After qualifying as a family solicitor in 2006, I spent a number of years running a mixed caseload of financial and child law work. Since I really enjoyed helping parents, I gradually phased out my financial work and helped parents who, following separation, encountered difficulties in making arrangements for their children. This included helping parents through difficult, often long-lasting and complex court proceedings, or alternatively and where possible, to reach mutually acceptable arrangements in their children’s best interests without it being necessary to involve the court. 

 

I have helped and advised in cases in which many different challenges present for families, such as when there is an alleged addiction or safety issue, when one parent is alleging the other is isolating their child, advising grandparents or other family members, when one parent has removed a child abroad without the other’s permission, or wishes to take a holiday or move abroad permanently. 

 

More recently, I qualified both as a mediator and parenting coordinator, which means I am able to work with both parents to make or implement arrangements for the care of their children. I have developed skills that assist parents to focus on the bigger picture, develop respect for one another as parents (as opposed to former romantic partners) and to build a working partnership that enables them to raise their children in a way that their children will ultimately respect and be grateful for when they look back in their own adulthood. It isn’t always easy to do this, but it is possible for most parents if they are both willing to invest the time and work to move forward together constructively. Part-time, I am also my legal team’s child law professional support lawyer, which means that - in true anorak style - I am able to read all the court judgments that are published in this area and keep completely up to date with the approach of the family court!