Expertise
Humanity
Joanna is a lawyer within theFamily Law department at BCR Law. She works on a wide range of family law matters including but not limited to financial disputes, contact/residence matters and pre/post-nuptial agreements.
She read for the Bar at The Inns of Court School of Law. Prior to this, Joanna studied English law and Spanish Law at The University of Kent at Canterbury and spent a year at La Universidad Complutense in Madrid, after winning an Erasmus scholarship.
Prior to joining BCR Law, Joanna was a Senior Associate at Ogier, where she worked for 16 years undertaking private client litigation in the areas of crime, family, personal injury and clinical negligence.
Joanna spent several years working in London before returning to Jersey, including practising at the English Bar and working for a London law firm.
I believe very much in the importance of family but I’m realistic and appreciate that “family” doesn’t always comprise of married parents and children who all live together. Separations and divorces are common, and lawyers can play an important part in helping the parents create a legal framework within which a separated family can comfortably co-exist.
My parents separated when I was very young, and my father moved away from Jersey. The divorce was very bitter with ongoing issues relating to contact and finances which progressed until I was at University. It made me think that there must be better way for a family to get through a divorce.
I like problem solving and I also like to help people. I have worked for several years as a peer support worker for MIND Jersey, so I consider I have a good understanding of the impact of significant negative life events on people’s emotional wellbeing. In my experience fear plays a significant part in how people deal with divorce/separation ie fear of losing their children, home, financial standing etc.
In my role as a family lawyer, I am able to guide people through the legal process, give them realistic legal and practical advice to achieve a child-focussed legal framework within which the children can thrive despite a big change in their domestic situation.
In addition, I am able to analyse the overall financial picture and advise and assist in reaching an agreement which is fair to both sides and will be acceptable to the court.
I guess the aspect of my job I like the most is enabling people to realise that there is life after divorce/separation and that life can be very good indeed.
