Lyana accepts membership at Unit Chambers

As one of the most likeable solicitors in the North West, Lyana Chan is a fantastic member of the Unit Chambers team and brings a wide range of experience and expertise in all aspects of family law. Lyana has a fantastic ability to communicate with lay and professional clients. She is a strategic thinker and has an outstanding ability to think of alternative solutions to problems. During her pupillage, Lyana has developed key strengths in preparing core documents required for the court process. In addition she has finessed her advocacy skills, with a particular focus on cross-examination, to ensure her clients’ interests and rights are fairly and properly represented. Under the supervision of the experienced Unit Chambers barristers, Lyana has stood out as an effective and passionate advocate with outstanding skills in legal research and case preparation.

Prior to joining Unit Chambers, Lyana was a practising solicitor, working in-house with Knowsley Council in the Child Protection Team (CPT).  She completed the majority of her training contract with Gamlins Solicitors based in North Wales in 2005 and transferred the last three months over to the Council, where she qualified into CPT. Lyana has an in-depth and dynamic knowledge of the workings of local authority children’s services having worked as part of the child protection and adult social services team of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council for the past 14 years.

CEO and Senior Consultant Barrister, Lisa Edmunds, said, “Lyana has been an outstanding pupil and I have no doubt that she will make a brilliant Consultant Barrister. She is already an accomplished advocate and her attention to detail and work ethic  is second to none. Lyana has already made a flying start and we are delighted that she has accepted membership at Unit Chambers.”

Here’s a reflection from Lyana on her time thus far at Unit Chambers,

“So, my pupillage has reached its conclusion…I am officially a Consultant Barrister with Unit Chambers! I can’t quite believe how fast the last six months have passed; no doubt a sign of how much I have enjoyed myself! It has been hard work and challenging at times, especially when I have been juggling training with ensuring that I remain present and available for my young family, but it has been possible, made easier with the continued support from Lisa and the rest of team at Unit Chambers. 

During pupillage I have been exposed to many different aspects of family law, and although I am an experienced practitioner, becoming an advocate is a different playing field and there is still so much to learn, but I am ready and willing. There are always new things to learn and grapple with, this is a fast-paced area of law which never stops evolving and therefore our role as barristers needs to reflect this. I have been fortunate to take part in the fortnightly pupil education sessions, in addition to joining online training seminars, which pupils are always encouraged to avail themselves to. I very much enjoyed the education webinar which Unit Chambers hosted a few months ago for which the barristers and pupils gave a 3-minute thesis on a chosen topic of interest and I am looking forward to similar events in the future. 

My diary since getting on my feet has been filled with lots of interesting and challenging cases, which have included straightforward directions hearings to a month-long fact finding hearing in private law proceedings and responding to a recusal application on behalf of a local authority before the high court.  I have a busy diary over the next few weeks and months, but the amount of work is well-balanced to ensure that I have sufficient preparation time and also importantly, down time, which is imperative for ensuring we are the best versions of ourselves when at work.

The pupillage programme at Unit Chambers is second to none and I feel very privileged to have been a member of the original pupil intake and to be chamber’s first pupil to accept membership.”