Jenna Atkinson
Associate Solicitor
Divorce & Family LawJenna is an Associate Solicitor in the family team. She joined Harrison Drury in May 2019 after working at another firm in Lancashire.
Jenna completed her academic training, the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Manchester following three years in the North East completing her law degree at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne after receiving an excellence scholarship to study there. Jenna qualified as a solicitor in June 2015.
Jenna’s role includes advising clients on divorce, matrimonial finances, domestic abuse and making arrangements for the children following separation. Jenna is a member of Resolution, which is a body of professionals that advocates resolving family matters in a compassionate, constructive and conciliatory way. She is also Resolution accredited in matrimonial finance and children matters.
Jenna has extensive experience in children cases and financial matters. Jenna approaches her cases in a pragmatic way and advocates trying to resolve matters by negotiation, with Court proceedings only being issued where necessary to ensure matters can be resolved in a conciliatory and cost-effective way. Jenna can also offer advice on cohabitation agreements, separation agreements, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Jenna has a great working relationship with other professionals, such as barristers, actuaries and accountants, to ensure each client receives the best possible outcome.
Jenna really cares about making a difference to clients when they are faced with trying to resolve complex children matters and really wants parents to have close relationships with their children as parents for many have such a vital role in our lives. One of the most rewarding parts of the job for Jenna is helping a parent to achieve this and helping them through such a difficult time. Jenna also really cares about helping someone through what can often be one of the most vulnerable and upsetting times during a separation in a divorce. Seeing a difference from someone at the start of a case to the end and helping that person is what Jenna is really passionate about and one of the main reasons she chose to specialise in this area of law. Jenna will take time to get to know clients, making sure that every client feels cared for and listened to.
Notable cases recently include acting for clients within the football industry in both financial matters and arrangements for the children.
Jenna is also a trustee at Endeavour, which is a local charity in Bolton that specialises in helping people going through domestic abuse. Jenna is also an ambassador for Women in the Law UK.
Jenna won the Outstanding Woman in Law award at the Bolton Women in Business Awards 2023, Captain Kindness at the Freshies 2023 and a national finalist for the Resolution Awards in 2023 in the Community Champion category. She was also named as one of Lancashire Business View’s Sub 36’s “Ones to Watch” which recognises some of the county’s most talented people under 36.
Outside of work you can find me…
Outside of work, Jenna enjoys spending her time with her family, friends and her two babies – one fur Dolly and one human George. Jenna enjoys travelling and seeing the world (when time allows) and a glass of Rose.
Jenna also likes to do a lot of charity work for local causes such as Bolton Hospice, Bolton Wanderers in the Community, Endeavour and also helping with local community projects. Jenna recently took part in a sleepout raising thousands of pounds for Bolton Wanderers in the Community projects and also recently fund-raised for Our Bolton NHS to raise enough funds for a new tv/gaming cart on the childrens ward at Bolton Hospital.
Jenna also set up the “Be a Little Kinder” Campaign at the beginning of 2020 which has gained local and national press. The idea of the campaign is to surprise at least one person a week with a random act of kindness to create a ripple effect of kindness towards each other and encouraging people to just be that little bit kinder as you never know how much that may make a difference to someone.
Awards and Rankings
Harrison Drury is ranked by leading independent guide to the UK’s top legal firms and solicitors, Legal 500.
The guide highlights the solicitors who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to clients and we are ranked across our range of practice areas and people.