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Management Committee

Dr. Paul Chiy, BSc (Hons), LLB (Hons), MSc, LLM, PhD, FCIArb, FCILEx

Chairperson

Dr. Paul Chiy is a Barrister, Arbitrator, Solicitor-Advocate, Chartered Legal Executive, and Academic with over 18 years of legal experience. He holds full rights of audience before all courts and tribunals in England, Wales, France, and the Central African region. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

His sextuple qualifications and quintuple practice as a Barrister, Solicitor-Advocate, Arbitrator, Chartered Legal Executive, and Academic, together with his appointment as a former Lay Magistrate (retained on the Lord Chancellor’s Supplementary List), enables him to engage across the legal profession with barristers, solicitors, legal executives, mediators, arbitrators, and the judiciary, with direct knowledge and experience of the professional challenges they face.
Dr. Chiy has advised departments of His Majesty’s Government, regulatory bodies, and private corporations. His extensive experience across public, regulatory, and commercial sectors enables him to deliver advice that is not only legally sound but also informed by a deep understanding of the practical realities his lay and professional clients face. He appears regularly in courts and tribunals across England and Wales, representing both claimants and defendants. He is the Chair of the Association of Qualified Legal Representative, comprising Barristers, Solicitors, Advocate and Chartered Legal Executives appointed by the Court to conduct cross examination on behalf of prohibited parties.

His practice is based on a solid academic and research foundation at the University of Cambridge and the University of Wales.

Elizabeth Bowden

Elizabeth’s passion is helping people find solutions. She has been acting as a QLR almost since the scheme was enacted, she knows first-hand the problems QLRs face both in court and through the scheme’s administration. Elizabeth is keen to drive change and provide guidance and support to QLR members through the AQLR.

Elizabeth is a barrister (her practice encompasses family and civil work), a qualified mediator and a volunteer adjudicator for Guide Dogs

Peter Causton

Peter Causton is a barrister at 7 Harrington Street Chambers and Whitestone Chambers. He is a mediator and Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council and set up ProMediate which is a mediation provider. He also set up the UK Association of Fee Paid Judges. Peter was formerly also a solicitor and was Law Society Council Member for Civil Litigation. He also works as a qualified legal representative.

Maureen Obi-Ezekpazu

As a seasoned barrister and solicitor with over 30 years of experience in family law, Maureen Obi-Ezekpazu is a respected and fearless advocate known for her integrity and dedication to her clients. Called to the Bar in 2008 and previously admitted as a solicitor in 1991, she has developed a specialization in complex family law cases, including children law, human rights, adoption, international child law, and public law proceedings.

With a strong commitment to providing high-quality, legally aided representation, Maureen has built a reputation for her expertise and passion for advocating on behalf of vulnerable individuals and families. She also provides pro bono advice to those in need, demonstrating her commitment to access to justice for all.

Unwavering in her pursuit of justice, Maureen is unafraid to challenge unfair decisions in the appellate courts, ensuring that her clients receive the advocacy and representation they deserve. As an author and mother of three, she brings a unique perspective and understanding to her work.

Maureen pushes for and advocates for a trauma-informed legal process, elevating the legal system to one that is fair, equitable, and just. She empowers those who use it to find solutions themselves, recognizing the importance of autonomy and self-determination in the pursuit of justice.

A valued member of the Association of Qualified Legal Representatives, Maureen’s expertise and experience make her a trusted advocate for her clients and a respected colleague in the legal profession.

Ranjit Kaur

Ranjit Kaur is a solicitor, based in West Yorkshire, admitted in 2009, with a background in criminal and family law. Ranjit’s early practice began in the North West and included VHCC cases, white collar crime, judicial review, habeas corpus, and prison law. Her notable case is that of Osborn v SSJ [2013] UKSC 61 (on appeal from: [2010] EWCA Civ 1409; [2011] NICA 6). Ranjit represented the applicant, Osborn, from the outset of litigation in 2009. Ranjit has extensive experience with local authorities as a childcare solicitor and has held the role of Head of Family in private practice.

Ranjit is a qualified mediator and teacher of higher education.

For the past ten years, Ranjit has specialised in family law,  focusIng on legal aid and domestic abuse cases.  Ranjit works as a qualified legal representative

Damien Dobson LLB (Hons)

Damien Dobson is a Solicitor and Director at JWP Solicitors in West Yorkshire, admitted in 2008, with a background in Family, Childcare, Adult Care and Mental Health Law.  

Damien is an Accredited member of the Law Society Children Panel and represents Local Authorities, children, parents and grandparents in the Family and High Courts. He’s also a specialist in the field of adoption breakdown, often representing adoptive parents in care proceedings.  

Damien is a Qualified Legal Representative and member of the Association of Qualified Legal Representatives.  

Lesley Landsberg

Lesley Landsberg is a director / solicitor at Enfield Family Law Ltd, a firm specialising in family law and in particular children matters, both private law and public law, and domestic abuse.

A strong believer in the right to a fair trial, Lesley became extremely concerned when Legal Aid was limited in 2013 leaving many vulnerable parents without the right to legal representation in children disputes. When the QLR system was introduced in 2022, she was one of the first to sign up.

Lesley is a strong advocate always striving for evidence to be tested in the courts to achieve the best outcome for both victims of domestic violence and children.