Switalskis has strengthened its newly established Grimsby office with the appointment of Laura Ornsby, a solicitor specialising in child care and domestic abuse law.
Laura brings with her experience from across local authority and children’s public law. She completed her training contract with North East Lincolnshire Council, giving her a strong understanding of the challenges facing children and families in the area, including the impact of domestic abuse.
The appointment comes as Switalskis continues to expand its specialist legal support for vulnerable children, families and individuals. As part of her role, Laura will advise and represent clients in child care proceedings and domestic abuse matters, helping vulnerable people access specialist legal support across Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire.
Switalskis also provides private family law support to people experiencing domestic abuse. Since July, the child care team have been working with Grimsby Women’s Aid to provide a free legal aid advice clinic on a fortnightly rota basis. From September, they will also provide a free legal aid clinic every Monday morning, helping local people understand their rights and access legal support.
Laura says: “Switalskis is well known for its strong child care department. So, when I heard about the plans to open an office in my hometown of Grimsby, it felt like a really exciting opportunity to return to child care law and be part of something that is growing and supporting the community locally.
“During my time working for the local authority, I saw first-hand that sadly there is a lot of domestic abuse in the area. I’m looking forward to being able to help people in Grimsby and the surrounding region, particularly children and domestic abuse victims.”
Jennifer Heckingbottom, Switalskis director and child care solicitor, says: “We’re delighted to be expanding our presence into Grimsby and to be developing our specialist child care department within the local community. We’re committed to building a strong and sustainable presence in the area and to provide specialist support to parents, children and families.
“Laura is a real asset to Switalskis’ growth in the area. Her strong connections to Grimsby together with her experience of working in this area of law and the local authority will bring valuable local knowledge and expertise to our team.”
Image caption (L-R): Laura Ornsby and Jennifer Heckingbottom.
