Western Mail, 7th April 2010
WENDY HOPKINS Family Law Practice has continued its expansion with the appointment of a new trainee solicitor and its first ever marketing administrator.

The firm, which is Wales’ largest family law practice, has appointed trainee solicitor Julia Taylor, a graduate of Aberystwyth University, who spent time studying in the Czech Republic before completing her legal practice course at the College of Law, York.

She has joined the firm from Co-op Legal Services where she worked as a litigation assistant. Julia has also worked as a volunteer for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

The Cardiff-based practice has also appointed Steve Devereux as its first marketing administrator.

Mr Devereux, a Cardiff graduate who previously ran his own business in the music industry before completing the bar vocational course, has been recruited to help continue the firm’s strong growth.

The practice, co-founded by partner Melanie Hamer in 1996 as the first law firm in Wales dedicated solely to family law, is now one of the largest specialist family law firms in the UK.

The expansion comes on the back of an extremely successful year for the practice, which again received a top ranking in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.

Miss Hamer said: “The fact we have continued to grow as a firm even in the current financial climate is testament to the quality of the service we provide, and bringing Julia and Steve into our team will help us to maintain that quality and growth as we go forward.”