Meet The Team Tuesday Ft. Nicole Phillips
Meet Nicole Phillips, a senior family law associate and qualified mediator at Family Law in Partnership.
If you are considering instructing a family solicitor you are probably in the midst of a stressful event in your life. My aim is to lend a listening ear and navigate my clients through this time with dignity and sensitivity. I offer tactical and commercial advice and emotionally intelligent solutions.
As a family mediator I act as a neutral facilitator who empowers clients to reach practical solutions in a cost-effective and pragmatic way.
- So, Nicole, how long have you been at FLiP?
Almost 5 and a half years now.
- What does your role entail at FLiP?
Most of my time is spent helping people sort out the practical consequences of their divorce or separation. I aim to do so in a way that focuses on pragmatic solutions, so that the process is as pain free as it can be for my clients.
- What is the best thing about your job?
I love that my job involves intellectual as well as emotional rigour. In my role as a family solicitor and mediator clients entrust me with information that is deeply personal to them, and I consider this a huge privilege.
- Are you a tea or a coffee drinker?
Both!
- What is the hardest thing about your job?
As a family solicitor I find the delays and inefficiency in the family court one of the hardest things about the role. For example, even if an ex-couple have agreed the financial outcome of their divorce, their agreement still needs to be ratified by the Family Court to become legally binding. Even this relatively simple task can take many months because of delays in our underfunded court system. The clients are left to bear the brunt of this inefficiency, which feels unfair and exacerbates rather than reduces the emotional challenges of the divorce and separation process.
- What motivates you at work?
As humans we tend to be motivated by being helpful to others, and that certainly applies to me! I am motivated by helping clients reach pragmatic solutions in an efficient and sensitive way, and in doing so I want clients to feel listened to and understood by me.
- When you are enjoying some well-deserved leave, describe your perfect day?
A slow run along a sunny beach, jumping into the sea at the end and a delicious breakfast to follow, with lots more good meals after that!
Nicole is a Senior Associate solicitor and mediator at Family Law in Partnership. She handles all aspects of private family law, assisting and supporting clients who are navigating divorce or separation to resolve any financial or children issues that may arise. Nicole combines a warm, sympathetic manner with tactical nous and incisive judgment.