The ‘gifted‘ team at Debenhams Ottaway handles the full scope of family law issues for parents, grandparents and other individuals. Praised by clients for her ‘excellent forensic eye‘, Helen Young heads up the St Albans-based practice, frequently advising on high-value divorces involving overseas assets, in addition to pre and post-nuptial agreements, and the capitalisation of maintenance. Senior associate Natalie Lester has substantial expertise in financial settlements and children arrangements, taking a ‘thoughtful and unflappable approach‘ when assisting clients with co-habitation agreements and child arrangement disputes, while senior associate Helen Clyne primarily handles children issues arising from the separation of both married and unmarried couples. Stacey St Clair joined the practice from Hawkins Family Law, contributing her knowledge of private children disputes, including welfare and residence matters.

The ‘exceptional‘ practice at Duncan Lewis Solicitors dispenses advice on the full spectrum of family law matters, with a particular emphasis on international child abduction cases, special guardianship orders, and wardship issues. In Harrow, Adeeba Naseem has broad knowledge spanning surrogacy issues, adoption cases and financial proceedings, while Alia Lewis is particularly adept at acting for children in public law care cases. Dividing her time between Milton Keynes and Luton, Krina Parmar has extensive expertise in advising on forced marriage and female genital mutilation matters. Luton’s Emma Bilsborrow has a great deal of experience in handling high-net-worth divorces and cohabitation agreements, and in Milton Keynes, Shazia Rana often assists clients with obtaining non-molestation injunctions, and care and emergency protection orders.

In Stony Stratford, Hawkins Family Law houses a team of ‘stellar lawyers‘ with notable experience in high-value divorces and separations involving overseas assets and child law issues. Joanna Hawkins heads up the practice with her longstanding expertise in acting for shareholders and directors, and individuals with intergenerational family wealth in the resolution of financial matters. Loraine Davenport primarily handles matters concerning high-net-worth ancillary relief, involving trust elements, in addition to children cases; while Annabel Hayward has ample expertise in advising on cohabitation disputes, and matters in which one party attempts to hide assets. Stacey St Clair departed the practice in 2022.

IBB Law‘s ‘superb‘ team exhibits ‘extremely good‘ knowledge, spanning the full range of family law issues. The team regularly handles private children cases involving parental alienation and mental health issues, particularly in situations concerning the future religious upbringing of children. The ‘brilliant‘ Amanda Melton co-heads the team alongside Jolene Hutchison from Chesham and Uxbridge respectively. Melton has deep knowledge of financial matters and property disputes arising between cohabiting couples, in addition to trusts. Hutchinson is ‘at the top of her game‘ when advising clients on pre and post-nuptial agreements involving inherited wealth, and cases involving applications for the removal of children from the jurisdiction. In Uxbridge, ‘absolutely first-class‘ practitioner Kate Ryan often handles matters concerning the division of marital assets, and the financial repercussions of relationship breakdowns. Senior associate Javita Malhotra joined the team from Blaser Mills Law, contributing her expertise in high-value divorces.

The ‘fabulous‘ practice at Machins Solicitors LLP provides clients with ‘exceptional quality and diligence‘ when assisting with adoption orders, child assessment orders, and care orders. The ‘outstanding‘ Kathryn Ainsworth co-leads the team from Berkhamsted, and the ‘incredible‘ Sarah Ashby co-leads the team from Luton. Ainsworth is a specialist in divorces and separations concerning children, financial arrangements, and businesses, while Ashby frequently acts for family members, interveners, and guardians with her ‘brilliant knowledge‘ of matters involving sexual abuse, death of a family member, and non-accidental injury. Berkhamsted’s Richard Phillips has ‘excellent judgement‘ when advising on the negotiation of separation agreements, and pre-nuptial agreements involving overseas assets. Sadie Glover joined the team in August 2023.

