The family law and divorce team at Bristol-headquartered law firm Burges Salmon has been bolstered with the arrival of senior family lawyers Alison Hawes and Nicky Howarth.
Alison Hawes, pictured, will join Burges Salmon as a consultant next February, having previously been a partner in the family law team at Irwin Mitchell, where she established and developed a team at the top of the market in Bristol and the South West. 
Prior to this, Alison was the head of the specialist family team at Bristol-based national firm TLT, where she also had business development responsibility for its private business group.
She has been described in the Legal 500 sector guide as “one of the most senior, able and respected solicitors on the circuit” and is ranked as a ‘star individual’ in the Chambers UK Guide.
Alison’s experience encompasses all aspects of family law, in particular financial cases involving complex assets including businesses. She has a niche specialism in cohabitation law, especially Schedule 1 Children Act claims.
Alison is a collaborative family lawyer and a member of both the Bristol POD and Resolution, sitting on the national standards committee.
Nicky Howarth, pictured, joined Burges Salmon this month as a senior associate. She specialises in all areas of family law including divorce, pre-nuptial agreements, cohabitation, financial settlements – including those with complex trust issue, business issues, international issue and pensions – and children issues. 
Nicky, who previously worked in the family teams at Irwin Mitchell and TLT, is recognised in Chambers UK, which called her “extremely sharp, very fast with numbers and very decisive. She knows what she thinks and she knows what a court is likely to think as well”.
Nicky said: “I am really pleased to have the opportunity to join the family law and divorce team at Burges Salmon, where I’ll be working with some of the UK’s top practitioners on a variety of complex matters.”
Burges Salmon’s family law and divorce team provides advice to clients both before marriage or living together and on separation or divorce. Its lawyers advise on the legal and financial implications of marriage, separation and divorce, cohabitation, civil partnership dissolution and arrangements for children.
Team head Sarah Woodsford said: “We are looking to enhance our strong reputation in the South West market and in Alison and Nicky we have two highly experienced family law practitioners who will help us do exactly that.
“We look forward to welcoming them to the firm and seeing them help us deliver the best mix of advice, service and value to clients.”
