We wanted to share the news that our niche family law practice – which has offices in Leeds, Harrogate and North London – has been shortlisted in high-profile legal awards.

Judges in The Yorkshire Legal Awards shortlisted our firm in the Family Law category  based on criteria which included demonstrating a strong track record, making an impact and being acknowledged by our clients.    For almost two decades we have consistently retained our top tier regional ranking in the highly regarded legal guides. Chambers praises us as “A genuinely brilliant firm” with Legal 500 recognising us as “One of the top niche practices.”

Founded in 1992 by Peter Jones, one of the country’s top divorce lawyers and a former national chair of Resolution, Jones Myers was the first specialist family law practice of its kind in Leeds.

In 2012 we expanded to Essex and in 2017, the year of our 25^th anniversary; we opened a Harrogate office to serve North Yorkshire clients.

The only family law practice in Leeds with our own specialist in-house counsel; our lawyers jointly combine 250 years’ legal experience. They include one of the UK’s first arbitrators, a Deputy District Judge and International Child Abduction and Custody Unit members.

Peter Jones said: “The practice was set up on the ethos of delivering specialist advice in a complex and emotionally charged area of law. We value our clients and always aim to deliver an exceptional service and it’s tremendous that we’ve been recognised among the region’s best family law firms. Our reputation attracts lawyers who are leaders in their field and who share our values.”

Our practice’s three departments comprise Financial Remedies, the regionally, nationally and internationally renowned Children Team and the Contentious Trusts and Estates Department.

A vociferous campaigner for the introduction of “no fault” divorce and improved rights for cohabiting couples, our lawyers take on wide-ranging, non-fee earning roles to champion ‘best practice’ in the legal profession.

Peter Jones Myers is the national Chair of Resolution’s specialist Accreditation Committee, solicitor Rosanna Hyett is secretary of West and North Yorkshire Young Resolution Committee and collaborative law pioneer, Norman Taylor, participates in Leeds Beckett University’s pro-bono clinic.

Committed to developing the next generation of lawyers, we provide regular placements for law students. Our community relations programme supports charities including Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), Alzheimer’s Society and Shine which helps those with Spina Bifada.

For more information about divorce and finances, family or children law or Contentious Trusts and Estates, call Jones Myers at our Leeds office on 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office on 01423 276104, visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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Congratulations to our family law specialist, Norman Taylor, who beat the 12-hour target in the gruelling Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge – raising more than £1,500 to date for children’s charity, PhysCap.

Norman and a six-strong group, which included his wife Monique and their daughter Ella, conquered the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in just under 11 hours and 50 minutes.Their herculean efforts will help PhysCap – a Yorkshire-base charity – to improve the quality of life for children suffering from severe physical and mental disabilities. The group was among 91 walkers from PhysCap.to undertake the challenge.

Said Norman, who successfully ascended the Three Peaks in 2014 with Monique to raise £1,000 for St Gemma’s Hospice:  “The initial climb up Pen-y-ghent was very tough and we had to pace ourselves, knowing there was another 20 miles to go.

“Descending Whernside saw me take a couple of undignified tumbles and we scrambled up the final ascent, Ingleborough, on our hands and feet. Although it stayed dry, the going was boggy from the previous day’s rain, making things harder.

“Ascending Ingleborough was extremely difficult – but we knew the course so we decided to virtually scramble up most of it using hands and feet. Many other walkers who had not done it before, were absolutely wrecked at this point. The drag back to Horton also seemed a lot longer this time – the terrain seemed more difficult for some reason, even though the weather was great. It was quite boggy in parts from previous day’s rain.

“An enormous ‘thank you’ to everyone who has supported us and enabled us to make a difference to this fantastic cause.”

Established in 1970, PhysCap provides the families of children with severe disabilities with equipment ranging from touch screen computer systems and adapted treadmills to electric buggies and specially adapted trikes.

Chairman, Daniel Gray, said: “Being entirely volunteer-run and often the last resort for families who may have limited resources, we are hugely grateful to Norman and the team for their tremendous fundraising achievement for Three Peaks Challenge.

“The generous efforts of such energetic, dedicated people are vital to our continuing work for children with conditions such as such as Cerebral Palsy, Cats Eye Syndrome, Angelman’s Syndrome and Muscular Dystrophy to name but a few.”

The dedicated PhysCap event raised £70k – £20k more than the target set – and has proved so popular that the charity is organising another Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge next year. If you would like to take part, please go to www.physcap.org or call 0845 051 9156.

Meanwhile, to help the Taylor family continue their fundraising for PhysCap, please visit Norman’s Just Giving page.

