Member Article

New partner joins McAlister Family Law

In a key, senior hire for award-winning McAlister Family Law, Nicola Wilburn-Shaw has joined as partner; she will be based in the firm’s Alderley Edge offices.

She brings to the role a wealth of experience, having previously held the position of associate partner with Laytons LLP, as well as working with BLM Solicitors and Hill Dickinson LLP.

Nicola, who lives with her husband and young daughter in Hale Barns, graduated from the University of Sheffield and originally qualified into fraud litigation. Her experience in this field means she has a particular aptitude for high value and multi-asset financial disputes, where there may be a concern surrounding undisclosed income or assets. Known for her discretion, she is much sought after by high profile individuals, and recently acted in one of the top three, highest value divorces in the UK, with a net asset base in excess of £150m.

She is highly-experienced in unmarried and/or cohabitee disputes concerning property and provision for children, and is a contributor to a number of national legal publications, including Lexis Nexis. She is also an Ambassador for Women in the Law UK.

McAlister Family Law, which has offices in Manchester city centre, throughout the North West, and London, was recently crowned Family Team of the Year by the Manchester Legal Awards, is part of the Manchester-based Beyond Professional Services Group.

It is one of the very few firms in the country that specialises not only in divorce and family disputes, but also in children law. Last year it took a five-strong Children Law team from Slater and Gordon and a 10-person Child Care legal team from Stephensons, trebling the size of the business and creating a unique offering designed to be disruptive to traditional family practices in the North West. Nicola said: “This is a very exciting move is for me, as the firm continues its rapid growth and increasing dominance of the family law market in the region. Amanda’s reputation as a family lawyer is outstanding, and I really wanted to work with her and her team as they build something very special in the industry.” Amanda McAlister, managing partner, added: ‘We are delighted to have Nicola’s expertise at McAlister Family Law and are pleased to welcome her to the team.

“She is highly regarded throughout the North West for her family law expertise, and her particular skill set complements our already extensive family law offering.

“This is a significant hire for the business, and I am confident she will play a major role in the continued development of our Alderley Edge office.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gill Alexander .