Rayden Solicitors houses a ‘fantastic team of superb lawyers‘, which assists clients with a variety of issues, including shared care order applications, shared care arrangements, and the division of matrimonial assets. Rated by clients as ‘one of the best solicitors around‘, Katherine Rayden heads up the practice from St Albans and primarily acts for high-net-worth individuals on the settlement of financial disputes and relationship breakdowns, often drafting pre and post-nuptial agreements. Emily Watson works out of the Berkhamsted office, and is particularly adept handling cases concerning permanent removal and international trust structures. In Beaconsfield, the ‘fantastic‘ Julian Bremner frequently dispenses advice on financial issues, particularly with a cross-border aspect; while in Bishop’s Stortford, Rosalind Fitzgerald was promoted to partner in October 2022 and has broad expertise spanning surrogacy and fertility cases. In Beaconsfield, Rupinder Rai regularly acts in child arrangement proceedings, including Schedule 1 issues.

SA Law LLP‘s ‘fantastic‘ team handles the full scope of both contentious and non-contentious family law issues involving sexual abuse, in addition to mental and physical abuse. Marilyn Bell leads the St Albans-based group, and often represents parents and grandparents in divorces and financial disputes. Rated by clients as ‘outstanding in every way‘, Kiran Beeharry is particularly adept at handling issues faced by cohabiting couples, including financial provision for the children of unmarried parents, in addition to advising on the dissolution of civil partnerships. Simran Gupta has extensive expertise in matters concerning international child abduction and wardship, while associate Julie Cohen often dispenses ‘excellent advice and support‘ to high-net-worth individuals on the division of matrimonial finances, and the resolution of situations involving domestic violence.

The ‘brilliant‘ team at B P Collins LLP, based in Gerrards Cross, is best known for dispensing advice on disputes concerning child arrangements and financial cases concerning family trust and remuneration structures. Practice head Sue Andrews is a ‘truly exceptional lawyer‘ who primarily handles high-net-worth financial remedy matters involving trust arrangements, private businesses and overseas assets, in addition to child issues concerning coercive control and domestic violence. The ‘fantastic‘ Laura Mortimer joined the team from Hedges Law in January 2023, contributing her expertise in divorces between high-net-worth individuals with international finances. Claire Filer, Fran Hipperson and Sadie Glover departed the practice in 2022.

The ‘first-rate‘ team at Blaser Mills Law exhibits ‘impressive collective intellect and expertise‘ when acting in intervenor cases, cases arising under the Children Act, and domestic abuse applications. Working out of the Marlow office, practice head Lucinda Holliday is an ‘excellent lawyer’ with longstanding expertise in the issues arising from divorces and separations, particularly in relation to finances and children, and is ‘incredibly professional, capable and empathetic‘ when advising clients on pre and post-nuptial agreements. In Amersham, the ‘wonderful‘ Naim Qureshi focuses on private law cases involving children, and high-net-worth matrimonial finance issues. Marlow-based associate Olivia Dann is ‘wise beyond her years and an excellent strategist‘ when handling contentious matters involving injunctions and nuptial agreements. Sarah Scriven has moved to Stowe Family Law LLP.

In Welwyn Garden City, the team at Crane & Staples LLP ‘leaves no stone unturned‘ when advising on the non-disclosure of assets, deprivation of liberty issues, and nuptial agreements. Danielle Peters is ‘experienced, knowledgeable and very hardworking‘, and leads the team alongside ‘hardworking and committed‘ senior associate Sian Churchill. Peters is particularly knowledgeable in financial arrangements concerning businesses and pension arrangements post-divorce, while Churchill primarily acts in non-accidental injury and chronic neglect cases. Sharon Montgomery is a ‘credit to her profession‘, often advising high-net-worth individuals and same-sex couples on child arrangements and maintenance issues.

Predominantly based in Harpenden, Taylor Walton LLP‘s team has ‘a wealth of experience and expertise‘ in private children, TOLATA, and domestic violence issues. The ‘very experienced and pragmatic‘ Ben Twitchen heads up the practice, and has vast expertise in advising on the financial aspects of divorces, while associate Emily Woodhouse handles private law children matters. In St Albans, ‘powerhouse‘ Olive McCarthy regularly advises business owners and shareholder directors, and has ‘vast knowledge‘ of farming divorce issues, while Will Mercer has ample experience in the dissolution of civil partnerships and cohabitation issues involving farming assets. Laura Woolard is recommended for her capabilities in sensitive cases concerning abusive or hostile environments. Tamara Glanvill joined the practice from Fullers Family Law in September 2022, contributing her expertise in the preparation of parenting plans.

