Meet The Team
Head of Department: James Myatt
James heads the Family Law team. As a Collaborative Family Lawyer, he helps couples with substantial assets and incomes separate and divorce with dignity. James works with clients who want an improved relationship with their former partners, achieving solutions that benefit their children and preserve their wealth. James deals with private companies, businesses, farming partnerships and other complex assets. He is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in pensions and substantial asset cases.
jmyatt@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Iona Phillips
Iona Phillips is a Senior Associate with Lyons Davidson specialising in children and domestic violence cases, she is a Law Society accredited specialist in both areas.
Iona strives to settle her cases out of court, but recognises that this will not always be possible. Her wealth of experience in Court provides clients with the confidence and support they need throughout the case.
Iona is a childcare specialist and is on the Law Society Children Panel, meaning her expertise in children proceedings has been independently recognised and acknowledged. Panel membership enables Iona to represent children.
“I believe that it is important that every client feels that they have been listened to and understood. I am then able to guide and assist them throughout the legal process and bring about a swift resolution to their case at what I appreciate is often a difficult time”.
Iona is a member of the Bristol Domestic Abuse Forum and the Management Committee of Nextlink Domestic Abuse Support Services.
iphillips@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Philippa Morgan
Philippa Morgan is a very experienced lawyer dealing with international child abduction, and other cases involving an international element including wardship proceedings. Philippa is one of the few specialists in the country, instructed by the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit, to deal with such cases. Philippa is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in child abduction and financial provision.
The separation of a child from a parent is a very distressing event, Philippa and her team work sympathetically and swiftly to achieve the return of a child to their country of habitual residence and to re-establish contact as soon as possible.
Philippa is married with two young children.
pmorgan@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Louise Higham
Louise has worked in the Family Department at Lyons Davidson since 2004. Specialising in divorce, ancillary relief, cohabitation disputes and children issues, Louise is the family department’s Finance Team leader and is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Advanced Financial Provision I and Children Law Private.
lhigham@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Hannah Perry
Hannah Perry specialises in children cases, both private law and public law (child care).
Hannah works with clients to settle their disputes out of court, however if this is not possible she is experienced and confident in addressing issues in court.
Hannah’s aim in every case is to help clients reach a resolution to their family conflict in a constructive way finding creative solutions for their family so that they can all move forward positively.
“I help clients take control of the issues that affect them and ensure that we focus upon the needs of the children, to achieve an effective outcome as efficiently as possible by listening to what they need and guiding them through the legal process”.
Hannah is an active member of Resolution and a member of the national Resolution Standards Committee.
hperry@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Alexandra Mills
Alexandra deals with a wide range of family law cases including divorce and finances as well as children matters (such as residence and contact issues) and cohabitation issues. She is also a member of Resolution.
amills@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Kate Atkins
Kate Atkins specialises in children cases, in particular private law children, although she is experienced in dealing with other areas of family law, such as domestic violence. Kate is part of the Child Abduction team and assists Philippa Morgan with Child Abduction cases.
katkins@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Bernice Mumford
Bernice Mumford specialises in children and domestic violence cases.
Bernice is known throughout Bristol for her expertise in domestic violence cases. She is highly regarded for the clear advice and support that she gives to her clients in what is usually a highly emotional, stressful and difficult time.
‘At times of great emotional difficulty people need clear and concise advice, followed up with prompt and considered action to achieve a result which is beneficial to them and their children. People suffering as a result of domestic violence especially need all of the above, plus a great deal of TLC - something which I pride myself on’.
Bernice is a member of Resolution, the Family Justice Council and the Protection and Justice Group of Bristol Domestic Abuse Forum.
bmumford@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Sarah Comley
Sarah assists the Head of Department James Myatt.
Working along side James, Sarah works with clients to resolve their divorces and associated financial matters as amicably as possible and where possible without recourse to Court. She also assists James in his role as a Collaborative Family Lawyer and plays an active part in all other forms of negotiation between the Clients and their respective legal teams.
A member of Resolution, Sarah aims to provide support and reassurance to her clients at what is a very difficult time.
scomley@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Alice Harrington
Alice assists Philippa Morgan in dealing with international child abduction cases and other cases with an international element.
aharrington@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Rhianna Lewis
Rhianna works within the Finance Team. She is an Associate Member of Ilex having passed her Family Law and Family Practice exams in 2009 and is also a member of Resolution.
rlewis@lyonsdavidson.co.uk
Amelia Davey
Amelia is a Solicitor working in the Child and Domestic Violence team under the supervision of Iona Phillips.