Women Solicitors Network Committee members

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Chair: Amandeep Khasriya

Amandeep Khasriya is vice chair of the network and a senior associate in the major trauma team at Moore Barlow.

She works exclusively for claimants in high-value, catastrophic personal injury and fatal accident cases.

Amandeep is founder of Women Back to Law and a co-opted member of the Law Society's Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee

She has worked on many projects promoting gender diversity, which include:

• speaking at the WSN menopause resource launch event
• researching into the impact of COVID-19 on women and ethnic groups
• presenting to Open University students on gender equality in the profession

She co-founded Moore Barlow's Women in Leadership group and the firm's diversity and inclusion committee.

She was a keynote speaker at the Diverse Law Legal conference on gender equality in 2020.

She has recently been recognised as a top 100 Future Leader in the INvolve HERoes Women Role Model List 2020.

Co-vice chair: Chantal Davies

Chantal Davies is a solicitor, professor of law, equality and diversity, and director of the Forum for Research into Equality and Diversity in the law school at the University of Chester.

She previously practised with Eversheds and headed up a legal enforcement unit at the Equal Opportunities Commission before moving into academia.

She has held a number of board positions providing expertise on equality, diversity and inclusion both locally and nationally.

Her research around gender equality and the use of positive action to address disadvantage and underrepresentation (with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Young Women's Trust) has fed into the development of national policy and guidance in this area.

Chantal is widely published and regularly presents on equality-related issues.

Co-vice chair: Elizabeth Turner

Liz Turner is in-house head of legal and compliance at Sophian Limited in Harrogate.

Liz has over 18 years of post-qualification experience and has spent seven years teaching property law to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Claire Bamber

Claire Bamber is senior adviser to London litigation at Debevoise & Plimpton, with a focus on strategy, business development, resource management and pastoral care.

She spent the early years of her career advising clients on Eastern European emerging markets M&A transactions, before leaving corporate law to work for the United Nations in a variety of legal and political roles in Geneva, Kosovo, Western Sahara and New York.

She returned to the UK in 2011, and has since taken on practice manager and senior adviser roles in private practice.

Claire is a member of the Association of Women Lawyers, Women in Law UK, and Debevoise & Plimpton’s strategy committee for the firm’s Women’s Resource Group.

Anita Gohilthorp

Anita is a former solicitor and legal recruitment specialist with two decades of experience coaching and mentoring lawyers. She is a professional executive coach, both running her own practice and working with Aspiring Solicitors, a leading diversity organisation that actively promotes diversity, equality and inclusion in the legal profession.

Anita has contributed with talks, coaching, training and facilitation at various law firms and organisations, in particular regarding business and career strategy, professional skills for lawyers, wellbeing and imposter syndrome.

She has been a guest on various podcasts including the WSN podcast on the topic of endometriosis, and for the Law Society blog talking about imposter syndrome.

Prior to her appointment to the WSN Committee, Anita was a trust-appointed school governor for six years and has spent over 10 years supporting local schools with career guidance. She has also established, and runs, networks including one for women in business where she provides a platform for developing confidence and their “voice”.

Stephanie Hartopp

Stephanie Hartopp is a local government solicitor specialising in childcare law.

She established and chairs her workplace women's staff network, which promotes equality, diversity and inclusion within local government.

Before qualifying as a solicitor, she worked in the violence against women and girls charity sector, supporting vulnerable clients and advocating for policy and legislative change.

In her spare time, Stephanie volunteers for a local charity supporting women at risk of sexual exploitation.

Neha Lugg

Neha Lugg is a senior legal trainer in the employment, immigration and reward team at Lewis Silkin.

She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and has provided input into the Women and Equalities Commission call for evidence on menopause and the workplace, which explores the extent of discrimination faced by those experiencing menopause while at work.

Neha frequently delivers training to clients on diversity, equity and inclusion issues, with a recent focus on the challenges organisations face around maintaining an inclusive culture as they implement a hybrid working model.

Helen Martin

Helen Martin is a senior associate in Stevens & Bolton’s finance, restructuring and insolvency team.

She is a member of the firm’s D&I committee and Women in Law sub-committee, with a particular focus on the firm’s commitment to the Women in Law pledge.

Helen is also a member of the Network of Women committee of the Turnaround Management Association.

Helen returned to private practice several years ago after taking a career break for family/caring reasons.

She is therefore particularly interested in encouraging and championing women returners, as well as looking at how the profession can evolve to be more inclusive and enable people of all genders to balance their careers with outside commitments and responsibilities.

Margaret Obi

Margaret Obi is an independent legal consultant. She specialises in advising on serious fraud and international crime.

She is also an independent reviewer, legal assessor and chair for various bodies. In 2018, she was appointed as a deputy High Court judge.

Shaid Parveen

Shaid is a qualified lawyer and was a former partner at a law firm. She is currently the associate dean for enterprise and external engagement (Aston Law School and School for Social Sciences and Humanities) at Aston University.

Shaid has extensive experience of teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses which have included vocational courses for lawyers and is the lead at Aston Law Clinic which provides business and commercial advice to entrepreneurs.

Shaid has extensive experience of working with executives to implement equality, diversity and inclusion as a practice and is the chair of the Birmingham Law Society, Race Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage (REACH) subcommittee.

Shaid holds a number of board positions and is a school governor.

Helena Shipman

Helena Shipman is a solicitor specialising in reputation, media and privacy disputes at Carter-Ruck.

She co-founded Carter-Ruck’s Women Who Inspire series of breakfast networking events.

In her spare time, Helena serves as an advisory governor to a London primary school.

Emma Sutcliffe

Emma Sutcliffe is a partner in the disputes team at Simmons & Simmons LLP in London.

She is the co-chair and founding member of the firm's women's network and a senior lead on the firm's gender balance committee.

Niresha Umaichelvam

Niresha Umaichelvam is a highly motivated and passionate community care and human rights solicitor advocate at Edwards Duthie Shamash, based in its central London office.

Niresha is committed to striving for equality and raising awareness through campaigning on issues affecting women.

She has experience of advocating and lobbying through both her legal and non-legal practice.

Niresha is a member of the Law Society’s Human Rights Committee, which focuses on human rights issues and upholding the rule of law.

She has a particular interest in campaigning for issues affecting women within under-represented and cultural contexts, driven by a desire of effecting change on a daily basis.