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Emma Hopkins Jones Headshot

Emma Hopkins Jones


Partner
Department: Family & Matrimonial
The Legal 500 – The Clients Guide to Law Firms

Emma joined Ridley & Hall as a Partner in September 2020. Emma is an experienced family law specialist, practising in all areas of private family law. Emma’s expertise in financial issues on separation, and in particular cases involving unmarried couples, was recognised in the Legal 500 2017.

Emma studied at the University of Warwick and at then the College of Law in York, qualifying in 2007. Having worked for many years in Leeds and in York Emma has strong links with other professionals, businesses and charitable organisations across Yorkshire enabling her to provide holistic support to her clients. Emma works closely with other professionals to support her clients moving forward and is known for providing straight forward, practical and jargon free advice.

Emma helps clients on and after separation, as well as to plan for the future. On separation Emma can provide advice on divorce/dissolution proceedings, advice for unmarried couples, on financial matters and the arrangements for children. Having trained and worked at a commercial law firm Emma has particular expertise in cases involving substantial assets but also recognises that often the most difficult cases are where the focus is how to meet needs for the future. Emma has experience in dealing with complex cases regarding safeguarding of children, domestic abuse and parental alienation.

Emma has an expanding practice in helping couples plan for the future whether on moving in together, where a cohabitation agreement may be appropriate, or on marriage or entering into a civil partnership, with pre-nuptial agreements. Emma can also assist clients who are conceiving a child through assisted reproduction in applying for parental orders in cases of surrogacy.

Emma is an active member of Resolution (First for Family Law) and is a current member of the national Resolution Cohabitation Committee and former member of the regional West & North Yorkshire Resolution Committee. Emma is a member of a Working Group on Domestic Abuse and the Family Courts in York that aims to improve the workings of the family courts to better support victims and their families, was a member of the Multi Party Parliamentary Group on the Family Courts with Emma Pearmaine and a volunteer with YorLaw, a free legal advice service founded by Citizens Advice York.

In her spare time Emma is a politics and current affairs geek, a yoga enthusiast and most of all enjoys spending time with her young family.

Memberships

Resolution, Leeds Law Society, Working Group on Domestic Abuse and the Family Courts, Labour Party, Women’s Equality Party


Family & Matrimonial Team

Chloe Flynn Headshot

Chloe  Flynn

Solicitor
Chloe joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors as a Trainee Solicitor in April 2022. Chloe completed training in Residential Property, Commercial Property and Care and Public before securing a newly qualified solicitor position in our Family and Matrimonial Department. Chloe joined the Family and Matrimonial team in July 2023 and qualified as a solicitor in September 2023....
Kate Hames Headshot

Kate  Hames

Solicitor
Kate joined the Family and Matrimonial Department at Ridley & Hall Solicitors in 2020. Having graduated with a degree in Law from Northumbria University, Kate spent over 12 years working for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service in Leeds, developing her legal knowledge and acumen within both their criminal and family law departments....
Shelley Harper

Shelley Harper

Associate,
Solicitor
Shelley joined Ridley & Hall Solicitors in 2020 and is a Solicitor in our family department having qualified in 2018. Shelley completed her Law Degree at Sheffield Hallam University and continued her studies at BPP University Law School in Leeds....
Vicky Medd

Vicky Medd

Partner
Vicky Medd is a family solicitor with over 20 years experience.  She is an accredited specialist with Resolution and has a lot of experience of financial relief, and child disputes.  Vicky was also recently involved in one of the first family arbitration cases in the country and has a lot of experience in dealing with cases as expeditiously as possible, whilst achieving the best outcomes for clients....
Ernestas Motiejunas

Ernestas Motiejunas

Solicitor
Ernie has practised family law since January 2021 (aside from a brief stint in conveyancing) and has been advising clients on all aspects of family law since. Ernie has worked on cases where serious domestic abuse has been a factor and has been successful in obtaining non-molestation orders, occupation orders as well as other injunctions against the other party. Ernie further has experience in advising on the validity of marriages, in particular, Islamic marriages, and has experience in making applications for declaration of validity of marriage. ...

Emma Pearmaine

Managing Director
Emma Pearmaine is a family and matrimonial specialist. For almost 20 years, she has represented clients in divorce and children cases. She has particular niche expertise in matrimonial cases involving challenging business, pension, maintenance and other finance issues....
Karen Roberts

Karen Roberts

Partner
Karen Roberts has well over 20 years practice experience as a Family Solicitor and has a warm, and approachable style. She undertakes all areas of Family Law work, representing individuals facing difficult children’s issues, domestic abuse concerns and divorces/separations involving the resolution of financial issues. She represents parents and grandparents in care proceedings brought by the Local Authority and where family and children’s placements have broken down. ...
Zuzanna Taithe

Zuzanna Taithe

Solicitor
Since August 2019, Zuza has worked as a Paralegal in Ridley & Hall Solicitors’ Residential and Commercial Property Teams and, subsequently, as a Legal Secretary in the Care and Public Team, having previous experience in the firm as a placement student. Zuza has been awarded a Training Contract at Ridley & Hall, which commenced in July 2021. ...