FAMILY MEDIATORS - Key Persons
I trained as a family mediator with the FMA in 1992. Until April 2012 I mediated alongside my legal practice. I was head of family law at the Leeds office of Lupton Fawcett. Since 2012 I have worked only as a mediator at Anne Braithwaite Mediation Chambers in Leeds. Although I am able to do legally aided work, I only offer private mediation. I am a PPC and trained and practise as a child consultant.
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair, FMC Liaison and Conference Committee )
Beverley is Retiring Chair of the FMA supporting the Chair and Vice Chair in their roles for two years. Beverley first joined the FMA Board in 1994 and following her initial 3 years in post was elected as Secretary to the Board in 1997. She was re-elected to the Board in 2004. Between 2005 and 2012 she became the National Mediation representative on the Family Justice Council before re-joining the Board in 2012 and is currently the FMA's representative on the Family Mediation Council. During her various time on the Board she has worked on committee's for PPC's, Complaints, Legal Aid, FMA accreditation (SMS), Membership, Education, Standards and Ethics, Conferences and Special events and Marketing, Beverley is a PPC, an FMC competence assessor and undertakes child inclusive mediation. She is also a civil and commercial mediator, a family consultant to the collaborative law process, a lecturer and mediation trainer. She is the Director and founder of Mediation North West.
Job Titles:
- Legal Aid Committee and Complaints Committee
Leah is a full-time Family Mediator and the owner of Mediation First in Northampton. She completed her Foundation Training in 2013 with the FMA and became an FMC Accredited Family Mediator in 2015. Leah became Vice Chair of the FMA in September 2017 and enjoys working with the Board to promote the FMA as a leading membership organisation for family mediation. Leah is also Chair of FMA's Legal Aid Committee. In her role as Chair of the Legal Aid Committee, Leah wants to help mediators to share information regarding legal aid contracts and champion the interests of those that undertake publicly funded work. In her spare time, Leah enjoys being on her allotment and reading.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- First Director
Lisa Parkinson (Co-founder of FMA and the first Director of FMA)
Having worked offering support, education, coaching and mediation for over 25 years , I am committed to facilitating families to achieve the best outcomes for the adults and the children alike in the family arena . In my early career I worked in financial services in London before taking a career break to raise my children, I have been running my own businesses for over 25 years and have good business acumen.
I have been working with families since 2008 therapeutically and in family mediation. Having trained in civil mediation in 2011 and family mediation in 2013 I am an FMC accredited mediator , ppc, qualified in direct child consultation and I am one of 12 trained parenting coordinators in the UK.
I have worked within corporations offering employee assistance programmes, delivering workshops, and working with individuals and teams on effective communication, stress management, anger management, personal development and adapting and managing change. All elements that underpin my day-to-day work in the field of family work.
I am passionate about trying to achieve the best outcomes for families and promoting equality and addressing gender bias in the family arena with a particular interest in relation to domestic abuse and safeguarding, for all. I actively attend training and forums to enable me to contribute on issues.
I think it is imperative that all services within the family arena work in a symbiotic manner and I joined the Board to be able to assist in the continuing development of the mediation arena in collaboration with the wider landscape of services for families as the world presents ever changing challenges and demands.
I am a Solicitor and Accredited Mediator and run my own legal and mediation practice out of offices in Leeds and Harrogate. I have practiced as a mediator since 2009, qualifying as a solicitor in 2006. Prior to my legal career I worked as a mental health nurse working in London for a few years. I am a PPC and a Child Consultant and sit on the private Children sub-group of the West Yorkshire Family Justice Board as the mediation representative for the region. I practice as a mediator and solicitor on a more of less equal time basis as well as helping to run the legal practice. As a practice we currently hold an LAA franchise for family mediation. I mediate on children issues and financial matters and have done quite a bit of inter generational family mediation. I am also a work place mediator. I have been sitting on the FMA national board since September 2016 and have been acting as committee secretary for the past 12 months.
When I am not working I am running after 2 young children on the weekends they are with me and I am a very keen runner.
I have spent a lifetime working in the family justice system. I am an experienced collaborative Family Lawyer and an FMC accredited Family Mediator. I was a member of Resolution`s DR committee for many years and a past chair of Law Net. I am a member of Resolutions collaborative law working party and the European Collaborative Network. I will bring all this experience to the board and FMA.
I have a wealth of knowledge dealing with complex financial and children matters. I have worked with some of the top London Family Practices. I am an experienced mediator and I am known for my ability to safely manage high conflict cases. I am also experienced in child inclusive mediations. I understand the process and challenges of the profession having worked in this capacity for many years.
Having spent a lifetime in the profession I have a wealth of contacts and connections with people in the Family Justice system which I feel will be of benefit to the board and FMA in general. I have trained dispute resolution practitioners both in England and internationally. I have presented extensively on the benefits of alternative ways of resolving family disputes outside of the court process. I am passionate in promoting the mediation process and I want to bring all of my passion to promoting the FMA.