The John Cornwell award is awarded annually for outstanding contribution to family law and supporting separating families. This year, Roger was a joint recipient of the award at Resolution’s 27th national conference in Brighton in April. Resolution has over 6,500 family lawyers and other family law professionals from across England and Wales, and is dedicated to helping families resolve disputes in a non-confrontational and constructive way.
Roger was singled out for his commitment to helping families achieve positive outcomes. Resolution chair Jo Edwards praised Roger for championing a collaborative approach to family breakdown. She also highlighted his passion for ensuring that people are in control of their own lives by empowering them through guidance and advice. She concluded by saying: “Roger’s contribution as a pioneer in reducing divorce conflict is matched by few practising in family law.”
Roger has nearly 30 years of experience as a specialist family lawyer and deals with many complex financial issues, including pensions, family businesses and trusts. In 1998 he set up www.divorce.co.uk as a resource to provide as much free guidance as possible to enable families to make the most informed decision for their circumstances. More recently he was behind the DivorceUK app, which was one of only four legal apps in the Sunday Times Best Apps feature.
Also a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Roger has also been named as a distinguished individual on the Spears Index.
Roger said: “I am delighted to have been recognised by Resolution, especially considering the many dedicated family lawyers working across the UK. Most people going through the emotional upheaval of the end of a marriage want to do so with as little legal involvement as possible and I always try to facilitate this for my clients. My aim is to understand what each individual client needs, as no two sets of circumstances are ever the same, and to reach an amicable agreement as quickly and painlessly as possible.
“I have been lucky to work with a great team, not only at Mills & Reeve but also at Resolution, and my colleagues and I continue to support the organisation and champion non-confrontational and collaborative approaches to resolving family disputes, striving to get the best results for all our clients and their loved ones.”
Mills & Reeve’s commitment to Resolution and its ethos is further demonstrated by Mills & Reeve partner, Nigel Shepherd, who will become national chair of Resolution again in April 2016, having previously held the top post between 1995 and 1997. He will become the first person to have been national chair twice. The conference also saw the national re-launch of Y-Res, which provides a platform within Resolution for those up to 10 years qualified, offering support through seminars, training and social events. Another Mills & Reeve partner, Caitlin Jenkins was a key player in establishing the original incarnation of Y-Res in 1995.
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