If you have any comments, queries or concerns on divorce related issues, leave a comment below, call the team at Jones Myers on 0113 246 0055 or tweet us on @helpwithdivorce.

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On April 22, the family justice system had a major reboot to make it more streamlined and efficient. Many of the changes are concerned with how the courts that make up the system are re-organised and re-designated.

But there is one very important change that is it worthy of more widespread comment. It is now compulsory for anyone planning to divorce  to attend a mediation information and assessment meeting (called a MIAM) before they may apply to take disputes over children or finances, including property and pensions, to court.

For many working in the family justice system, the requirement to meet a mediator to discuss other options before being allowed to go to court cannot come soon enough. Since legal aid was largely withdrawn from family lawyers a year ago, the family courts have seen an explosion in the number of people representing themselves.

Data secured under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that in November and December 2013 over half (52%) of all parties attending court proceedings about child matters were unrepresented. This is unprecedented. Moreover, the same data reveals that between April and December 2013, family courts across the UK had to deal with a third more unrepresented parties, compared to same period in 2012.

This is causing delays for all court users, as someone who is not properly represented is entitled to receive additional help from the judge for which there is not adequate court time available. It means delays for resolving cases relating to child contact and residence, as well as financial matters.

But will the siren call from government to “mediate, not litigate” actually work?

Unless the public is better informed about its benefits, I have my doubts. Mediation is effective because it is a voluntary process which enables parties to stay in control of some of the most important decisions about their family’s life. Despite mediation being available in the UK for almost 40 years, that message is not reaching those who need to hear it most.  It is a message which many lawyers were – and are – prepared to spread.  Yet, the withdrawal of public funding for legal advice for family and divorce matters, means that many people are no longer consulting solicitors, and are unaware that there is still public funding available for mediation.

Mediation is not a soft option.  At a time of separation, emotions can run high and for some, the prospect of trying to tackle difficult issues with the person causing them pain is too much, even if a mediator is there to keep the conversation on an even keel.  Mediation is not a substitute for legal advice: it is complementary to it.  This is difficult for some couples to accept, particularly if they expect that mediation will mean that legal fees can be cut out altogether.

Suffice to say mediation can be a difficult sell. Despite the government retaining legal aid for mediation and promoting it hard, the number of mediations in the West Yorkshire area between April and December 2013 fell by over 40% year-on-year.

As a lawyer and a mediator, this concerns me. Crowded courts and underemployed mediators are symptomatic of the urgent need for family law services to be more affordable. And for me, that is all about lawyers and mediators working in tandem to keep people out of court at a price most people can afford.

Fiona Kendall, a partner at Jones Myers, is a founding member of the Lawyer-Supported Mediation network www.lawyersupportedmediation.com

If you have any queries about the new legislation and how it will affect you then please call us 0113 246 0055, leave us a comment below or drop us an e-mail.

You can follow us on Twitter @helpwithdivorce

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In family law we have retained our joint top position for Leeds, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. And, in a new category for regional law firms, we share number one position in Yorkshire and Humber for contentious trusts and probate – a department founded in March this year and headed up by partner Martin Holdsworth.

It is a real honour to be to be ranked yet again as joint number one firm by our legal industry bible.  The high ratings recognise our expertise, our practical approach to solving clients’ problems – and our pioneering work in collaborative family law.

Martin Holdsworth

This is the first time that Legal 500 has included a separate listing for contentious trusts and probate outside of London – and we are particularly pleased to receive the highest Yorkshire ranking for this new category.  We are also delighted that our partner Martin Holdsworth is named as a leading individual in this field – one of only three outside London.

Peter Jones and Fiona Kendall

Jones Myers was ranked for its expertise across all areas of family law and mediation, including international matters. Peter Jones, founding partner of the firm, heads the financial remedies team, and is described as always ‘meticulously prepared’.  Other highly rated partners recommended by Legal 500 are Kate Banerjee who oversees our children’s practice; Fiona Kendall  for her handling of cross-border work and collaborative lawyer Richard Peaker as well as ‘the highly recommended’ Martin Holdsworth.

Kate Banerjee and Richard Peaker

Our continued success in the Legal 500 rankings is a tribute to the hard work of our talented team who strive to ensure that we meet the highest standards and who reinforce the values and ethos of the firm in their client work.  We are proud of our roots as the first niche family law firm in West Yorkshire; however, as the success of our new contentious trusts and probate team demonstrates, we never rest on our laurels and constantly aim to innovate and improve our services.

You can follow us on Twitter @helpwithdivorce

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Laura, who joins us just four months after Martin set up our new private client services team, will help to manage the firm’s growing client portfolio.

