The ‘excellent and well polished' team at Collins Solicitors is led by Danielle Messenger, who advises on both private financial and children matters, and is praised by clients for her ability to ’creatively negotiate'. Donna Downes is an ‘outstanding solicitor who works tirelessly for her clients’, regularly handling highly complex, sensitive care proceedings involving honour based violence and non-accidental injuries.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Donna Downes is a very senior and experienced family lawyer. Her reputation with the courts and associated professionals is second to none. She provides excellent support in relation to case preparation and is always on top of the copious amounts of evidence produced in public law children proceedings.’

  • ‘Donna Downes is the go to solicitor for public law children cases in Hertfordshire. Her knowledge and experience of representing parties in cases involving children who have suffered non-accidental injury, death and neglect is second to none. Her representation of vulnerable parents and young people is second to none. She is collaborative when needed but always robust in putting the needs of her clients first. Her attention to detail is impressive but her case management is tempered by the human experience making her an outstanding lawyer.’

  • ‘An excellent and well polished family law team. Instructed by guardians in complex and difficult matters. I dedicated and hard-working set who has a good market share of public law proceedings.’

  • ‘Donna Downes is an outstanding solicitor who works tirelessly for her clients and has an excellent grasp of the legalities in the cases which she is involved. She has excellent contacts and respect with experts and is able to manage brilliantly the task of arranging experts and professionals to be trial ready. She is the shining gem of Collins family law.’

  • ‘Donna Downes is a formidable mentor and exceptional lawyer. She is committed to provide legal representation to protect children from significant harm such as honour based violence, child sexual abuse, non-accidental injury, gang violence, drug and alcohol addiction, physical and emotional abuse, neglect.'

  • 'Danielle Messenger is meticulous in her preparation and is highly regarded for her robust, calm and approachable manner. She is equipped to litigate on such matters or creatively negotiate the terms of settlement.’
  • ‘Danielle Messenger was excellent from start to finish. Very professional. Explained everything I didn’t understand very clearly. Was easy to get hold of and no issue to big or small. Went above and beyond and made sure no stone was ever unturned. Would highly recommend her for family court. ’

  • ‘Danielle Messenger was absolutely magnificent throughout and really helped me cope with a very complex divorce and supported me personally and professionally. She was efficient, quick, direct and very thorough making the process less stressful for me and concluded speedily.’

Lawyers

Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Danielle Messenger

Other key lawyers

Donna Downes