Legal Services
Woman on top
Why being a woman can have its advantages in the legal profession
“My job is to achieve a successful outcome for each of my clients. This can be measured not only in financial terms but also by minimising the emotional cost to the family and so ensuring that they can come out of the divorce process as unscathed as possible” says Sandra Russell, solicitor at Sheffield law firm Graysons.
Sandra, a graduate of Sheffield University, has been a qualified solicitor for 13 years, and knew within months of starting that she wanted to become a specialist matrimonial lawyer. “I love the client contact aspect of the job. Dealing with families never becomes routine because every one of them has a unique story.”
Sandra enjoys the challenges and diversity of problems facing a modern family solicitor which range from dealing with complex financial and property settlements to working out arrangements for child residence and contact. Unravelling the complexities of a couple’s finances is one of the benefits of using a specialist who has knowledge and experience of valuing everything from businesses to pensions. “The legal system starts from the basis of a 50/50 split of finances, but the Court has vast discretion to vary this depending upon the individual circumstances. My job is to maximise your position by identifying the strengths of your case and by looking at the finances in greater detail. For instance, pensions can be a hugely complex area and many institutions tend to undervalue pension funds for divorce purposes.”
Sandra is an accredited member of Resolution, a national body which recognises specialist knowledge in areas of family law such as finance and domestic violence. Members of Resolution also sign up to a code of conduct whereby they endeavour to resolve disputes in a non-confrontational way. In recent years the legal system has moved towards a more conciliatory approach to family law and tried to move away from the adversarial stance which can prolong disputes and ultimately be more damaging to families in the long term. “I will negotiate hard on your behalf, but I can invariably achieve the long term goals of my clients much more effectively by not being adversarial,” says Sandra, particularly when children are involved. “At the end of the day, the children will continue to have a relationship with both parents after the divorce and finances are settled, so it is important to look at the broader picture and try to minimise the emotional damage along the way.”
As a parent, Sandra has an understanding of how important and emotive issues regarding children can be in a divorce or separation. “I realise the importance of security and consistency for children. I also understand from a parent’s point of view how getting that extra half hour might be crucial to a father who may only have 4 hours to do something with his child.” She goes on, “You need a strong voice in negotiations and I can provide that. I will always stand up for what is fair for my client.”
Being a parent is only one of many factors which Sandra feels helps her to do a better job for her clients. Many female clients who contact Graysons specifically ask if they can see a female solicitor. “Some women are just more at ease with a female lawyer, and are more open about discussing the emotions and issues involved. At Graysons we feel that it’s important to be able to offer our clients a choice of male and female solicitors.” The matrimonial division at Graysons is headed by Neil Dring, a partner at the firm and highly accomplished solicitor of 22 years’ experience.
“We offer all potential clients a confidential initial consultation with no obligation so they can get a feeling for how they would stand if they were to divorce or separate,” says Sandra.
The firm has recently been awarded the prestigious Lexcel quality mark by the Law Society which recognises high levels of client care. “We recognise that clients expect good customer service nowadays and this is something we strive to provide,” says Sandra.
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Elizabeth CJ Newbold ~ David P Coffey ~ Jonathan F West ~ G Neil Dring