Legal founder launches arbitration practice

A leading family law arbitrator is launching a specialist practice dedicated exclusively to arbitration.

Lyn Ayrton, founder of Leeds-based Lake Legal, will undertake her arbitration work through Ayrton Arbitration Limited from September 1.

The move builds on more than 14 years developing her arbitration practice at the specialist family law firm she established in 2009.

Lyn was among the first lawyers in the country to qualify as a family arbitrator in 2012 and has since accepted appointments across England and Wales.

Her new venture will be one of only a handful of dedicated family arbitration practices operating nationally, working alongside solicitors, barristers, mediators and other family law professionals.

Lyn said: “My career with Lake Legal has been enormously rewarding, and I have enjoyed shaping its development from its earliest days. 

“Ayrton Arbitration is a natural next step, allowing me to develop a practice dedicated exclusively to arbitration at a time when there is increasing demand for high-quality non-court dispute resolution. 

“Arbitration offers families a private, flexible and efficient process, with decisions made by a specialist and timetables shaped around the needs of the case rather than the pressures of the court system. 

“I look forward to building on the relationships I have established over many years and to working with family law professionals across the country as this next chapter begins.”

Lake Legal will continue under the ownership of Claire Glaister, who took over the business in 2024.

Since then, the firm has expanded its team and recorded its highest turnover in its most recent financial year.

Its leadership was further strengthened when Hollie Burnett became a partner in September 2025.

Lake Legal also received The Legal 500’s Northern Powerhouse Award in March this year in recognition of its continued growth and contribution to the legal profession.

Claire added: “Having founded Lake Legal in 2009, Lyn was instrumental in its development and success. 

“We are proud of everything she has achieved and delighted to see her specialist arbitration practice develop through Ayrton Arbitration. 

“Although Lyn’s arbitration work will now be undertaken through her new practice, we look forward to continuing to support each other. 

“Our services are distinct, but we retain a shared commitment to the highest standards of family law and dispute resolution expertise.”

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