Dianne Skidmore

I qualified as a solicitor in 1994 and spent over 20 years in private practice specialising in family law, undertaking divorce and ancillary relief matters, domestic violence work, private law Children Act as well as public law proceedings. I became a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel and progressed to become a partner and Head of the Family Law team having responsibility for growing and developing the department and providing complex legal advice on family matters across 8 offices.

I moved into legal education in 2007 teaching on the undergraduate programmes in the law school and Business school at Huddersfield University. In 2014 I became an Apprenticeship tutor delivering Higher Level Legal Apprenticeships and gaining significant experience supporting learners both academically and pastorally in the workplace and establishing external partnerships. More recently I have worked in the Family Courts at the Civil Justice Centre in Manchester providing legal advice and training to the Magistrates to assist them to evaluate evidence and formulate the reasons for legal decisions also advising all parties at court on points of law, practice, and procedure.

I maintain close links with legal practice and I am a member of the Association of Women Solicitors.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• LLB (Hons)
• PGCE
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Apprentice Assessor Award
• Certificate in Leading Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment
• Solicitor (non-practising)

I primarily teach family law, both at undergraduate level and on the Legal Practice Course. My expertise lies in Children Act proceedings, both private and public law, and undertaking advocacy within the family courts as well as client care skills and professional skills.