Bermudian lawyers Juliana Snelling and Paul Harshaw are joining forces to launch a new law firm.Ms Snelling is branching out on her own after a shake up of the legal community which saw several senior partners leave Mello Jones & Martin, including senior and founding partner Michael Mello QC and former attorney general Saul Froomkin OBE, QC.Mr Mello said he is currently considering a number of offers of employment from other law firms and planned to be back in practice by mid-March.He is also working on the 7th Edition of his book, The Law of Wills & Estates In Bermuda.After 20 years with MJM, Mr Froomkin has joined ISIS Law, where he leads the firm’s litigation department.Ms Snelling resigned from MJM effective January 31 after 16 years with the firm. She was the firm’s second female partner ever.Ms Snelling, who declined to comment on her departure from MJM, said she and Mr Harshaw have decided to start a boutique litigation law firm called Canterbury Law Ltd.Mr Harshaw is the founder of Harshaw and Co. He will become co-director of the new Canterbury Law with Ms Snelling when it commences business on March 1.During the month of February, Ms Snelling said she will act as consultant to Harshaw & Co “in order to ensure a smooth transition of both practices into Canterbury Law”.“As a boutique litigation and employment professional law company, Canterbury Law Ltd. brings together two professionals with some 30 years of combined experience of commercial, employment/immigration and general civil litigation practice,” Ms Snelling said.“Canterbury Law will comprise a new and exciting litigation practice for those who want professionals dedicated to providing knowledgeable and practical legal advice and representation in relation to contentious commercial, general civil and employment related matters.”Ms Snelling said she and Mr Harshaw’s practices complement each other in terms of their legal experience.He has practised widely in corporate, commercial and public law, while she said she has focused on local civil litigation with a niche in employment law. Mrs Snelling has advised senior level business executives as well as local and exempted companies and major institutions on the terms of contracts of employment, restrictive covenants, and severance agreements.Ms Snelling, who attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, also practises in most areas of civil litigation including human rights, contract and tort disputes, property disputes, defamation cases, insurance claim disputes, judicial review actions, professional negligence claims, personal injury matters, landlord tenant matters and debt actions.Mrs. Snelling graduated in 1989 from Stanford University- where she played varsity golf- with a BA Cum Laude in History. She also attended UCLA School of Law. And in 1993, she obtained her law degree with distinction from Oxford University (St. John’s College) where she was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship.While at Oxford she studied under Dr. Mark Freeland, author of The Contract of Employment.In addition, she serves as president of the Warwick Academy Alumni Association, president of the Bermuda branch of Stanford University Alumni, chairman of the Land Valuation Appeals Tribunal, and she volunteers at The Center in Hamilton, Bermuda providing free legal advice.Mr. Harshaw is a former associate in the litigation and insolvency department of Conyers Dill & Pearman and a former senior associate in the litigation and insolvency department of Lynda Milligan-Whyte & Associates.He embarked on a law career after a career in electrical engineering. He finished his law studies at the University of Buckingham in June 1995, leaving with an LLB (Hons).In addition to advocacy, Mr Harshaw has chaired Boards of Inquiry under the Human Rights Act and has written lectures on Bermuda’s Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering legislation.