Ian Hamilton-Fey

Legal Executive

I began my career in Law in 1989 and specialized in Family Law since I initially joined this firm when it was then known as Arthur J.S Hall & Co in 1991. I received excellent training and enjoyed many happy years providing a high standard of service in all areas of family law until I chose to move to Pastures New in the Millennium to continue broaden my skills and experience in family law at an alternative firm. Although I left HSW I always remained in the South Cheshire area where I continued to undertake all aspects of family law in the South Cheshire, North Staffordshire and Shropshire. I spent many years at a local firm with a strong agricultural department and my experience and skills quickly developed in divorce with an agricultural context. Such matters are quite unique and I have regularly achieved great success dealing with such matters which I have found particularly rewarding. My general practise and speciality is now dealing with complex financial matters including agriculture in relationship and marriage breakdown although I continue to keep my hand in with all areas of family law as I feel this is important. I have represented clients in numerous courts around the country. The experience and skills I have gained over (dare I say it!) getting on for 30 years are invaluable and if I were to describe it as wine it would be a damn good expensive bottle of claret! I shall continue to uncork this vast knowledge and experience to all our existing and new clients here at HSW who find themselves in a difficult time in their lives with relationship difficulties. Although I have the wealth of experience and expertise to offer I consider that of equal importance is a family lawyer’s approachability. I strongly believe clients must feel confident with their lawyers. I have a long list of testimonials whereby clients have particularly thanked me for my understanding and the empathy I have shown when dealing with their matters. I listen. I understand my client’s needs and objectives and quickly set out to achieve them. On occasions client expectations have to be managed but I can do this in a positive way with the advice and guidance I give so my clients understand. This is important as it can save the potential trauma of having to go to court and of course the potential costs that go with it. I approach the resolution of matters with representatives of other parties in the same way. I seek to identify issues at an early stage and discuss this with them and proceed to find a solution. I am great believer in there always being a solution. There is. It is called compromise. However if another party does not play ball and seeks to be difficult, uncooperative and uncompromising my approach differs in no uncertain terms! I am no pushover as my colleagues in family law will say! So I have decided come back to my roots here at HSW. It’s like coming home to the family! This time I’m here to stay! My promise and commitment to the firm and our clients is to continue to provide a high, sympathetic, understanding and costs proportionate service. Further I will continue to support my devoted and extremely talented colleagues in our family department both now and when I take the Baton as head of the department in the New Year from one of my colleagues who actually trained me all those years ago when I first joined the firm! Although my career has always taken up a large part of my life I do have many interests and distractions outside of work. Firstly, my family. I live locally in Nantwich with my wife, son who is at Brine Leas school (and who often appears on stage in various productions at the Lyceum at Crewe) our beloved black Labrador Emmet and a very old gold fish. I can be a bit of a busy body at times too and was a vice chair at my son’s former primary school for a number of years and I am currently a member of the civilian committee at the Air Cadet Squadron in Nantwich. In order to keep fit I firstly have a Labrador to walk. I also like to get out in the fresh air on my mountain bike with great friends. I have done a few (slightly) epic things too such as a half marathon and coast to coast bike ride and will continue to tick off my bucket list. I’m also not a bad sailor and am a member of Nantwich and Border Counties sailing club but I struggle with other commitments to get there as much as I would like to. To relax. That’s simple a pint of good real ale and a packet of “proper” crisps, or a good glass of wine (Perhaps both?!)