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Charity Mafuba talks to Jenine Abdo, Director/Solicitor, Family and Child Care Law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors Ltd, about her Legal Career and how she balances this with her Extracurricular positions and Family life.
Jenine, can you please briefly tell us about yourself?
I am Jenine Abdo, a Family and Child Care Solicitor/Director at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. Based in my hometown of Cardiff, servicing clients predominately in Wales and the South West. I sit on various boards/committees in conjunction with my day job which is a huge privilege to me as I have never wanted to just help those directly in my day job but as many people and organisations I can through the skills and knowledge I have acquired and worked hard for. I sit as a committee member for Show Racism the Red Card Wales, I am a school governor, a member of South Wales Family Law Resolution Committee and currently the EDI Officer for Cardiff and District Law Society as well as a Past President for Cardiff and District Law Society in 2022-2023. Most importantly I am Mummy to the greatest three little blessings; Zack, Sophia and Zara.
Your trained at Simpson Millar’s head office in Leeds, on the premise that upon qualification you would set up and build the Firm’s Family Law presence in Cardiff and across South Wales. What was that experience like for you?
I will forever be indebted to the then equity partners/owners of Simpson Millar. I spent nearly a decade at a fantastic Firm which supported, encouraged and trained me for the nearly decade I spent there. I had opportunities to work in Cardiff, Bristol and Leeds where I trained in Family Law. The Firm was run fantastically by Managing Partner at the time, Peter Watson and the network it allowed us employees at the time to access enabled me to start up the family law presence. It allowed me to initiate my own ideas, help train and employ others for my team, implement ideas and working practices and to also develop this intrinsic love of marketing and business development to help my legal practice. I was entrusted but also of course supervised by the then Head of the Family Department, Emma Pearmaine, who is not only an incredible Family practitioner, leader and business woman, as well as other qualified practitioners across the country.
I can still hear Emma’s advice and work/life lessons when I train others, as it felt like not only was she there to develop us as family practitioners but for the few younger ones like myself at the time, like a work Mum. I learnt so much whilst training in Leeds and then had the scope to also work and build what has helped me in good stead in my career to date; I was also very fortunate to meet peers across different disciplines and offices who I am still in touch and friends with to this day. I was however initially and still very much guided by a PI/Industrial Disease Lawyer called Phillip Gower who recruited me as a paralegal. He was the head of the Cardiff office and initially trained me as a paralegal in Industrial Disease/PI and it was he as my initial principal who supported all my marketing and business development ideas as well has help to secure additional funding for my training in Leeds whilst initially in Cardiff. I feel very lucky to have had that great golden period in my career.
What does your current role as Director of Family and Child Care Law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors Ltd. entail? And
My current role is one that enables me to run cases in which I am able to represent parents and also children in care proceedings; these proceedings are public children law proceedings where there has been intervention by Local Authorities in the lives of families and more often than not, removed and placed into the care system. Just to give an insight to the cases I deal with; these cases could range from neglect, physical chastisement, non-accidental injuries, sexual abuse, domestic violence and abuse and/or cases where there has been criminal activity undertaken by parents or carers, which have in turn had a detrimental effect on the children. I have only been in my new role for a few months, but I have really enjoyed learning more and having accessibility to cases regarding adoption too which I have wanted to build more experience with. The remit is to further build upon the regional presence I currently cover.
How do you manage your mental health and wellbeing given the area of law you practice.
In all honestly, work does not directly have an impact on my mental health, despite the traumatic and sometimes horrendous cases that I deal with. What it does do however, is make me hypersensitive, anxious and vigilant to how I live my everyday life whilst raising my own children. For example I am very anti sleepovers, who and where I leave my children with, on play dates and upon consideration of placing my children in out of school clubs. How I manage this is to discuss my worries with my husband, as well as parents who have and continue to ground me or my two sisters who take on the role of being my critical friends. So if I relay a concern they usually either rubbish my woes or back me. I am very lucky to have that support network which I do not take for granted. That keeps my mental health and anxiety stable.
You served as President and EDI Officer at the Cardiff District Law Society (CDLS) from November 2022-November 2023.
What were the highlights of your Presidency?
I still cannot believe that I became President of a Law Society let alone the one in a Society presiding over my hometown and district. I was one of the first females, the first of colour, the first who was pregnant and had a baby whilst serving my term and also the first who organically instigated the first of any Law Society to have an all-female line up of succession. I sometimes find myself thinking “how on earth have I got here…I did not even set out to have a career in law!” my childhood dream was to become a Doctor.
