Helena Downing

Solicitor - Director and Head of Family Legal Services

Helena qualified in 1984 and gained all-round experience of the law including litigation, crime, and family law.

In 1994, she joined Banner Jones Middleton as a specialist in family law. Much of her work involves divorce and separation, together with financial issues and matters concerning children of the relationship. She also advises unmarried clients whose relationships have broken up following cohabitation.

An area in which Helena has expertise is care proceedings, concerning the welfare of children, brought by social services. She generally represents children in these proceedings, but occasionally represents parents.

In her family work, Helena’s approach is to try to reduce conflict as much as possible, without compromising her client’s position or entitlements.

Helena is a Resolution Accredited specialist, a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children, and of the Law Society’s Children Panel. In the past, she was the Chair of the Derby and Derbyshire Guardian ad Litem and Reporting Officer Committee. Helena is also a trained Collaborative Lawyer.

Tel: 01246 283014
Chesterfield office (Marsden Street)