Meet the boss with a passion for protecting victims of abusive relationships

You cannot be what you cannot see.

These words, often attributed to Marian Wright Edelman, the American civil rights activist, acknowledge a universal truth. We all need role models who have trodden a noble path. Laura Clapton didn’t have to look far to find her inspiration.

“My mum Janet was a domestic violence support worker,’’ Ms Clapton recalled. “She was very open with me about her work helping people during desperate times.”

In her role as a family solicitor and accredited mediator, Leeds-based Ms Clapton often has to advise people who want to break free from abusive relationships. Memories of her mother’s tireless efforts on behalf of terrified women continues to drive her on.

“She would go to court with the victims and with a family solicitor,’’ Ms Clapton recalled. “I was quite academic and enjoyed the law and I also wanted to help families in need, so becoming a family lawyer seemed a perfect fit for me.

“I very much respect what my mum did. It had a real impact on me.

“I am still very much aware that there are people out there who will still need the assistance of court proceedings.”

Six years ago, Ms Clapton co-founded Consilia Legal alongside Marie Walsh because she wanted to deliver a more personal service.

The firm has turned the conventional funding model on its head because it largely charges clients by project. Consilia Legal’s 12 strong team operates in Leeds and Harrogate.

According to Ms Clapton, the firm’s small scale allows the teams to work closely and it also leads to a much better client service because traditional hierarchies have been removed.

During lockdown, Consilia launched an online mediation service. The business is one of a handful of firms providing an online service for family, workplace and commercial mediation.

While online mediation became a necessity during lockdown, it has proved to have many wide-reaching benefits. It means, for example, that victims of abusive relationships don’t have to worry about a potential face to face meeting with the person who is responsible for her anguish.

“I gained a good insight into the sector after working with different practices,’’ said Ms Clapton. “I really enjoyed working for a small practice. We have also stepped away from the traditional hourly rates, with a range of fixed fee packages. We focus on alternative dispute resolution which keeps clients out of expensive litigation.

“Online mediation takes out the physical aspect, which avoids a victim of abuse having to be in the same room or the same building as the person who has been abusing them.”

The pandemic caused disruption to the legal system, but victims of abuse still needed justice. One-in-four women and one-in-six men will experience domestic abuse at some point in their life.

“During the pandemic, face to face mediation had to be placed on hold,” said Ms Clapton.

“But these issues cannot be placed on hold, especially if there are children involved. Online mediation makes victims feel empowered and enables them to have a voice in the safety of their own home. They don’t have to travel to a town or a city they are not familiar with.

“We have seen an increasing number of cases during the pandemic where families have been pushed to breaking point,’’ said Ms Clapton.

“We have seen an increase in the numbers of new cases. Some parents have struggled to communicate in such an abnormal environment.

“There have been cases where the parents have disagreed over whether a child should travel between households during a pandemic.”

Ms Clapton has particular experience in dealing with cases involving complex financial structures, businesses and overseas assets. She regularly deals with divorce cases where assets are valued at more than £1m. Her most notable case involved business assets estimated to be worth more than £30m.

“Working for a smaller firm, every single employee plays a fundamental part in the firm’s success,’’ said Ms Clapton. “The employment law team has seen an increase in its workload due to the growing numbers of companies making redundancies. That pattern is likely to carry on for some time.”

The expanding workload could, over time, lead to new staff.

“We are currently in a position where we have enough staff to meet clients’ requirements but this is under constant review and if we need to bring in additional team members we will do,’’ said Ms Clapton.

“Productivity has increased due to technology and it allows people to engage with legal disputes without geography acting as a boundary.”

2021 will see a change in the law which should make the legal process surrounding the breakdown of relationships less fraught.

“Next year, no fault divorces will be introduced which lawyers have been campaigning for a long time,’’ said Ms Clapton.

“It is an extremely valuable change to family law because it means clients can divorce without having to cite blame or hurl accusations which can make things very acrimonious and hostile.”

She believes the intelligent use of mediation can ease the suffering of children who can find themselves at the heart of a bitter legal tussle.

“I’m passionate about mediation because there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a separated family come to a resolution so that their children have a happier upbringing,’ she said.

“I’ve seen the devastating impact court proceedings can have on children.”

Laura Clapton is co-founder of Consilia Legal.

She established the practice in 2014 with Director Marie Walsh because they wanted to deliver a more personal service which is tailored around each individual client’s needs.

She is also an accredited family mediator. Ms Clapton has trained local magistrates on the role that mediation plays within family disputes and hosts regular talks and seminars on the topic of mediation.

She is the chair of Resolution (North and West Yorkshire), an organisation dedicated to the constructive resolution of family issues.#

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Thank you

James Mitchinson