Shaili joined Burgess Mee in December 2021 as a newly qualified solicitor and was promoted to Associate in October 2024.  

She advises on a wide range of modern family issues, such as domestic and international surrogacy matters and sperm donor agreements. She represented the intended parents in the reported case of Re Z (Surrogacy: Step-parent Adoption)[2024] EWFC 20 (30 January 2024) which has been nominated for Family Law Case of the Year 2024. She is on the My Surrogacy Journey directory of legal advisors.  

Shaili also regularly advises clients on complex financial disputes on divorce and private children matters, including issues pertaining to foreign nationals and business structures. As a member of Resolution, she promotes a constructive and non-confrontational approach to family law cases.

"Shaili has been an extraordinary support and critical ally through what has been a complex and at times emotionally charged divorce. Her guidance has been first rate, so much so that I have begun to rely on it to a similar degree to that of her equally impressive Partner. She has provided steady, compassionate advice at times when the whole process has appeared overwhelming. Step by step we are making progress to an agreement and I find it difficult to imagine we would have gotten nearly so far without Shaili's hard work and diligence." Client Testimonial (2024)

Shaili is a respected legal commentator, writing for publications such as the Financial Times, Solicitors Journal, The Review and Lexis Nexis:

• Platonic surrogacy in light of the landmark High Court ruling: new family forms (X & Anor v B & Anor [2022]) – published 30 October 2023: https://www.solicitorsjournal.com/sjarticle/platonic-surrogacy-in-light-of-the-landmark-high-court-ruling-new-family-forms.    

• Securing legal parenthood following a surrogacy arrangement (E v R and others [2024]) – published 26 January 2024: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/news/securing-legal-parenthood-following-a-surrogacy-arrangement-e-v-r-others.

• The use of human rights law in reading down adoption legislation (Re H (Step-Parent Adoption: Human Rights [2023]) – published 14 February 2024: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/news/the-use-of-human-rights-law-in-reading-down-adoption-legislation-re-h-step-parent-adoption-human.

• Parental order made in favour of applicants who were already legal parents of adopted child (FG and another v IJ and others (Secretary of State for the Department of Education intervening)) – published 9 May 2024: https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/news/parental-order-made-in-favour-of-applicants-who-were-already-legal-parents-of-adopted-child-fg-and.    

• Can I make my out-of-work ex-husband pay maintenance? – published on 30 October 2024: https://www.ft.com/content/96e97bf9-e62d-4830-9038-450d29012f55.    

Having read Law at the University of Warwick, Shaili went on to obtain a distinction in her masters in alternative dispute resolution in family law at the University of Law. She also worked at prestigious institutions, including the Ministry of Justice and an international law firm in Beijing, before coming to Burgess Mee.

In her spare time, Shaili is an avid follower of the American political scene and is passionate about women’s reproductive rights.  

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