Twenty-seven-year-old Laura, who comes from Doncaster, studied law at Newcastle University and returned to her native Yorkshire where she worked for three well-known local law practices before joining us.

Laura said: “I am delighted to have joined such a prestigious and highly regarded niche practice where I am working alongside Martin, who has a fantastic reputation. I am looking forward to the challenge of helping create an outstanding contentious trusts and estates team.”

Martin Holdsworth, listed as a key individual in industry bible Chambers for specialising in contentious private client matters, said: “Laura’s appointment is the cornerstone of our ambitious plans to establish an outstanding department that compliments the firm’s family and financial remedies expertise. Laura’s enthusiasm and particular expertise in wills and probate litigation will be invaluable.”

Laura, who attended Hayfield School in Auckley, Doncaster, loves the outdoors and is a keen skier, climber and horsewoman.  The Jones Myers team is looking forward to sampling some of Laura’s cakes as she is also a keen baker!

For more information about how our contentious trusts and estates team can help call 0113 246 0055.

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Fiona Kendall and Peter Jones

Five lawyers at Jones Myers LLP will be recommended as “leaders in their field” in the 2014 edition of Chambers, the illustrious legal industry bible, to be published in October.

The preview comes as the firm, described previously by Chambers as “utterly brilliant”, celebrates a successful year of expansion and national media profile, consolidating our position as a leading Yorkshire and London Home Counties family law practice.

Richard Peaker

Our colleagues who will once again be rated by the prestigious legal guide are the firm’s founder Peter Jones, a qualified mediator and arbitrator who was ranked in the top tier of Chambers 2013 and partner Richard Peaker, also a top ranked individual in the current directory and credited for his work on ancillary relief and nuptial agreements.

Martin Holdsworth

In a milestone in our plans to expand our private client services Jones Myers appointed Martin Holdsworth – a specialist in handling contentious trusts and estates – as partner earlier this year. Martin will again be listed as a key individual in Chambers for specialising in contentious private client matters.  Under Martin’s expert guidance the private clients’ team is growing with new appointments planned over the coming months.

Norman Taylor

Fiona Kendall and Norman Taylor, who were praised by Chambers last year for their expertise in cohabitation and financial matters, will also feature as “leaders in their field” in the next edition of the legal directory.

In recent months Kate Banerjee, head of our children’s department has been called on by the national print and broadcast media to talk about the increase in parental child abductions and in particular the heart wrenching case of our client Naomi Button.  In our South of England office experienced family lawyer and mediator David McHardy has been raising the firm’s profile with regular blogs in Essex Life.

David McHardy

It is a real privilege to be rated so highly Chambers and we are proud of every member of our talented team who helps us to maintain our standards and ethos. As the first firm in West Yorkshire to dedicate itself exclusively to family law, Jones Myers is delighted to be celebrating more than 20 years at the top of the tree.

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On Tuesday July 2 Mr Justice Roderic Wood jailed Naomi’s estranged husband Tamer Salama for a further six months for contempt of court.

The 39 year old mother says she continues to be extremely grateful for the widespread messages of comfort and backing from the public since launching the “Bring Elsa Home’’ campaign in advance of Elsa’s sixth birthday on 2 February this year. The campaign is backed by high-profile politicians and authorities including Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Roberta Angelilli, the European Parliament’s child mediator who has taken Elsa’s case to the European Commission, MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, Naomi’s own MP Rachel Reeves and West Yorkshire Police.

We would like to also thank national and regional media for their continued support and coverage of Naomi’s story including BBC Leeds, Radio Aire, Yorkshire Evening Post, The Times, The Independent, The Daily Mail, Sheffield Star, Daily Echo.

Kate Banerjee, head of Jones Myers children’s department, who is representing Naomi, said: “Naomi has undergone 18 long and traumatic months since Elsa was snatched from her care in Egypt.

“Facing Tamer in court and hearing him continue to refuse to reveal Elsa’s whereabouts has understandably been harrowing for Naomi. We continue to appeal to anyone who knows anything about where Elsa may be to pick up the phone and help us return this little girl to her mother.”

Ms Banerjee, who is also a member of the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit, urges anyone with information about Elsa who has dark, wavy hair and blue eyes and usually wears glasses, to call the following telephone numbers.

To make calls inside the UK dial 101 and ask to speak to Leeds District Safeguarding Unit at West Yorkshire Police. If dialling from outside the UK, please call 00 44 192 437 5222.

If you are concerned that your child may be at risk of abduction then contact the police immediately and seek legal advice.

