THE MERRICK TEAM

HERE TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER YOU

AMANDA MERRICK

Candid – Committed – Passionate

Amanda qualified in 1989, a time when fax machines were all the rage and word processors were beginning to threaten the existence of carbon paper and typewriters; a time of access to justice for all but a few.
Not long after starting her career as a property lawyer she was introduced to family work and quickly embraced the challenge of resolving personal and often complex issues. Those years of commercial experience have served to enhance a solution-focused approach to dispute resolution in her sole area of practice.
Amanda’s a big-hearted, one-woman Northern Powerhouse with a wealth of experience. She thrives on the challenges that come with the ‘bigger money’ cases but her love of family law remains rooted in the belief that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances the concerns are, in essence, the same – your family and your future.
Change for the better in a fast-moving world is part of Amanda’s DNA. Although since 2005 she has focused on complex, high net worth family litigation both in the UK and overseas, she retains a long-held passion for the law and access to justice ensuring that Merrick remains committed to doing social good.
Amanda is backed by a team that allows her to focus on helping clients, ensuring a service that’s rigorous and responsive to individual needs.

PAUL ARROWSMITH

Paul is the Financial Controller at Merrick and brings considerable experience to his role.
Before heading up finance at Merrick, he was an accountant for 25 years and then part of the management team of a multi-million-pound company. He has successfully crossed over from practice to industry and now to the legal profession which means he works and contributes beyond the traditional accountancy role. Areas like marketing, IT and operations at Merrick all benefit from his wider business nous.
Paul says he is inspired by owner Amanda’s energy and vision for the future of family law and is excited to play his part in helping to grow the firm.

HEATHER WAIGHT

Heather Waight is our Practice Manager.
Heather joined Merrick in 2018 as a Practice Manager with a brief to help the company grow. She has 20-plus years of experience in executive assistant and office management roles and is responsible for areas as diverse as the law firm’s legal compliance, IT systems, recruitment procedures and staff welfare.
Heather became Practice Manager after previously working for international executive searchers, a debt recovery agency, solicitors and civil engineers.  The role at Merrick requires Heather to be extremely organised, committed and approachable to the staff.  Heather has achieved plenty whilst at Merrick; the biggest challenge being setting up and supporting the staff in working from home during the Pandemic.  She has also upgraded the company IT system onto the cloud and planned an office move.  Heather’s current project is helping the business achieve a paperless way of working.

MOLLY SOUTER

Molly Souter team photo

Molly Souter is an Associate Solicitor at Merrick.
Molly first joined Merrick in 2016, shortly after graduating from Newcastle University with a Law Degree and a keen interest in Family.
After gaining some valuable experience with the team, she went travelling in America and then completed her LPC at BPP University in Manchester.
Molly joined a high street firm as a paralegal in their family department in 2019 and completed her training contract with the firm.
She re-joined Merrick in 2021, qualified as a Solicitor in 2022 and achieved her two years PQE (post qualified experience) in January 2024.
With over 7 years’ working in the family law sphere, Molly has experience in a wide range of family matters including divorce, finances, applications for non-molestation and occupation orders, and children disputes.
Molly has dealings with clients from all different walks of life, including High Net Worth individuals and those in need of support under our #AccessUs scheme. Molly delivers practical and empathetic advice, and understands how stressful family breakdowns can be; she is committed to ensuring that clients feel supported every step of the way.

THE ADVICE IS ALWAYS WELL BALANCED AND REALISTIC.

I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. AMANDA MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE HER ONLY CLIENT AND HOLDS YOUR HAND TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH