Who? Zoe Fleetwood, partner and family solicitor at London family firm Dawson Cornwell.

Why is she in the news? Acted for a 14-year-old terminally ill girl who wanted her body to be preserved after her death, in case she could be cured in the future. The unnamed girl had written to the judge outlining her wishes, but her father objected to the plan.

Mr Justice Peter Jackson stressed the case was not about the ethics of cryonics but rather the dispute between parents about the disposal of their daughter’s body.

Thoughts on the case: 'I went to visit the girl in hospital when she had already prepared the letter. She was very determined, focused and clear and had researched what she wanted to do. It was an extremely unusual case and there has not been a case like it before the court.

'One of the father’s objections was "what it would be like for this girl if she was brought to life?" – these considerations were new.

'We were in court on 26 September and to have it concluded on 6 October was a very quick turnaround.

'It was an extremely unusual matter to handle. Quite often when dealing with children you break the ice by talking about school, but by the time I met her she was not going back to school.

'She needed an effective lawyer, not a counsellor or sympathiser. As with so many cases involving children you are moved by their circumstances but to be effective you have to be professional.'

Dealing with the media: 'I was made aware by Press Association there would be widespread coverage but I had not anticipated how wide it would be. I was in court on the morning of the story but I am pleased to see [the coverage] is sympathetic. The media have respected the girl’s wishes and respected her family.'

Why become a lawyer? 'I wish there was a more interesting answer to this but it was just that my sister was a lawyer and I followed in her footsteps. [Gazette: Who is the better lawyer?] That is one case I don’t want to argue!'

Career high: 'This case has been an absolute privilege to work on – what we achieved collectively in such an impressive process. It was nice that Mr Justice Peter Jackson was keen on how this was handled.'

Career low: 'Sadly as a family lawyer you are sometimes given a case with a set of circumstances that cannot be undone. That can be very difficult. Fundamentally you can’t always change what is a difficult situation.'

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