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It’s all change at Payne Hicks Beach. With Ian Airey stepping down as head of the family department, the firm has opted to appoint co-heads of the family department. It’s an inspired move: Philip McGuirk has a superb reputation, particularly for pre- and postnups, and Rebecca Cockcroft is, says James Stewart, ‘a first-rate lawyer with brilliant people skills’.

‘It is the breadth of the work in the family division that attracts, and the pleasure one derives from being part of a process where, over time, a clearly defined picture emerges from what was once opacity,’ says McGuirk.

Cockcroft says, meanwhile: ‘The best part of the job is inspiring trust in a client so they listen and follow your advice.’