Western Mail, 21st January 2009
Wales’s largest firm of family lawyers – Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice – has continued to expand with the appointment of Claire Cooper as a qualified solicitor and Sophie Jardine as a new trainee solicitor.
The Cardiff based firm, which is also one of the UK’s leading specialist family law firms, was founded with just three solicitors in 1996 as the first law firm in Wales devoted entirely to family law.
It now has 12 female and two male lawyers, enabling it to give both a female and male perspective to its divorce clients.
The firm covers all aspects of family law including divorce and separation, children matters, finances and services for the elderly.
Ms Cooper joined the practice as a trainee solicitor two years ago, having obtained her LLB with honours at Swansea University followed by the legal practice course at Cardiff University.
She has become a specialist in dealing with financial disputes surrounding matrimonial issues, including cases with multiple foreign assets and co-habitee disputes. She also supports the firm’s partners with intricate high net worth cases and Children Act matters.
Ms Jardine completed her law degree at Cardiff University and the Legal Practice Course at the University of Glamorgan.
A graduate of Whitchurch High School, Cardiff, she joined the practice earlier this year as a temporary legal secretary, before being taken on this winter as a trainee solicitor.
Melanie Hamer, Joint Managing Partner of Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice, said, “Claire has made a significant impact at the firm since she joined us and we are delighted to have appointed her as a solicitor following her qualification.
“Her excellent work on cases where there is an international financial element demonstrates has demonstrated her determination to provide considerable added value to the firm’s work.
“As for Sophie, she has been with us several months and has been recruited as a new trainee solicitor in recognition of her contribution to date and the continued increase in our workload across the practice.”