16.09.22
Family Lawyer and Team Leader Naomi Owen celebrates 20 years in law
With a keen interest in law from a young age, Naomi joined Wansbroughs aged 14 on a work experience placement whilst studying at The George Ward School in Wiltshire.
From secondary school, Naomi went on to study law at the University of Southampton and returned to Wansbroughs in 2000, qualifying as a Solicitor in 2002. In 2007 she gained accreditation and membership of the SRA Children Panel and was promoted to a Partner in 2010.
Naomi now leads a team of skilled and experienced family lawyers advising and representing clients from all over the world.
To celebrate Naomi’s milestone achievement, we asked her a few questions about her career and motivation:
Congratulations on your 20-year anniversary. Did you always know that you wanted to be a lawyer?
“Someone suggested that I think about law as a career when I was first in secondary school and so I started to find out more and I haven’t seriously considered anything else since. I didn’t know then that Family Law would become my passion but I knew I wanted to use the law to make a difference in people’s lives.”
How do you define your role and how you are able to help families?
“My role in any family case, whether I am representing a child, a parent or a professional, is to ensure that they understand what is happening and that their voice is heard by those making the decisions. I try to make sure that a solution is found that is best for the children involved in the case whether that is through contested advocacy or a negotiated settlement.”
You have remained with Wansbroughs since a young age, were you ever tempted by the big city firms?
“Having grown up in Wiltshire, I am committed to ensuring that its families and children have access to expert advice and representation. And, to be honest, I am a country girl at heart who needs to be able to see some green on the horizon!”
What advice would you offer to families going through a divorce or separation?
“No one can go through a separation without emotional upset. It is important to recognise that upset and the influence it has on your decision making. Try to take a step back and take some time before you act. But most importantly of all, think about the impact that the situation and changes are going to have on the children involved and try to see things from their point of view. That doesn’t mean agreeing they can have ice cream and chocolate every night but focusing on what is most important to them will help everyone involved make better decisions.”
Being a Family lawyer, you must have to deal with some difficult cases, how do you manage to ‘switch off’?
“The key for me is the fabulous support I have from my team at work and my family at home, knowing that they are always there for me. I also find that switching focus to something entirely different like walking, running my dog Mac in Agility or organising games and crafts for my church children’s program help me to ensure that I keep a healthy balance to life.”
Find out more about Naomi and the incredible work she does here: https://www.wansbroughs.com/our-people/naomi-owen/
For further information and support please contact the Family team on 01380 733300 or family@wansbroughs.com