Law firms Jackson Lees and DTM Legal have both announced new appointments to their Liverpool city region teams

Merseyside law firm Jackson Lees has hired an experienced lawyer to add to its family law department.

Anna Francis joins the firm from Merseyside-based Berkson Family Law and has more than 15 years’ experience in family law, choosing to specialise in matrimonial law in recent years.

In her new role at Jackson Lees’ Hoylake office, Ms Francis will play a key role in supporting clients and helping the wider team. Since entering the legal sector as an office junior, she studied at the Law Academy in Liverpool and worked her way up to Chartered Legal Executive, qualifying in 2015.

The Chartered Legal Executive (CLE) path focuses on studying towards a degree level qualification whilst working in industry and provides an alternative route into the legal sector. Ms Francis champions the CLE route for being more accessible.

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She said: “I’m extremely proud to join Jackson Lees and I look forward to applying my vast experience in family law with clients, whilst learning from like-minded professionals around me.

“The culture at Jackson Lees is fantastic – everyone wants to make a positive difference and believes they have the ability to. There is also constant support and training available to us as well as a focus on work-life balance, which really appealed to me when looking at potential opportunities.”

Ms Francis is also a member of Resolution, a group for lawyers who strive for a non-confrontational approach to family law issues to provide better outcomes for separating families and their children.

Liverpool and Chester law firm DTM Legal has appointed Stephen Mackellar to its wills, trusts and estates department. He joins from FDR Law.

Mr Mackellar offers expertise in all areas of private client work with a particular specialism in administration of trusts, probate and trust and estate non-contentious matters. Ranked as a ‘Key Lawyer’ by Legal 500, he will be advising landowners, corporate and private clients in their estate and succession plans as well as charities on their trusts.

He said: “I am really pleased to be offered the position and to join DTM Legal. They have a glowing record and am keen to be part of the growth.”