Nicola Harris is a family law partner at MSB Solicitors, specialising in complex child law matters, domestic abuse cases, and public law care and adoption proceedings. She shares a glimpse into her working life with The Brief.

I’m a very proud Liverpudlian and the city and its communities are extremely important to me. I’m lucky enough to have spent my entire career of more than 20 years with MSB Solicitors.

The firm shares my passion for the city and its people, having its roots firmly on the banks of the River Mersey as we continue our exciting growth, branching out to offices in Manchester, Cheshire, Chester and Birmingham.

Rising from trainee solicitor to associate to partner in complex family law, I joined Resolution as part of my belief in non-confrontational, child-centred approaches to family disputes.

I am proud to have achieved Resolution accreditation in Private Children Law and Domestic Abuse. This core understanding is also why I am accredited with the Law Society Children Panel, so I can bring both my expertise and also sensitivity to the most vulnerable members of society.

Early morning

Working on the cases I do is demanding, so my day begins with a quick, relaxing sweep through social media before plunging into my inbox at home on my phone and planning the day ahead, then driving into our Liverpool office.

There is no “regular” day in my job. Urgent applications or unexpected client issues are constantly arising so a lot of my work involves responding and reprioritising accordingly.

The only certainty in my week is a Tuesday morning meeting with our team which is focused on court listings and making sure that our clients have the support they need.

For more than a decade at the start of my career, I spent much of my working weeks in court. It was in court and conducting my own advocacy that I learnt a lot about strategy within proceedings.

Spending less time in the presence of judges and magistrates has increased my empathy with those unfamiliar with the court room environment.

As I have become more senior and our firm has grown, my responsibilities have shifted more towards office-based case management and offering support to colleagues, supervising junior lawyers and helping lead the wider MSB team.

Much of my working day is devoted to casework: I speak to clients, manage cases and I’m never off the phone or far away from my emails.

Appearances in court are very familiar for me, but I understand how intimidating the process can be for clients. Spending less time in the presence of judges and magistrates has increased my empathy with those unfamiliar with the court room environment.

Despite the support we and our teams offer, they are daunting rooms where significant decisions – particularly in my areas of speciality of public and private children law and domestic abuse proceedings – are made.

Helping the next generation

When I was starting my career, I’d be nervous as I conducted advocacy. I built my confidence over time thanks to a supportive legal community which would help younger practitioners. These days, I want to pay that faith in me forward.

Mentoring is very important to me. I help run a law clinic at Blackburne House in partnership with the University of Law, which students attend and, with potential client consent, observe consultations.

It helps them learn how to approach client interviews and real-world legal practice. Most of the students who attend have never previously witnessed a solicitor-client meeting, so it can be a very valuable exercise.

I also help the students focus on career development, routes into law and areas of law of interest to them.

Promoting access to justice for all

I have been named in the Pro Bono Recognition List since its inauguration three years ago and the work that it involves is something that is very important to MSB. It also forms part of my regular working week.

It is not a recent initiative. We have been helping the people who need it most access justice via Citizens’ Advice and community law clinics for over 20 years.

Legal Aid and pro bono work are fundamental to ensuring that anyone can engage with specialist legal advice when facing issues related to family law.

However, with the changes to Legal Aid which were introduced in 2013, pro bono support is now particularly relevant. The LASPO changes made it harder for vulnerable people to access legal advice and I see it as part of my role to help these members of our communities understand that support is indeed still available and then how to obtain it.

Legal Aid and pro bono work are fundamental to ensuring that anyone can engage with specialist legal advice when facing issues related to family law.

EDI in practice

As well as helping the wider community with legal issues, I am also a member of MSB’s Environmental, Social and Governance committee and I’ve taken the lead in securing the Law Society’s Women in Law pledge.

MSB were one of the first signatories of this, which commits to measurable action on gender equality in leadership representation, accountability, tackling discrimination and monitoring outcomes. I’d urge other firms and chambers to sign up to the pledge too.

Philosophies and personal achievements

My membership of Resolution is centred around the philosophy of prioritising negotiation, collaboration and practical problem-solving over unnecessary litigation. Court needn’t be the first option.

As professionals we need to explore solutions that help families achieve and keep a greater control over proposed outcomes. This is much more beneficial to everyone involved. There will however always be cases where litigation is required.

I am also the Joint Honorary Secretary of Liverpool Law Society, which also extends my working day. The Society has a long, distinguished history (it will celebrate its bicentennial year in 2027) and it provides networking and training opportunities that are an important part of my professional development.

Emotionally demanding work

Any practitioners will know that law, and in particular family law, is not always a nine-to-five job. I will often think about cases and the people they involve, outside of office hours as I reflect on the strategies, advice, and what if anything could have been done differently.

Continually reflecting and learning like this is what, in my view, makes good lawyers.

I think over time I have been able to successfully develop coping strategies that help me “switch off” from work, that put a distance between me the intensity of my job. I enjoy watching a good series, with nothing coming close to Yellowstone recently. I would love to visit the National Park and Montana.

I am lucky to live close to the coast and I find beach walks and being in nature really help me to reset.

I’m also the owner of a very vocal miniature dachshund named Coco, who many local colleagues will have met on the Access to Justice Foundation’s Liverpool Legal Walk. My daily dog walks help me to relax. I am lucky to live close to the coast and I find beach walks and being in nature really help me to reset.

There is no doubt though that some difficult cases over the years have stayed with me, but it is a privilege to have played my part in successful resolutions and supporting clients.

The work that family law teams do is all about helping people through difficult situations. Advice, accessibility and practical support are the foundations that practice in this area are built upon, and I have worked hard with a strong commitment over the last 20 years to make legal advice available to the people who might otherwise struggle to access it. It’s this that motivates me every single day.

Visit

• MSB Solicitors

• Connect with Nicola Harris via LinkedIn