It was with enormous sadness we discovered that on 10th June 2018, Mari Meisel passed away suddenly.
Blair Allison celebrates its 40th anniversary of practice this year, and the name will forever be synonomous with Mari. Mari was with the firm from virtually the day it started, and although she retired from full-time practice 5 years ago, she continued her role as a consultant, right up until the point of her untimely death.
Mari’s reputation as one of the Midlands leading family lawyers was well earned. It was as a result of a combination of her fierce intellect, knowledge of the law, superb negotiating skills, and overwhelming desire to achieve the best result possible for the client. She was a fierce and brave litigator, unafraid of taking a hard line in negotiations, but at the same time being able to provide support and empathy to her clients.
The reputation of Blair Allison was built significantly on her skill as a lawyer and a leader. Mari had acute business acumen and it was no coincidence that the firm went from strength to strength under her leadership.
Mari was very well known in the Midlands legal community and built up connections and friendships that lasted throughout her career. She was instrumental in setting up the first West Midlands committee of the Solicitors Family Law Association (now known as Resolution).
In addition, she was one of the first lawyers to train as a mediator, again forming a consortium of West Midlands based mediators.
Those who worked alongside Mari, and indeed have continued in the firm after she retired, will never forget the enormous contribution that she has made to the success of the firm, and indeed the mark that she left upon the Birmingham legal community.
We miss her as a friend and a mentor.
The firm would also like to pass on our condolences to her family. Despite being at the very top of her profession, Mari had very clear priorities, and her family were always the priority.
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