New Family Law firm in Abingdon
Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP is a new niche family practice opening on 3rd September 2018 in prestigious new offices in the centre of Abingdon. The three founding partners, Emily Boardman, Ruth Hawkins and Irena Osborne, were previously at Turpin & Miller LLP.
The firm will offer legal advice and representation and mediators who are also practising solicitors.
The partners and consultants all have established reputations for particular specialisms and many of them appear in both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500. At Turpin & Miller LLP the family department, led by Emily, Ruth and Irena, won ‘Family Law Department of the Year’ in 2013 at the Jordan’s Family Law Awards.
Our ethos is based on a strong commitment to support individuals in some of the most difficult and emotional circumstances of their lives: divorce and separation; disputes over children; involvement with social services, and domestic abuse. We have particularly expertise and sensitivity in dealing with some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Each of our clients has their own needs and we tailor our legal advice and packages to each situation. Some clients want to do everything themselves, except appear in court; while some want a full service and representation throughout their process.
We offer competitive private rates, fixed fees where appropriate and legal aid for eligible cases and clients.
As individuals Emily and Ruth are both listed as notable practitioners in Chambers & Partners.
Emily specializes particularly in representing parents in litigation brought by a local authority as a result of allegations of serious injury, sexual abuse or death. She also has a private adoption practice.
Ruth also represents parents, children and extended family members in care proceedings and linked matters such as wardship. She is regularly appointed by CAFCASS to act for children in both care proceedings brought by the local authority, and occasionally within private law disputes, generally between their parents. Ruth is also our family mediator.
Irena’s particular interest is in international family law and care proceedings with an international element. She is the only Slovene speaking care lawyer in the UK.
The partners bring with them three consultant solicitors: Helen Bishop, Nel (Helen) Grimbleby and Claire Hardy.
Helen deals with divorce, separation, financial settlements, private children law and pre-nuptial agreements. She is the author of ‘Jack’ – an illustrated fiction book to help children deal with the issues that arise out of parental separation. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Helen-Victoria-Bishop/dp/0957108885
Nel also deals with divorce, separation, financial settlements, private children law and pre-nuptial agreements; as well as domestic abuse. She co-founded a local domestic abuse charity to support victims and has worked with a perpetrators programme.
Claire undertakes work in all aspects of family law and she too has volunteered with domestic abuse charities.
All our solicitors are members of Resolution – a national membership organization that promotes a non-confrontational, constructive approach to family law.
We are delighted to be launching our new business in Abingdon, but we are not losing sight of the fact that we have reputations throughout Oxfordshire and Berkshire and beyond. We will be maintaining our links in Oxford and Reading and Newbury and can be flexible about seeing clients from outside of the Abingdon area.
More in Solicitors
Freeths sets 2040 net zero pathway with release of first firm‑wide...
Leading law firm Freeths has just published its first Net Zero Transition Plan, marking a major step forward in the firm’s long-term commitment to responsible business. The plan sets out a clear, science-aligned pathway to achieving net zero across the value chain by 2040, underpinned by newly validated near and long-term targets from the Science […]
TalkTalk Business expands managed services portfolio with addition of Planet IT
Leading law firm Freeths has advised the selling shareholders of Planet IT on the sale of the business to TalkTalk Business, supporting TalkTalk Business’s expansion of its managed services portfolio.
Freeths Spotlight: A Young Apprentice’s Path to a Career in Law
Freeths has been working with an outstanding legal apprentice who has shared her story about carving out a successful career in law via the apprenticeship route. She’s currently part of the team at Freeths in Oxford, and her experience offers a really strong example of the opportunities apprenticeships can provide in the legal sector.
From this author
What a show! This is an unmissable show for this Festive...
This year’s Oxford New Theatre Christmas season show is Miss Saigon, from the team behind Les Miserables. Michael Harrison in association with Cameron Mackintosh, is touring a fresh production of Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schoenberg’s Miss Saigon. Review by Ruth Hawkins for B4.
It’s all so very Greek! Mamma Mia hits Oxford’s New Theatre.
My first experience of Mamma Mia was watching the first film on a ferry back from France. I remember being enthralled by the energy of the film and the music. It’s a skill to create something which is universally enjoyable and, dare I say it, but the stage show does this in buckets. It is even better than the film! Review by Imogen Skipper.
Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP Celebrate Double Top-Tier Recognition in Leading...
Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP (BH&O) has once again been recognised as one of the region’s leading family law firms, achieving top-tier rankings in both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners 2026 Guides — a remarkable achievement for a firm that has just celebrated its seventh anniversary.