I am a former litigation partner at Farrer & Co. I trained, qualified and worked at Farrer & Co for a decade and a half. I specialised in trust and estate disputes and worked on a range of cases from high value, multi-jurisdictional and complex litigation to non-contentious advisory matters. I had a very busy workload during my time and was closely involved in business development and strategy at the team and firm-level. My decision to join Annmarie at the Carvalho Consultancy was motivated by the realisation that it was the relationships between people and working towards change at a personal level that really interested me. I decided to focus on this full time to ensure that my clients receive the best possible service. I have always tried to adopt an approach which – while simple and straightforward – is underpinned by technical expertise and I believe that this is especially important in providing support to professionals. I am a coach registered with the International Coaching Federation and I am also training as a BACP accredited integrative therapist. Coaching and counselling offer an opportunity for you – as the client – to explore issues you are facing at or outside work and to consider potential solutions which truly work for you and how those can be implemented. I have a growing workload with clients who are looking to make improvements to their practice, dealing with the challenges of life in a modern legal practice or looking at the “big picture” and potentially making changes in their lives. I have a calm, warm and (relatively) informal approach, and I have always found that a bit of humour goes a long way. As with Annmarie, you will get to know me when we work together. I have been there, bought the t-shirt, enjoyed the highs and had a few lows too. I offer free half hour sessions where we can discuss whether coaching would be useful for you and you can get to know me a bit before deciding whether you would like to have coaching with me. If you would like a session please do book in below.

Gillian is a consultant at Family Law in Partnership. She is a founding member of the firm, setting it up in 1995 to provide a distinctive client focused family law service. As an experienced family lawyer, Gillian wanted to create a firm for clients looking for a holistic approach to their divorce. Gillian’s aim is to keep the family unit as amicably cohesive as possible. Gillian currently practises as an arbitrator for children issues drawing on the considerable depth and breadth of her experience as a family lawyer to deliver outcomes for families. She also guides prospective clients to the specialists at FLiP best placed to support their family law needs. The leading legal directories Legal 500 UK, Chambers HNW and Chambers UK have named Gillian as a top ranked family lawyer for many years with The Legal 500 also ranking Gillian as a leading family mediator: she is “a star lawyer”, “vastly experienced“, “always able to see the bigger picture” and “she literally wrote the book on collaborative law.” Legal 500 2020 notes that she is “adept at handling international issues as well as pre- and post-nuptial agreements and relationship agreements”. Chambers HNW notes: “She’s constructive in her approach, applies the law properly, but is practical first and foremost” “What shines out about Gillian is she never fails to see the bigger picture” remarks one silk “…she is incredibly emotionally intelligent and always calm however tense the situation gets.” “She is an extremely good negotiator” observes a peer, adding “She is able to attend a round table meeting with both parties and solicitors present and manoeuvre her way thorough the process and get an agreed solution at the end of it. That’s quite a remarkable skill”….”She looks at her cases holistically and is always trying to provide solutions that are best for the family concerned. She speaks with years of experience and vast wisdom”. Chambers UK 2021 comments: “She is one of the most innovative and influential family law solicitors of her time. She has redefined the practice.” Gillian has been described as a “the top collaborative lawyer” by Chambers HNW 2017 and “a leading light for collaborative law” by Legal 500 UK 2017. The 2020 edition of Chambers HNW ranks Gillian as both a leading family lawyer and a leading mediator noting that she is “”constructive and helpful” and “leading the way” when it comes to collaborative law and mediation”. Chambers HNW 2021 comments “she is a real doyenne in the development of collaborative family law.” Gillian has appeared in the Spear’s 500 Index of the top family lawyers for a number of years. Spears comments: “Unassuming and personable….well-known and respected by peers (and appreciated by clients) for her empathy and expertise, she is experienced in the multi-jurisdictional repercussions of HNW relationship breakdown…. also a specialist in complex private law children’s matters.” Gillian won the Citywealth PowerWomen Career Achievement Award 2017 and was named Family Law Partner of the Year in the prestigious LexisNexis Family Law Awards 2018. She is listed in The Legal 500’s 2020 and 2021 “Hall of Fame” for both family law and family mediation. The Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by clients for continued excellence and who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In 2020 Gillian was shortlisted in the Law Society Excellence Awards in the Lifetime Achievement category. Gillian is also a Law Care champion. Gillian is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is on the Resolution training faculty for collaborative lawyers. She is the author of “A Client’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce – Putting Your Family First” (2010).