs that are so personal. As a client, my emotions, my energy and resource will ebb and flow, but you need to keep things moving forwards and focussed - there is an emotional management as well as the law and administration of it.

Anne is always quick, not allowing time to lapse, writing up everything.... and in the end there is a file so big - it is an accumulation of evidence - that tells the truth and drives the outcome - and stays around. That commitment to the recording and the detail is something I didnt fully appreciate til now. Sometimes I look at the file and feel more secure!

A critical thing was the amazing independent experts that were engaged and which really challenged everyone involved - the social workers, mediators and barristers. They were a testament to Anne, the quality of her network, and the fact that those kind of people want to work with her. It became clear there aren't that many independent experts out there at least not in our location, and they matter, because the resources available publicly sadly are very limited.

Anne was fully committed to this case - she read all my emails! There were too many! She stayed late on occasions and I believe amended her schedule and cancelled personal arrangement to accommodate legal schedules. She developed an understanding of the people involved - I truly appreciated that she recognised moments when I felt down and provided that little encouragement - small gestures can go along way.

I don't want to give the impression it's just a process to follow. It is. But, to keep it on track, there are masses of decisions to make and judgement to exercise on difficult things, and Anne was great at this, providing advice throughout, and checking in with others, if needed. And that advice extends even to the detail of approaches and communications with my former partner, texts and others.

Another thing I want to say is that, whilst I was a client and Anne supported me as such, she is fully focussed on the needs of the child. There isn't really any inconsistency - the law is set up for the child and my case must be based on the needs of the child. But still, it is a slightly different mindset to get into - and Anne guided me to think that way. I have learnt a lot from this process, and developed a comprehensive understanding of what it means to be a father and what law means by 'parental responsibility'. I have always been my daughter's loving daddy, but now I think also of myself as having a job to support her development, in the way I approach my own profession, thinking strategically and objectively. And all the shared time I now experience with my child is now more special.

Writing this is difficult and I can't fully explain my experience - but the main thing I want to say is that my experience of LB and Anne Lewis was extraordinary and impacted on the most challenging and important issue I will ever experience in my life. I am very grateful and would recommend them absolutely.