Family lawyer Margaret Simpson co-founded Silk Family law five years ago, and now looks after 25 staff spread across consulting rooms in York and London, and offices near Scotch Corner and Newcastle.

Having achieved an LLB Hons Degree at Leicester University, and later attending law school in Guildford, Surrey, Mrs Simpson subsequently moved to London to complete her training contract (then known as Articles of Clerkship) with a firm based in Westminster.

After qualifying, Mrs Simpson moved to the North East with her husband, who had secured a position with ICI Plc, and joined Archers Law (then Archer Parker and Townsend) as a newly qualified solicitor in the civil litigation department.

Five years later, she became a partner in the firm, and stayed there for 16 years. During that time, she moved from general civil litigation to develop a specialism in family law, and has practised in this area of law exclusively for almost 20 years.

In 2001, Mrs Simpson was approached by Dickinson Dees (now Bond Dickinson) and joined the family team there.

In 2010 she decided, along with her partner in the team Ian Kennerley, that their services could be better provided to clients in a niche law firm specialising solely in all aspects of family law.

They left Dickinson Dees on good terms and Silk Family Law opened its doors in October 2010. The firm now comprises 13 fee earners and 12 support staff.

Mrs Simpson's core expertise is advising on the financial issues arising from divorce and separation, and act for farming and landowning clients. She is a trained collaborative family lawyer, which enables her to help clients resolve issues without going to court, and she currently chairs the Tees Valley Resolution group.


What job would you like to have other than your own and why?

"I would have loved to have been a surgeon. I hugely admire our medical profession and I cannot imagine a more fulfilling or worthwhile career."


What is your greatest achievement?

"A 30-year marriage that is still as much fun as the day we started out."


What makes you most angry?

"There are lots of things! Bad manners are hugely irritating and so easily avoidable. The dropping of litter is unnecessary and affects so many people. Needless bureaucracy that slows the job down is another of my bugbears."


What is your biggest mistake?

"Not establishing Silk Family Law, a niche law firm specialising in all aspects of family law, 10 years earlier."


What do you need to make life complete?

"My family first and foremost, and of course my good friends. A little sunshine and warm weather helps, too."


How do you make a difference?

"In my professional life, by meticulous attention to detail whilst always seeing the bigger picture in advising clients and seeking to secure the best possible outcome for them – conscious always of the need to explore opportunities for settlement by negotiation without having to resort to the contested court process."


Epitaph?

"I love the great Philip Larkin poem, “Days”: What are days for?

Days are where we live.

They come, they wake us Time and time over.

They are to be happy in.

Where can we live but days?"