Who We Are

Collaborative Law Wales is an organisation of specialist family lawyers who share a commitment to resolving the issues following relationship breakdown in a constructive and amicable way. We are all members of Resolution and all trained Collaborative lawyers. Some of us are also trained mediators, arbitrators or accredited as specialist by The Law Society and/or Resolution.

Choosing a lawyer that is right for you is one of, if not the most important decision you can make. Take time to explore our members’ profiles and individual firm websites. Please do also feel free to call us for an informal chat to see whether the Collaborative process is right for you.

Some of the CLW members

Joanna Purnell

Jo qualified in 1992 and since then has practised family law. She is a Resolution accredited specialist and an advanced member of the Law Society’s Family Law panel. Jo became a collaborative lawyer in 2009 and is committed to assisting couples to achieve a fair and conflict free outcome to relationship breakdown.

Rachel Davies

Rachel is a member of the Family Department at Martyn Prowel Solicitors where she specialises in financial cases and private law children matters. She has been practising exclusively in the area of family law for 20 years and is a member of the Law Society’s Advanced Family Law Panel. She qualified as a Collaborative lawyer in February 2009 and is convinced of the benefits to clients of dealing with cases in a collaborative way. She was a founder member of the local collaborative pod of solicitors and has recently been appointed Chairman.

Sophie Hughes

Sophie is a Partner and Head of the Family Team with expertise in high value financial arrangements following divorce and also cohabitation disputes. Sophie trained and qualified at a “magic circle” firm in London in 1991. Sophie is an accredited specialist of Resolution; the first in South Wales to be accredited for small and big money cases. She also holds specialist accreditation for domestic abuse cases. Sophie became a collaborative lawyer in 2010. Sophie always looks for creative solutions; “thinking outside the box” – which is an attribute ideally suited to the collaborative process.

Karina Russell

I am a UKCP registered Systemic and Family Psychotherapist with 30 years experience of working with children and their families in various capacities including as a Solicitor, Social Worker, Child Guidance Specialist and presently as a Systemic and Family Psychotherapist in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. I have a Masters degree with distinction and my private practice includes offering a service as a Family Consultant in conjunction with Collaborative lawyers. Much of my therapeutic practice has involved working with families following marital disharmony or breakdown. I draw on systemic ideas and brief therapy approaches which focus not only on emotional difficulties experienced by an individual but within family relationships and the context in which they live. My approach is relationship-based, collaborative and non-judgemental where I offer a supportive space in which individuals, couples and families can explore choices and dilemmas, access their own resources and seek positive solutions. I also undertake therapeutic assessments, particularly in situations where contact with a parent is in dispute Here, I explore the potential for progressing the issue of contact in a way that is constructive for children and acceptable for both parents. My training has covered various modalities including cognitive-behavioural, humanist, solution-focussed and Rogerian person-centred therapy which I integrate with systemic psychotherapy.

Louise Irvine

Louise is an established family law specialist dealing with all matters arising from the breakdown of a relationship, to include divorce, finances, contact and residence of the children and co-habitation disputes. Louise works with other Collaborative lawyers and professionals to offer a bespoke service to assist the parties to reach a resolution without the delays, lengthy and often costly exchange of correspondence and confrontation that court proceedings often create. Louise is an associate solicitor, Collaborative Lawyer, a member of the Law Society’s Family Panel and a member of Resolution.