Della Phillips (Centre Back), Partner and Leicester Branch Manager of Smith Partnership Solicitors, with the children’s team
The family law team at Smith Partnership Solicitors has become one of the largest in the East Midlands after recruiting an additional two solicitors to its Leicester office.
Chet Desai and Manpreet Chehil have now joined Smith Partnership from Cartwright King, bringing nearly 25 years’ experience to the family team.
Chet is a member of the Law Society Children Panel and frequently represents children through the instruction of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass). He is a very experienced childcare lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience and has been made a partner at Smith Partnership.
He has extensive experience representing clients at the Court of Appeal, High Court as well as County and Magistrates courts, handling work in a variety of areas from neglect, fabricated and induced illness, child sex exploitation and human trafficking.
Manpreet represents parents in care proceedings and is very well respected in the area. She deals with cases involving neglect, physical harm, sexual harm, mental health difficulties, substance misuse and non-accidental injuries.
Della Phillips, Partner and Leicester Branch Manager, said: “I am very excited at the expansion of the team and the knowledge and experience that Chet and Manpreet will bring.”
Smith Partnership is looking to grow the Leicester team even further, recruiting another paralegal to support the team and with a senior family law lawyer due to start in February.
Chet said: “I was keen to join a modern, progressive firm with a sound reputation for child protection work. Smiths is clearly one of the largest firms in the region with a recognised brand and so it was an easy decision for me. I look forward to helping the Department grow its standing and reputation on the Leicester circuit.”
Manpreet added she was pleased to have been offered the position as childcare solicitor with Smith Partnership. “It is a firm with a great reputation and offers clients the very best service,” she said. “I am looking forward to working with the incredible colleagues within the firm. Many of the staff at Smith Partnership have long years of service which is indicative of how well the firm looks after their employees and I am thrilled to have joined the team.”
