A RESPECTED solicitor has left a Northwich firm after almost two decades.

Jane Williamson qualified as a solicitor in 1981.

She joined Susan Howarth and Co Solicitors in 2000 as a co-partner and has remained there ever since.

After 17 years, she has decided to retire from full time private practice to concentrate on judicial work.

Jane said: “I am looking forward to being able to do more tribunal work sitting in different parts of the country as well as having just a little more free time.

“Inevitably I will miss colleagues who have become friends after so many years working together and of course all the staff I’m leaving behind at Susan Howarth and Co Solicitors.

“I know the calibre of the solicitors in the child care department there is very high and so I firmly believe the firm will continue to go from strength to strength as they continue to offer a caring and highly competent service to our clients .”

Jane has been a member of the Law Society’s Child Care Panel since its inception and has been involved in the training of health visitors and social workers in courtroom skills.

She also developed an interest in education law and is the current vice-chairman of the corporation of governors at Mid-Cheshire College.

Jane was one of the first 12 tribunal judges to be appointed to sit on the special education needs tribunal in 1993 and has continued that work ever since, including now being a member of the specialist Disability Discrimination panel.

Jane extended her tribunal work when she joined the social security tribunal and more recently the mental health tribunal.

It was this increasing interest in her judicial work that led Jane to retire from full time private practice to focus on this work.

Susan Howarth said: "Having known and worked with Jane in the legal sector since the early 1990’s and as a partner in Susan Howarth and Co since 2000, I have throughout been impressed by her personable nature, depth of legal knowledge, professionalism and her sense of dedication to duty and hard work .

“She has been a massive asset to the firm over the years and those of us left behind at Susan Howarth and Co will sorely miss her.”