AWS London Committee

Immediate Past Chairwoman - Penny Mackinder

Penny has been a solicitor since 1979 and now works for clients in marriage and relationship breakdown at specialist family law firm Blacklaws Davis in south London. With some friends she started a branch of the AWS in the East Midlands in the early 90s, and was later a member of the London Group Committee and Treasurer “just before the turn of the century” She lives in NW6 with her three children. She is very involved in Legal Aid campaigns and is Training Coordinator for the Legal Aid Practitioner's Group. She tries to keep fit with aerobics and jogging.

Chairwoman - Danusia Bzreznia

Danusia has been a member of the Association of Women Solicitors London Group committee since 2007. She has specialised in family law, helping clients with all aspects of family and relationship breakdown, since she qualified over 10 years ago.
Despite the many advances made in the legal profession, Danusia believes that the AWS offers what no other organisation can for women solicitors of all ages and at all stages in their career.
Danusia is chairwoman of the AWS London group for the year 2010/2011.

Vice Chairman - Ann Hallam

Ann Hallam is a partner with the firm of Stitt & Co in the City. She specializes in commercial property, particularly large mixed use developments, property finance and high value residential property. She joined the Committee in 2008 having moved to London in 2007 from the East Midlands, where as a partner in a large commercial practice she supervised trainees and was a mentor for several young women solicitors.

Treasurer - Darlene Waithe

Darlene has been qualified for nine and a half years. She has worked in the private public and voluntary sectors and now works for Hertfordshire Constabulary advising on PACE 1984 and all aspects of Human Rights.
Her remit is very diverse and also encompasses litigation, employment law, Freedom of Information Data Protection and PII. She has also advised on counter terrorism.

Honorary Secretary - Linda Davies

Administrator - Sandra Dawson

Prior to becoming a freelance administrator Sandra spent the first 20 years of her career working for the NHS. The last 10 years of which were spent as a ward sister on a cancer ward at UCH. For the last 23 years she has worked for several legal organisations including The Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates, The British Academy of Forensic Sciences, The London Criminal Court Solicitors Association and the Association of Women Solicitors. She is married to a District Judge/Crown Court Recorder and has two daughters.

Member - Sarah Griggs

Member - Nicola Wainwright

Member - Joy Van Cooten

Joy has been a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives since 1997 and a qualified Solicitor since 2001.
After completing her LPC at the College of Law, Guildford, Joy joined London Transport / TfL as a Contracts Lawyer primarily working on the transfer of the non-London Underground divisions of London Transport to TfL. In 2001, Joy joined Collyer Bristow as an Assistant Solicitor and then became an Associate in the Corporate Commercial Department in 2002 whilst at Collyer Bristow she was seconded to Philip Morris International in Switzerland where she remained for two years. In 2005, Joy co-founded VanCooten Trevors Recruitment and has been instrumental in the company’s growth and strategy.
Joy became a member of the AWS, London Group in 2005, becoming Vice Chair in 2007 and Chair in 2008. In 2008 she joined the AWS National Committee and became the Vice Chair March, 2010 and Chair in 2011.
Joy is a firm believer in the rights of women and in particular women solicitors and whole heartedly backs the AWS’s.

chair@womensolicitors.org.uk

Member - Sophie Khan

Member - Chucks Golding

Member - Sarah Bailey

Member - Natasha Lewis

Member - Xanthe Andrews

Member - Meeta Kaur

Member 2009/2010 - Belinda Craig

Belinda is a solicitor with over ten years experience specialising in Claimant Personal Injury work since qualification. Her specialism within this field is dealing with catastrophic injuries and high value claims including fatal accidents. Currently she is an Associate at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors in London.
She is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. In her spare time Belinda enjoys all sport including riding trial bikes and is an Officer in the Territorial Army Royal Logistics Corps.

Member 2009/2010 - Emine Mehmet

Emine qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and has specialised in family law throughout her career. She is a member of Resolution and a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority's Family Law Accreditation Scheme.
Her practice covers all forms of family law, including: divorce, finance/property matters, cohabitation disputes, civil partnerships and children law.

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