JMW swoops for top family law man

MANCHESTER-based law firm JMW Solicitors has brought in Michael Chapman as a partner and head of family law.

Chapman joins from Ward Hadaway for whom he carried out the same role at its Manchester office.

He specialises in all areas of family work and acts for high net worth individuals in financial proceedings as well as on pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements.

Chapman’s clients include business professionals as well as well-known sporting and television personalities.

He was instrumental in setting up a new department at Ward Hadaway and growing the family law revenue to £550,000 per annum over a two-year period.  

Jenny Arnold, who worked with Chapman at Ward Hadaway, has also joined JMW as an associate.

In addition to Chapman and Arnold, former Slater and Gordon Manchester lawyers Cara Nuttall, Katie Lowe and Francesca Norris have joined the family team in recent months.

Joy Kingsley, senior partner at JMW said:  “We are delighted to welcome Michael Chapman to head the family law team at JMW. It has been a busy few months for the team with several new arrivals.

“Michael is a welcome addition to the team and again shows that we continue to recruit lawyers of the highest calibre.  Despite changes in the team, instructions over the last six months have been at an all-time high.”

Chapman said: “I am excited to be joining JMW, in one of Manchester’s premiere family departments, being recently named in Tier One in both the Legal 500 and Chambers.  Our team of 10 has a skillset second to none as well as our well-known commitment to excellent client service.”

Meanwhile the firm is celebrating another impressive increase in revenues at its half year to October 31.

Revenue in the period was £11.3m compared to £10m in 2015 a 13% increase.

In the 12 months from November 1 2015 to October 31 2016 revenue was also up 13% from £20.5m to £23.3m.

The firm has also become one of top 100 UK law firms by revenue for the first time.

Head count at JMW has grown by 11% in the past 12 months to 330 staff and partners at the firm.