Why choose me
Family law is an area where I feel I can make a genuine difference. I am mindful that my clients often seek advice at a vulnerable and emotional time in their lives, and I enjoy helping my clients navigate their way through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.
I help guide families through complex legal issues and disputes, advising on divorce and dissolution, financial settlements, and child arrangements disputes. I also deal with pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, separation disputes between unmarried couples and injunctive and enforcement matters.
I work with a broad range of clients, from business owners and professionals to stay-at-home parents who are seeking to agree arrangements for time with their children. This breadth of experience helps me understand the different perspectives that can arise in family disputes and allows me to provide balanced advice.
I understand that family conflict can be deeply personal and emotive, so I always aim to reduce acrimony wherever possible and help preserve important relationships. I take the time to listen and understand my clients’ goals and motivations. There’s rarely a single solution to a family law issue, which is why I tailor my advice to each client’s circumstances, considering the practical realities carefully alongside the legal position.
Outside work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My two young children keep me very busy, and I love exploring new places, particularly by the coast.
Family law is an area where I feel I can make a genuine difference. I am mindful that my clients often seek advice at a vulnerable and emotional time in their lives, and I enjoy helping my clients navigate their way through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.
I help guide families through complex legal issues and disputes, advising on divorce and dissolution, financial settlements, and child arrangements disputes. I also deal with pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, separation disputes between unmarried couples and injunctive and enforcement matters.
I work with a broad range of clients, from business owners and professionals to stay-at-home parents who are seeking to agree arrangements for time with their children. This breadth of experience helps me understand the different perspectives that can arise in family disputes and allows me to provide balanced advice.
I understand that family conflict can be deeply personal and emotive, so I always aim to reduce acrimony wherever possible and help preserve important relationships. I take the time to listen and understand my clients’ goals and motivations. There’s rarely a single solution to a family law issue, which is why I tailor my advice to each client’s circumstances, considering the practical realities carefully alongside the legal position.
Outside work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My two young children keep me very busy, and I love exploring new places, particularly by the coast.
Questions my clients ask me
Not necessarily. While your financial contribution to the purchase of the family home is relevant, the court’s primary objective is to achieve a fair outcome rather than simply return initial contributions. Once everything has been valued and agreed, the two key principles in play are “sharing and “needs”. Historically, where a property has been used as the family home, the courts have treated it as a matrimonial asset regardless of who legally owns it or who contributed the larger deposit. Recent case law has, however, provided important clarification on the distinction between matrimonial and non-matrimonial property, and when assets can become ‘matrimonialised’ during the course of a relationship.
The answer depends on whether your ex has parental responsibility for the children and where you intend to move. If they do, it is advisable, and often necessary, to discuss any proposed move before relocating. Whether you need your ex’s agreement will depend on the circumstances of your case, particularly the distance involved and the arrangements currently in place for the children. If both parents have parental responsibility and cannot agree, either parent can apply to the court for a Specific Issue Order or a Prohibited Steps Order. The court’s focus will always be on the welfare of the children. If there’s an existing Child Arrangements Order in place, it’s important to check its terms carefully before making any decisions.
Inheritance is often treated differently by the family courts and may be regarded as non-matrimonial property, meaning it can fall outside the sharing principle unless it has become ‘matrimonialised’. However, this doesn’t mean it’s automatically protected from a claim on divorce. The court will consider both parties’ assets, income and resources and may take inheritance into account where necessary to ensure that both parties’ needs are met.