Steve has a wide range of experience in private family law, including divorce
and is particularly experienced in matters affecting un-married families.
Although an experienced litigator, most of Steve's cases settle outside of the
court room. He is committed to achieving the best for his clients but to do
so in a way that produces an efficient, fair and positive result. He is a founder
member of Staffordshire Collaborative Lawyers and a strong supporter for
Alternative Dispute Resolution.
He was born and raised in the Wirral and his first degree was in Chemistry
from Oxford University, where he spent a year in post-graduate research. Having
decided on a career in the law, he completed his legal studies in Manchester.
Admitted as a Solicitor in 1988, Steve practised with RJ Kelley & Co, in Coventry
before he joined Nowell Meller in 1994. Managing Partner of Nowell Meller
from 1997 until its incorporation in 2005 and Managing Director since that date.
Steve was awarded an LLM in Advanced Legal Practice Management by
Staffordshire University in 2000 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal
Cashiers & Administrators. He divides his time between our Stafford and
Burslem offices.
Steve now specialises in Private Family Law, focusing primarily on private
client financial cases and is a Resolution Specialist in Cohabitation
and Pensions. He was elected to Resolution's National Committee in 2009
and elected National Treasurer in 2010. Steve is also Chair of Resolution's
Cohabitation Committee. He was a member of Lord Lester's Advisory Group
on the Cohabitation Bill introduced into the House of Lords in 2008-2009 and
is now Resolution policy spokesman on Cohabitation law reform.
Steve has experience as a trainer, writing and speaking on a range of
family law finance topics, most recently Cohabitation, Bankruptcy and Divorce
and Pre-Nuptial Agreements. He has contributed to Welfare and Family:
Law and Practice (emis professional publishing), the Family Law Protocol (The
Law Society) and is co-author of Resolution's Guide to TOLATA and Related
Claims (forthcoming).
Steve worked as Local Conciliation Officer for Staffordshire working for
the Legal Complaints Service for some years until it ceased to exist in late 2010
helping clients to resolve their difficulties with their own solicitors.
Memberships:
- Resolution National and Executive Committees
- Resolution Cohabitation Committee (Chair)
- Resolution Law Reform Working Party
- Resolution Staffordshire (Chair)
- Resolution Collaborative Practice Group;
- Staffordshire Collaborative Lawyers
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals;
- Law Management Section of the Law Society
- American Bar Association - Law Practice Management & Family Sections
- Strategy Board of Stoke Childrens' University
- Director and Honorary Treasurer of the North Staffordshire Law Society
When not working, Steve enjoys relaxing with a good book, films and the
occasional holiday.