The greatest achievement has been initiating the setup of the EDI sub committees which are now up and running today, which members and non-members have access to. I have been involved, initiated and hosted so many events which I am so proud of – these have ranged from a Family Law Quiz to raise money for a local contact centre, a Society picnic, the annual dinner, to hate crime and unconscious bias talks, to international women’s day events and the first international men’s day event to name but a few. To have access and the ability to draw community members, organisations, charities and legal practitioners in from all aspects of the profession from the Judiciary right up to legal students has been incredible. The greatest opportunity was going to Antwerp because CDLS are always invited to the annual legal conference hosted by the Antwerp Bar. That was such a learning experience for me, meeting Presidents from different Law Societies across Europe and learning how the legal system works in Belgium for example, was just amazing.
What are some of the issues that you dealt with during your tenure?
I think the hardest part of any position is the politics involved, as there is in all walks and aspects of life. As a famous saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility and it was true in this position. The main aim was to service my legal community which I took very seriously; I wanted to ensure that those who sat on the committee, who were senior right through to the most junior, were involved as best as possible, as well as being on board to make sure that all member’s needs ranging from sole practitioners to the larger National Firm’s expectations were being met as best as possible, as well as servicing their respective needs. I wanted to keep the traditions and also modernise the Society, which I hoped my term helped make.
In life you have to make decisions which may not be popular or will please all, but you have to ensure that the decisions and thought process around them are discussed, explained and executed as best as possible. I had many key role replacements which had to take place during my Presidential term in office which is natural, and the changes were of course supported but that takes away attention and time from the actual role; those periods were hard as they were unexpected. Also my term was at the tail end of Covid when there had to be a balance struck to the new working world order to remote lifestyles versus also ensuring that opportunities were there for people to meet in person whilst still being mindful that there was apprehension involved. I think my biggest regret, which was out of my hands, is that the term was only a 12 month period. I think a lot more could be done within an 18 month term.
You are and were a Committee Member on the following committees;
Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC), Wales. Can you please tell us about this Charity?
In 2012 I became a volunteer for the Charity; in short I approached the Charity at the Trade Union Conference Wales and informed them that I wanted to raise money for them. I then approached my then Firm, Simpson Millar and as a Paralegal at the time had their support and agreement to sponsor a black tie event. This led to three black tie events being organised and nearly £30,000 raised. The reason why I wanted to help this Charity was because this was an anti-racism Charity; its work in main is to attend Schools and to help teach young people about racism and discrimination. Initially their ethos was to use the medium of Sport, particularly football as it was a professional footballer at the time Shaka Hislop who set up the Charity nearly 30 years ago, but now the Charity has diversified by using the medium of music and arts and crafts to do so as well. The Charity also works and trains adults on topics of anti-racism, discrimination, unconscious bias, integration and also where appropriate secures funding for research topics and also in turn at times challenges the Government.
You received an award for your dedication and commitment to the Charity and were inducted into the Charity’s Hall of Fame.
To be invited and in turn be inducted into the SRTRC Hall of Fame in Westminster was surreal. I never knew, let alone had the incentive, that this was a possibility. My goal has always been to provide a voice and to use the skill set and knowledge I have fought so hard to achieve to help others. That is what motivates me and that is my personal measure of success. I believe in Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice and I will forever commit and dedicate my time to try and achieve this. So to have been presented with this award by John Bercow, who served as Speaker of the House of Commons at the time, was a personal and professional highlight for me.
South Wales (Family) Resolution Committee. Can you please tell us about the committee and the work you do?
Resolution is a membership organisation for Family Justice professionals across England and Wales. It is made up of family justice practitioners who agree to work and commit an approach to their work in a non-confrontational way. Resolution is a membership based organisation and there are various regional committees to help support the national Resolution committee. I became a member of Resolution when I embarked upon my Family Law training seat. Upon qualification in Family Law, I then joined my local Resolution committee group and helped set up South Wales Young Resolution network and in conjunction sat on the main South Wales regional committee which is currently Chaired by my family law peer and friend Belinda Moseley. The purpose of regional committees are to help facilitate and feed into the national committee and its principles by servicing its respective geographical members. Resolution provides its members with the opportunity to access legal training, networking opportunities, resources and also lobby’s the government for a fairer family justice system.
