Celebrating 10 Years at Duncan Lewis Solicitors: Emily Reed, Family & Child Care Director (4 August 2026)

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is delighted to celebrate a significant career milestone as Emily Reed marks 10 years with the firm.

Over the past decade, Emily has progressed from joining Duncan Lewis as a Caseworker to becoming a Director within the Family and Child Care department, based across Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. Her journey reflects not only her dedication to achieving the best possible outcomes for vulnerable clients but also her commitment to developing as a specialist family lawyer.

Emily completed her training contract within the Family and Child Care department before qualifying as a solicitor in January 2019. Since then, she has built an impressive practice representing parents, children and extended family members in a broad range of complex family and child law matters.

Today, Emily advises clients on both public and private children law proceedings, including care proceedings, child arrangements disputes, wardship applications, child abduction matters, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) cases and applications for protective orders for victims of domestic abuse. She has particular expertise in complex public law cases involving issues such as chronic neglect, substance misuse, mental health concerns, non-accidental injuries and children displaying challenging or harmful behaviours.

As a member of the Law Society's Children Law Accreditation Scheme, Emily is recognised for her specialist expertise in representing children, parents and wider family members. She is also recognised as a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 (2026), reflecting the high standard of advice, advocacy and client care she consistently provides.

Throughout her career at Duncan Lewis, Emily has become known for her compassionate approach, technical expertise and unwavering commitment to supporting families through some of the most difficult periods of their lives.

To celebrate this milestone, we asked Emily to reflect on her journey at Duncan Lewis Solicitors.

Looking back over the last 10 years, what achievement are you most proud of?

“It's difficult to choose just one achievement. Professionally, I'm incredibly proud of my own progression—from completing my training contract and qualifying as a solicitor, to becoming a member of the Law Society's Children Panel, a supervisor, and now a Director.

I'm equally proud of supporting junior lawyers as they develop and progress in their own careers. Seeing colleagues grow in confidence and achieve their goals is hugely rewarding.

I'm proud of the outcomes we've achieved for our clients and the children we represent. They aren't always the biggest or highest-profile cases, but sometimes simply knowing we've helped a family reach the right outcome makes all the difference.”

What inspired you to specialise in family and child care law?

“My inspiration came from my own experience of the family court system.

When I was younger, I was adopted by my then stepfather. At the end of the process, we attended court where we met the judge, who took the time to explain the orders he had made and what they meant for our family. He also gave me a teddy bear - which was, appropriately, named after him! It still sits on the shelf in my home office today and serves as a reminder of the positive impact family law can have on people's lives.”

What do you find most rewarding about representing children and families?

“This area of law can often be more challenging than rewarding, but seeing the genuine joy and relief on a client's face when they achieve a positive outcome for their family is incredibly special and it is a real privilege to support children and families during some of the most difficult times in their lives.”

What has kept you motivated at Duncan Lewis over the past 10 years?

“The children and families I represent have always been my biggest motivation. Being able to make a meaningful difference in their lives is what keeps me going.

Alongside that, the culture and support at Duncan Lewis have been incredible. Through so many significant changes in my own life, from moving cities to changes in my family and personal life, I have always felt supported, valued and encouraged.

Having opportunities to develop professionally and always being able to see a clear path for progression has motivated me to keep striving for the next step in my career.”

As you celebrate this milestone, what are you most looking forward to in the next stage of your career?

“I'm looking forward to continuing the incredible work Duncan Lewis does in supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society.

I'm also excited about continuing to grow our Family and Child Care teams in Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester (and perhaps even beyond). One of the most rewarding parts of my role is supporting our talented junior lawyers as they learn, develop and progress in their careers. Hopefully, one day they'll be celebrating milestones of their own and writing articles just like this.”

As Emily celebrates 10 years with Duncan Lewis Solicitors, we thank her for her continued dedication to our clients, colleagues and the communities we serve. Her expertise, compassion and commitment to achieving positive outcomes have made a lasting contribution to the firm, and we look forward to seeing her continued success in the years ahead. 

Duncan Lewis Solicitors 

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a multi-award-winning national law firm recognised for its commitment to justice and high-quality legal services. Its solicitors provide representation across 25 areas of law. The firm is consistently ranked as top-tier by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, and is named in The Times Best Law Firms. Headquartered in the City of London, Duncan Lewis holds Investors in People Gold and Law Society Lexcel accreditations, reflecting its focus on excellence, innovation, and its people.