New appointment brings number of family partners at Penningtons Manches Cooper to highest amongst top tier firms

Posted: 12/09/2022

Leading family law specialist Emma Willing has joined top 50 law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper as a partner in its family practice and private wealth group. Her arrival brings the total number of family partners at the firm to 15 – the largest cohort amongst the top tier firms ranked by the leading legal directories.

Prior to joining Penningtons Manches Cooper, Emma spent over 12 years at Mishcon de Reya, where she became a partner in 2021. With over 15 years of experience, she offers a depth and breadth of expertise in all aspects of family law and has developed particular capabilities in the resolution of complex and high value financial issues on divorce, private children law matters, cohabitation disputes and the drafting of marital and cohabitation agreements.

Her extensive international experience sees her draw regularly on her network of international contacts across her portfolio of clients from a wide range of backgrounds including entrepreneurs, family business owners, city professionals, celebrities and the independently wealthy.

She also has extensive expertise in advising in respect to modern family building whether through surrogacy, assisted reproduction, donor conception, co-parenting and adoption (both domestic and international). She has worked on numerous complex surrogacy cases involving overseas jurisdictions and for clients with international connections and is an ambassador for Fertility Network UK, the UK's leading charity supporting those suffering with fertility issues.

Emma is ranked as a a Next Generation Partner by the Legal 500, which notes her “razor sharp intelligence” and “extraordinary tact”. She also features in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2022 in which one source commented that she was "one of the most talented lawyers I know."

Penningtons Manches Cooper’s family lawyers currently act in many of the leading cases in England and Wales and several hold leadership positions in organisations including the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the International Bar Association, positioning the department at the very forefront of advice on international family law issues. Four partners from the team have previously chaired Resolution, the UK’s leading specialist family law solicitors’ organisation.

The family practice plays a key role in Penningtons Manches Cooper’s private wealth group, a major area of strategic development for the business. Its specialists are nationally and internationally acknowledged as leaders in their field and provide a comprehensive service for private individuals, family offices and their advisers, entrepreneurs and business owners.

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