Watkins Solicitors is delighted to congratulate Emily Mitton, who has qualified as a solicitor after progressing from Paralegal through to qualification with the firm.

Emily was admitted as a solicitor on 4 September 2026 after completing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route. She will continue to work across Public Law and Human Rights and Family Law, building on the experience she has developed at Watkins over the past four years.

Emily joined Watkins in June 2022 as a Paralegal and began her training agreement in April 2023. Since then, she has supported clients through a wide range of difficult and complex legal issues, gaining experience across public law children proceedings, private children matters, international family work and Judicial Review.

Her qualification is an exciting next step for Emily, but also reflects something that is important to us as a firm: giving junior lawyers the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge, take on meaningful responsibility and build their careers within Watkins.

Developing experience across Public Law and Family Law

Emily initially spent much of her time working within our Family Law team, including on public law children proceedings before developing experience in private and international family matters.

Her work has included care proceedings where children have been successfully returned to the care of their parents, as well as private children cases involving parents seeking to establish or rebuild relationships with their children.

Since 2024, Emily has also increasingly developed her practice in Judicial Review and Public Law, working on challenges involving decisions and failures by local authorities and other public bodies.

Her recent work has included cases concerning children and young people who have been left without appropriate education or unable to access the provision they need.

One such matter involved a legal challenge to Cornwall Council’s proposed closure of residential provision at Pencalenick School. Emily prepared the initial draft of the pre-action letter challenging the decision, which was subsequently reversed, allowing the specialist residential provision to remain open for vulnerable pupils.

Emily has also been involved in Judicial Review cases concerning SEND transport and in matters where families have successfully secured specialist education or provision for children and young people.

A client involved in one such case praised Emily and the wider team for their commitment and support, describing them as “brilliant disability advocates”.

A commitment to access to justice

Access to justice has been a strong theme throughout Emily’s route into law.

Before changing careers, Emily studied Broadcast Journalism and worked on stories involving vulnerable and marginalised communities. She realised that she wanted to be more directly involved in supporting people through the issues they were experiencing, rather than simply reporting on them.

Emily subsequently completed a Master’s degree in Law at the University of Bristol, where she developed a particular interest in Human Rights and Public Law, including through involvement with the Human Rights Implementation Centre and Lawyers Without Borders.

She was particularly attracted to Legal Aid work and the opportunity to represent people who may otherwise struggle to access legal advice, especially where the consequences for an individual or family can be significant.

That commitment has continued throughout her work at Watkins in both Family and Public Law.

Qualifying through the SQE

Emily qualified through the SQE route, completing the required qualifying work experience at Watkins while studying independently alongside her role.

Emily said:

“I’m really pleased to have qualified and to be continuing my career at Watkins.

What I enjoy most about the work is getting to properly understand what is happening for a client and being able to help them through it. Both Family and Public Law can involve really difficult circumstances, but they also give you the opportunity to make a practical difference to somebody at a point when they really need support.

I’ve been lucky to get experience across both areas while training and I’m really looking forward to continuing that now I’ve qualified.

I’m also really excited about the way the Public Law team is developing and the opportunity to take on a broader range of cases as my experience grows.”

Beverley Watkins, Managing Partner, said:

“We are all incredibly pleased for Emily and very proud of what she has achieved.

Emily joined Watkins as a Paralegal and it has been lovely to see her develop through her training, take on increasing responsibility and now qualify as a solicitor.

She has a genuine commitment to access to justice and to supporting clients who are often facing very difficult circumstances. She has developed valuable experience across both Family and Public Law and brings a thoughtful, determined and compassionate approach to her work.

Emily will continue to be an important part of our Family Law work as well as developing her practice within our growing Public Law and Human Rights team, and I am very much looking forward to seeing her build her expertise and progress in the next stage of her career.”

Looking ahead

Emily will continue working within Watkins’ expanding Public Law and Human Rights team alongside Christopher White, Beatrice Morgan, Carina Rubino and Aryan Mishra, while also continuing her Family Law work with Beverley Watkins and the wider Family team.

Within Public Law, Emily is particularly interested in developing her work around discrimination, protected characteristics, inquests and strategic challenges involving wider policies or practices.

As the team grows, she is also keen to build relationships with charities, advice agencies, community organisations and barristers who encounter potential Public Law issues or who may be looking for solicitors able to support individuals and groups with challenges against public bodies.

This is an area of the practice that Watkins is continuing to develop, with the team looking to take on a broader range of cases involving human rights, equality and decisions by public authorities.

Emily’s qualification is another example of Watkins’ commitment to supporting junior lawyers to develop specialist careers within the firm, while ensuring clients continue to have access to knowledgeable, committed lawyers in areas where good legal representation can make a significant difference.

Everyone at Watkins Solicitors would like to congratulate Emily on this fantastic achievement and wish her every success in the next stage of her career.

For advice about challenging a decision or failure by a local authority or other public body, visit: www.watkinssolicitors.co.uk/site/services/public-law-and-human-rights/