I have during the course of the last few years helped initiate and organise events on behalf of South Wales Resolution and also in conjunction with Cardiff and District Law Society. This has included organising a Quiz to raise funds for a local Cardiff Contact Centre and also organising the largest attended event in both Cardiff and District Law Society and South Wales Resolution history which discussed the Transparency reporting which was to take place at Cardiff Family Court; Cardiff was one of three Courts to pilot, which allowed accredited journalist and legal bloggers to report on what they see and hear initially in Children related cases before Judges. This of course in turn caused apprehension amongst practitioners within the area and so a talk about how the practicalities would work, was key to hold and provide. The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane who had initiated and overseen the reporting pilot was invited to give a talk on Transparency within the Family Courts. I always urge those who have an interest or are practising family law to join Resolution and to get on and involved within your local committees.
You served as Independent School Governor at Howells School Llandaff, Cardiff from February 2019 to November 2024.
Can you please tell us about the work you did during your tenure? And What was your experience like serving as Governor at the Secondary School you once attended?
Becoming a Governor was totally unexpected, let alone being invited to be a school Governor at the secondary school I had attended and had once upon a time been awarded a form of scholarship to attend. I always had an insight growing up knowing the importance of such a role as my Father spent 28 years as a School Governor at the Primary School my siblings and I attended. It was therefore an honour and a privilege to have spent approximately six years on the School Governing Board at a school I attended and whilst the school was under the of the reign of the most innovative and dedicated head teacher, Sally Davies, I have known together as part of a team including the School Governing Board Chair, Sue Thomas (who is also a Cardiff Family Law Magistrate) who was the most organised, caring and professional Chair. I loved being a part of decisions which impacted upon the education of predominately Girls and in turn upon the next generation. I really enjoyed being a critical friend to the school, being a part of and involved in discussions regarding events, admissions, safeguarding, finances and in conjunction and meeting with students or attending the grand events like the annual Christmas Carol Service of end of school year concerts. The school is all girls from the age of 3 to 16 and then mixed from 16-18 in the college. It taught me how Boards can formally and professionally work, and this has now led me to be a Parent School Governor at my children’s state Primary School in the hope I can bring working practice suggestions, my combined skills and a different perspective during my term as School Governor there.
How have you balanced your work commitments and extracurricular positions with your home and family life?
It is not easy to balance work and personal life commitments at all, but I absolutely try and do my best. I was very fortunate that very early on in my career I focused on working hard, making the contacts and trying to get lots of legal experience and exposure under my belt to lay down the foundations to build on the career which I have to date. However, I do not think or believe that the scale is ever equal; it is of course a balancing act and one in which I try my hardest to ensure there is, as best an equilibrium as possible. I think the working world has come a long way, in great part due to Covid, which has enabled flexible/remote options, which have in turn benefitted family life or other personal commitments, like that of caring duties or disabilities. At times the scale may tilt more heavily one way more than the other and then the other. I think sacrifices have had to be made too in that I don’t have much of a social life like I used to, or just simply watch television as that time is used for either chores, extracurricular commitments or spending time with my children and facilitating their hobbies.
I also have a very hands on husband and communication is key, and we are flexible yet follow a loose structure when it comes to navigating work life with the children as he has a very busy day job too. We spend most of our weekends ensuring the children attend their social clubs. We also have a large network of family who help look after the children. I also have one day a week off to enable me to take the pre-school children out and pick up my eldest from school. I am fortunate to have been a part of Firms who have been supportive of the networks and boards that I sit on, so work time has been dedicated to day time sessions and if board commitments land in the evenings, then I can try and ensure my husband is home, or if not, my family can help. So it’s a constant juggle but the benefits far outweigh the cons. Retirement and rest will no doubt be here before I know it so I have to make the most of living the life I love, working hard and using my craft/skills to help others whilst I can.
What does the future hold for Jenine?
This is a question I get asked a lot as I have done a lot in a short space of time-given the fact that I am only 10 years PQE. The answer is I really do not know as I have never planned my career or legal journey to date but have seized every opportunity. I most definitely however know that I would like to build upon my legal knowledge and experience by diversifying my practice. There are other aspects of Family Law that I would like to gain experience in, and in turn provide services for, like that of forced marriage, adoption and fertility law. I also have aspirations of one day broadening my skill set to train as a mediator. So that is where I most definitely see my legal future practitioner wise. With everything else on the peripheral, who knows, I am just very grateful for my personal journey to date.
Jenine Abdo
Director/Solicitor, Family and Child Care Law
Duncan Lewis Solicitors Ltd.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenine-abdo-bab54619/
May 2025
Interviewed by Charity Mafuba
Commissioning Editor,
Solicitor (England and Wales), New York Attorney