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The annual report of the Office of the Head of International Family Justice for England and Wales will show a further rise in international child abduction cases.

This increase is in line with figures from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office last December, which revealed an 88 per cent increase in parental child abduction cases over the last decade. The FCO receives four calls a day to its specialist advice line – more than half of which are new cases.

Next week’s report is likely to raise questions about why international child abductions are on the increase and what more can be do to help distraught parents whose children are taken from them.

The issue goes to the heart of the plight of six year old Elsa who was abducted by Naomi’s estranged husband Tamer Salama in December 2011 during a family visit to Egypt. He remains in jail in the UK for failing to disclose where his daughter is hidden.

In the countdown to Elsa’s sixth birthday on 2 February 2013, Naomi launched a social networking campaign comprising a dedicated Facebook Page and Twitter account – @BringElsaHome – in the hope that someone, somewhere might come forward with information to help find Elsa and bring her home.

Naomi’s appeal received widespread coverage across TV channels including BBC Breakfast, Sky News, ITV This Morning, Channel 4, Channel 5 and BBC News 24 and national press including The Telegraph and The Independent. Our local press and radio / TV stations ITV Calendar, Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post, BBC Look North, Radio Aire and BBC Radio Leeds also gave their full support to Naomi’s campaign. Local news agency Ross Parry played a key role in spreading Naomi’s story to newspaper readers across the UK and secured a major feature in Bella Magazine.

Since its launch in January the Bring Elsa Home campaign has attracted thousands of likes on Facebook, hundreds of followers on Twitter and, most importantly, attracted the support of political heavyweights. Naomi’s own MP Rachel Reeves took the case to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office while the European Parliament’s child mediator Roberta Angelilli is working on Naomi’s case following the intervention of Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP for Yorkshire and Humber (Liberal Democrat).

Child abduction specialist, Kate Banerjee, who heads the Jones Myers children’s department said: “The findings of the Office of the Head of International Family Justice for England and Wales will undoubtedly raise questions about why international child abductions are on the increase – and what more can be do to help distraught parents whose children are taken from them.

“Behind these cold and worrying statistics lie heart wrenching stories like Naomi’s and other clients who call on the expertise of our child abduction team. If you are concerned that your child may be at risk of abduction then contact the police immediately and seek legal advice.”

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Mr McMillan-Scott gave his full support to Naomi’s campaign to find her daughter Elsa Salama after seeing her story on television. He met the Italian MEP in Strasbourg to brief her on the case, which has captured the hearts and minds of the British public and media.

Ms Angelilli and Mr McMillan-Scott, who are both Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament, are using their political weight to help in the search for Elsa, who was abducted in December 2011 by her father Tamer Salama during a family visit to Egypt.

Roberta Angelilli is writing to the Egyptian Ambassador in London as well as the Egyptian Ambassador to the EU to highlight Naomi’s plight. Together with Mr McMillan-Scott she is taking Elsa’s case to the European Commission.

Father and grandfather, Mr McMillan-Scott explains: “I’m a regular visitor to Egypt and have good contacts there, as well as with the EU officials dealing with Egypt.

“I have for many years campaigned to improve rights for children across Europe. I have taken up several cases of cross-border child abduction and promote a Missing Child hotline for Europe, as well as an expert centre to focus the EU on child rights.

“In cases of cross-border parental child abduction, coordination between the involved states as well as mediation is vital. I hope that by raising Elsa’s case at an EU level we can help act as the intermediary between the UK and Egyptian parties involved. The Mediator of the European Parliament – a mother herself – can offer a human solution to human cases and render support to getting Elsa home with her mother where she belongs.”

Naomi’s plight hit the headlines following a High Court ruling that her estranged husband Tamer Salama, 35, will remain behind bars for failing to disclose where his daughter Elsa is hidden.  Her campaign has also received support from her MP Rachel Reeves who met Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to seek further help from the Foreign Office to step up the search for Elsa.

Media interest in Naomi’s campaign continues with an exclusive interview for a women’s magazine due out next week.  Phenomenal support for the campaign on social media has brought more than 4,300 ‘likes’ on Naomi’s ‘Bring Elsa Home’ Facebook Page and several hundred people are following her Twitter account @BringElsaHome.

About the European Parliament Mediator

The post of the European Parliament Mediator for International Parental Child Abduction was created in 1987 in order to help children from binational marriages that have broken down who have been abducted by one or other parent.

Roberta Angelilli was appointed EP Mediator in 2009. The role of the Mediator is to try to find a voluntary agreement between the abducting parent and the other parent, the best interests of their child(ren) always being paramount.

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