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Two New Advocates for Crill Canavan
Two members of the litigation team at Crill Canavan have been successful in passing their Jersey advocate exams. Clare Nicolle and Kathryn Purkis had to sit papers in six different subjects and had to show that they understand documents in Jersey legal French. They are now qualified to represent their clients in court and take their cases to trial. The two women have taken very different paths to become qualified Jersey advocates.
Clare Nicolle was a Beaulieu student and gained an ICSA qualification before deciding to undertake a law conversion and certificate in legal practice (LPC) at Exeter University. “I was a bursary student with Crill Canavan while studying and spent time working in the litigation department during the holidays” she said. “After my course I started as a legal assistant and began preparing for the exams in January 2005.”
Kathryn Purkis joined Crill Canavan in 2005 after practising for 13 years in London as a tenant at Serle Court barristers’ chambers where she undertook advisory work and litigation in real property, wills and trusts, and commercial fraud. She said: “I’m from South Africa originally and it was there I did my first two degrees; an undergraduate BA in English and political science, and a graduate degree in political science, both at the University of Cape Town. In 1988, I went to the UK and read for a BA(Hons) in jurisprudence at Balliol College, Oxford. From there I went to bar school, was called to the bar by Lincoln's Inn, did my pupillage, and started practice at the Chancery Bar in 1992. Moving to Jersey was a big step, but I’m really enjoying it, especially walking my two Labradors in the beautiful countryside.”
Dionne Gilbert, Advocate and Partner at Crill Canavan, commented: “Our litigation team has always distinguished itself through the high quality of its staff and we are really excited to be strengthened by the successes of Clare and Kathryn. Both bring experience to the team and will be valuable resources - we are looking forward to seeing them representing the firm in court.”