A new face at Charles French

Friday 24th April, 2026

Kerys Deavin joined the Charles French family law team earlier this year, and her remit covers everything from divorce, separation and domestic abuse to child access and private adoptions.

Kerys’ experience in the field stretches back to her qualification in 1999. “Initially I combined it with criminal law, but when I got married and started my own family in 2003, I specialised - partly to avoid the 2am weekend phone calls,” she laughs.

“But I do find I really enjoy helping people in this field. When couples first come to me, they are often very distressed. Not many people are happy about getting divorced.

“I take a holistic approach – an empathetic ear - and point them to different agencies, such as their GP, therapy or mediation services. By the end of the process, they come through that difficult period and have taken a decision they can live with comfortably.”

Kerys arrived at Charles French in January, which has a reputation for a spike in divorce inquiries – even giving rise to National Divorce Day on January 5, and National Mediation Week at the end of the month.

But Kerys cautions: “It's a bit of a myth these days. Certainly when I started out, and Legal Aid was more widely available, we would come back from the festive break to find the answering machine full of messages. Christmas can be triggering, with family arguments and alcohol in the mix – and then there’s the New Year, new start attitude.

“But Legal Aid is less prevalent, meaning proceedings are no longer free, and money is tight after Christmas. While we do still get queries, the work has spread throughout the year – although we do still see spikes after holidays. My busiest time tends to be September to December after the six-week summer break, which can be equally difficult for people.”

If you are considering divorce, you’re not alone - approximately four in 10 marriages ended that way in 2023, with “no-fault” divorces introduced in 2022 to keep things simple where possible.

“We try and keep things as much as possible out of court, signposting clients to services like mediation that can help them,” said Kerys. “Court should be a last resort.” Her commitment to this approach has seen her on the committee of Resolution, a national organisation of lawyers who follow a code of conduct focused on amicable solutions, however challenging the problems.

It’s not always negative. Almost half of Kerys’ work is in arrangements like prenups and cohabiting agreements, which she views as similar to life or home insurance - especially in scenarios where one partner might have more assets than the other, or offspring from a previous marriage. “It’s really about planning and protection,” she says. “After you’ve signed it, you can put it at the bottom of your drawer and forget about it, but in the safe knowledge it’s there.”

Charles French offers an initial 30-minute consultation for free, after which couples can consider their options clearly, under no obligation to return. “Charles French appealed to me as a small family practice that puts client needs first, above fees,” says Kerys.

Hailing from a family of lawyers that has practised law in Cornwall since the mid 1950s, Charles French established his own firm in Truro in 2007. It now has eight directors and additional offices in St Austell and Newquay, covering areas from commercial property to wills, probate and trusts.

Charles French, Quayside House, Newham Road, Truro TR1 2DP.
Tel 01872 263813, www.charlesfrench.co.uk

Kerys is offering a 10% discount to Newham BID members requiring her services.