The team at Tees Law offers a ‘first-class service‘ when advising clients on financial remedy cases. Sally Powell heads up the Bishop’s Stortford-based practice. Powell has deep knowledge surrounding financial proceedings involving farms, often acting for farming families. Associate Helen Midgley is ‘in a league of her own‘ when assisting clients with the division of assets following relationship breakdowns, while associate Katie Stewart is an ‘exceptional talent‘, and handles Children Act applications and cases involving social services. The ‘very hardworking‘ James Scarborough joined the team group from Stowe Family Law LLP in October 2022, and has vast expertise in cohabitation disputes.

Jointly led by ‘brilliant family lawyers‘ Bernadette Hoy and Aisling Collins, the Pinner-based practice at Collins & Hoy Solicitors handles a broad range of issues, including non-molestation orders, and complex pension issues arising from relationship breakdowns. Hoy maintains a mediation-focused practice for both financial issues and children’s matters, while Collins advises clients on financial settlements following divorces, and pre and post-nuptial agreements. The ‘brilliant and outstanding‘ Kate Moran often assists clients with applications for injunctions concerning domestic violence. Andaleeb Khandaker is an ‘exceptional lawyer‘ who has broad experience spanning special guardianship orders and child arrangements.

Collins Solicitors’ ‘extremely knowledgeable‘ team assists both high and middle-net-worth individuals with pre-nuptial agreements and private child arrangements. ‘Complete star‘ Danielle Messenger leads the practice and ‘leaves no stone unturned‘ when advising clients on contentious financial issues as a result of divorces and relationship breakdowns, in addition to cohabitation disputes. ‘First-class solicitor‘ Donna Downes predominantly represents children in cases concerning non-accidental injury, honour-based violence, and parental death, while also advising clients on adoption orders.

Longmores Solicitors LLP’s ‘incredibly approachable and highly capable‘ team assists clients with separations involving complex asset structures. ‘Extremely fierce litigator‘ Tracey Dargan leads the Hertford-based group with her broad expertise in contentious issues surrounding co-parenting arrangements and the division of finances after divorce. The ‘meticulous‘ Kerrie Hall focuses on high and medium-wealth cases concerning pre-nuptial agreements and separations, showing ‘outstanding empathy‘ when handling private children disputes.

The ‘brilliant‘ practice at Neves handles the full scope of family issues, including injunctions, care arrangements and financial settlement matters. The ‘intelligent and insightful‘ Beth Woodward leads the team from Milton Keynes, regularly representing intervenors and beneficiaries of family trusts in matters concerning family businesses. In Harpenden, associate Heidi Fleming has broad experience in divorce and separation related issues, including those involving the relocation of children and parental alienation allegations.

The team at Nockolds Solicitors approaches a broad range of issues with ‘honesty and integrity‘, including legal parenthood and child relocation matters, in addition to relocation work. Lynn Cowley heads up the Bishop’s Stortford-based practice alongside Peter Dodd. Cowley often acts in ancillary relief, cohabtation and pension matters, while Dodd has broad knowledge surrounding high-value divorces and Schedule 1 Children Act claims. Associate Adam Dunkley is ‘excellent‘ and has extensive knowledge of pension sharing orders and financial arrangement issues. Zen Thompson departed the practice in October 2022 to join Curwens LLP.

The ‘exceptional‘ practice at Shakespeare Martineau LLP often handles financial settlements and remedies arising from divorce proceedings. In Milton Keynes, the ‘endlessly impressive‘ Jane Charlton has vast experience in drafting pre and post-nuptial agreements to protect family businesses, and handling child law cases concerning allegations of parental alienation and sexual abuse.