Back in 1994 Jo-anne Lomax joined Liverpool law firm Morecrofts as a legal clerk – now she is one of the owners of the practice. Tony McDonough reports

Jo-anne Lomax joined Liverpool law firm Morecrofts as an legal clerk in 1994 and now she has risen to become an equity partner at the practice.

An accredited Children Panel and resolution specialist, she has worked across all areas of family law and now specialises in the area of children law. This includes public and private law children cases, special guardianship matters and adoption.

Having studied part-time at Liverpool John Moores University to achieve the ILEX qualification in 1998, she later qualified as a solicitor in 2005. After leaving the firm for a period, she returned in 2011 and was appointed a non-equity partner in 2016.

Now head of the firm’s Allerton Road office, Jo-anne said: “If someone had said to me 27 years ago that one day I would sit around the table as an owner of this firm, I’d never have believed them.

“Morecrofts has been a part of Liverpool’s professional landscape for 208 years and it is an absolute honour to be able to make a contribution to the rich tapestry of such an established and highly-respected firm.”

Morecrofts is headquartered in Liverpool city centre and has six offices around the Liverpool city region. It received the Family Law award at the 2019 Liverpool Law Society Awards. Managing partner Alison Lobb added: “I am delighted to welcome Jo-anne to the equity partnership. Her contribution to the ownership of the business will be invaluable.

“She’s a much-loved member of our family and we were delighted when Jo-anne decided to “come home” some years ago, after a spell working elsewhere. We are lucky she has chosen to be part of the leadership and ownership of the firm for years to come.”