Lancashire lawyer achieves top children’s accreditation

Vincents Solicitors’ lawyer Fahrat Unnisa has received her Children Law Accreditation from the Law Society. The UK’s highest quality standard and only awarded to those with significant experience in care proceedings, following a rigorous evaluation process.

Fahrat will now be able to represent children across Lancashire and the Fylde directly in legal proceedings, working alongside their court-appointed guardian to ensure their voices are heard.

Having worked in family law and care matters for more than 23 years, Fahrat is extremely familiar with the issues arising from the removal of children from their parents.

She said: “Working in child care law you are always looking out for the children’s best interests and demanding the very best from the adults in their life, be that their families or the authorities.

“Being Children Law accredited I will now be able to play that role even more effectively as the child’s direct legal representative advocating on their behalf, working alongside their Cafcass Guardian, social workers, foster parents and birth family to agree a care plan that ensures the best outcome for their future.”

Fahrat is one of just 11 Children Panel accredited solicitors in Preston and will work with fellow member Val Shaw, head of Vincents’ Child Care department, on expanding the firm’s service within the county.

Val, who has been accredited for 26 years, said: “Securing Children Law Panel accreditation is, rightly, an extremely tough process. Fahrat is an exemplary practitioner and has decades of experience in this field, and her achievement is very well deserved.

“With two fully accredited specialists now available, we have the capacity to double our Children Law work and help support many more young people across the county.

Fahrat joined Vincents Solicitors earlier this year along with experienced paralegal Erica Fielding. In addition to the Children Law cases, Fahrat works closely with victims of domestic abuse, providing both urgent and ongoing legal support.

She has developed strong links with refuges and victim support organisations, and is a member of the Family Law Advanced Panel for domestic violence and children.

As an Urdu and Punjabi speaker, Fahrat also supports families where English is not their first language to navigate the challenges of the legal system with all Family Law matters, in particular child care proceedings.