Family law firm strengthens Children Team

Three experienced lawyers have joined The Family Law Company’s Children Team in Exeter and Plymouth.

Paul Thomson, Amelia Davey and Ruby Morris all bring expertise in this area of family law, which includes cases as diverse as private children, care, domestic abuse and international child abduction.

Paul has a strong track record working in the region, having grown up in Torquay before studying law at the University of Westminster. Following the CILEx route into law, he worked for Torbay children services and for a Torbay law firm where he took on more complex cases. He says, “Other types of legal practice can often be paper heavy, transactional work. Family law, on the other hand, is more human and emotional, which was more appealing to me.”

During Covid Paul decided to study for his Masters at the University of Exeter. Earlier this year he took time out to travel through  Australia and Indonesia, prior to joining The Family Law Company in August. “When I was looking for a new position, The Family Law Company stood out. Not only is it very approachable, but I was also attracted by the focus on wellbeing and finding a good work/life balance.”

Senior Associate Solicitor Amelia Davey is a welcome addition to the Plymouth team. Originally from the city, Amelia qualified in 2010 and focused her practice primarily on Private Law and Private Children in Bristol. She said: “I’ve always had an interest in law; a family friend was a barrister and my inclination was always to work in the children-centred area of law. To me, it’s invaluable to be able to help people and give them a  voice in what are often difficult proceedings.”

In 2016 she moved to Perth, where she became dual qualified as a lawyer in England & Wales and Western Australia. On deciding to return to the UK, Amelia approached The Family Law Company. After a successful interview she joined the Private Children and Domestic Abuse team back in her home town of Plymouth. “They’re exactly the right firm for me, friendly and flexible with a true personal touch. I knew I wasn’t just going to be a number!”

Another new face for the Exeter team is Ruby Morris who started at the beginning of October. Ruby finished her law degree at the University of Exeter in 2014 and went on to work locally in criminal law, first as a paralegal then undertaking her training contract to qualify as a solicitor in 2022. She says she has always been interested in family law: “At university I wrote my dissertation on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 – which I took interest in because it gave female same sex parents the recognition in terms of parental rights, an area of law I’m passionate about.”

Ruby also worked with Torbay Council as part of her training contract, giving her direct experience of family law. “Then, when I finished my training contract I felt it was the right time to move from criminal law into family. I had a great interview at The Family Law Company and I’m really pleased to be joining them.”

Head of Department, Director Gemma Sparks said: “I am thrilled to have Paul and Ruby join us in Exeter and Amelia in the Plymouth team. We continue to receive a high level of new children work and it is great for our clients and the wider team to be expanding with an excellent calibre of children lawyers.”

The team they are joining was recently shortlisted in the national Family Law Awards for Children Team of the Year, highlighting the quality of service provided to clients, whether cases are privately or publicly funded through legal aid.