Ruth Hawkins is a founding partner of Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP.
Ruth qualified as a solicitor in 1997. She has been a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel since 2005, and her legal work involves specialising in childcare work and complex children cases.
Ruth also became a family mediator in 2012 and mediates in all areas of family disputes including children and financial disputes. This allows her to use her vast experience in childcare law and child development, in her mediation practice. She is now Accredited by the Law Society in family mediation and is a trained child inclusive mediator.
Ruth has undertaken the What about Henry Course on child development. https://www.onlymums.org/what-about-henry
In her Legal practice, Ruth specialises in acting for children, parents and family members, grandparents and aunts and uncles in court proceedings including care proceedings, children law disputes, adoption and wardship. Ruth is able to represent children and young people in court proceedings, either with their court appointed Guardians or separately represent them where appropriate.
As well as being a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel, Ruth is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and Resolution. Ruth is also a Family Law Panel member https://thefamilylawpanel.org/ through Only Mums/Only Dads and provides assistance through that scheme and is also a regular contributor to their publications.
Ruth leads the firm’s community and charity involvement, both locally and nationally. Ruth is a Trustee of Abingdon Carousel, the Children’s Centre in Abingdon, and is a passionate advocate for community services, especially for those more vulnerable members of the community.
She is rated in Chambers & Partners as a key individual.
“Ruth is an extremely calm and reasonable adviser who always gives sensible advice.”
“Ruth is my go-to for children work regarding guardians”
“Ruth is approachable, professional and knowledgeable.”
Legal 500 notes that “Ruth Hawkins goes to great lengths to meet the needs of clients in complex private law matters. She excels in seeing a case from the client’s point of view and accordingly goes the extra mile.”
Ruth prides herself in acting for her clients in a humane compassionate way, and is well regarded for her problem-solving approach. Both as a solicitor and mediator she is keen to look for solutions.
Ruth is especially keen to use her skills and experience to develop her mediation practice and help couples and parents to find better ways of resolving the issues that arise upon separation. She has a growing reputation for enabling couples she mediates with to think creatively about solutions, and focus especially on their children’s needs.
Ruth has undertaken the Only Mums & Dads What About Henry training, and also training in Neurodiversity and Neuro-divergency, Understanding Trauma, Talking and listening to children, and Engaging with Fathers.