Family Finance
Katie has an established practice in Family Finance within Birmingham and the surrounding areas. She provides advice, assistance and representation at all stages of: financial remedy proceedings, property disputes/claims relating to unmarried couples and financial provision for children.
It is appreciated, noted and respected that Katie will work until the job is finished. Her preparation is exhaustive and her eye for detail is adept. She instils confidence in her clients with her proficiency in the law, her pragmatic approach to problem solving and her grasp of the particular facts of any given case. She is recognised as an advocate who is thoroughly prepared, provides robust advocacy in court and has a keen eye for the detail which can turn a case.
Divorce and Marriage
Either before a union or at its conclusion, drafting is undertaken and advice given regarding the construction of documents intended to deal with the division of the assets upon dissolution or separation.
- Cohabitation Agreements
- Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements; and
- Separation Agreements.
If there are contentious issues pertaining to either marriage or divorce Katie provides advice and representation.
- Declarations of Marital Status
- Void/voidable Marriages
- Jurisdictional issues – where should the Petition or Application proceed
- Habitual Residence/Domicile
- Contested Divorces
- Forced Marriage Protection Orders
Financial Remedies on Divorce
Katie handles a variety of cases from those involving substantial assets including a multitude of businesses, properties and foreign assets to those that are premised on the needs of the parties. Appeals to reopen aged final orders have been profitably pursued; so too applications for strike out and abuse of process have been successfully sought or defended on behalf of her clients. Katie has successfully represented clients who have sought financial relief almost twenty years post decree absolute. She provides advice throughout and appears at all stages of the proceedings and consequently deals with:
- Section 37 Applications
- Maintenance Pending Suit
- Legal Services Payment
- Strike Out/Abuse of Process
- Disclosure – including Third Party Disclosure Orders
- Interveners
- Variation
- Appeals
- Enforcement
Property Disputes on Separation (unmarried)
Given her grounding in civil law, Katie’s assistance is welcomed by those instructing her in TLATA cases in relation to: pleadings, issues pertaining to multi-track claims and costs. She undertakes the drafting of either Claims or Defences/Counterclaims and will provide representation at all stages of the proceedings regarding the following:
- Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustee Act 1996 (TLATA)
- Resulting Trusts
- Constructive Trusts
- Proprietary Estoppel
- Inheritance (Provision for Family/Dependents) Act 1975
- Enforcement
- Costs
Financial Provision for Children
Katie advises and represents clients, whether Claimant or Defendant, in proceedings relating to the following:
- Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989
- Inheritance (Provision for Family/Dependents) Act 1975
- Child Maintenance
- Enforcement
- Costs
Injunctive Relief
In respect of concerns pertaining to domestic violence and/or occupation of a property, Katie provides advice and representation to either Applicant or Respondent in applications seeking:
- Non-Molestation Orders
- Occupation Orders
- Enforcement
- Costs
Care of Children
Katie provides advice and representation for either the Applicant or Respondent where there are disputes regarding the care of children. She has provided representation in cases involving the most serious kinds of allegations: child sexual abuse; radicalisation and rape. She provides services in respect of the following:
- Fact Finding Hearings
- Live With Orders (previously Residence)
- Time Spent With Orders (previously Contact)
- Relocation – internal and external
- Prohibited Steps Orders
- Specific Issue Orders – including change of surname
- Enforcement
- Costs
Recommendations
“Absolutely superb. She is a fearless advocate who is always meticulously prepared.” “Katie is very responsive, prepared, and her negotiation skills are very good.”
Chambers UK 2023
A committed advocate specialising in financial remedy work. A worthy opponent.
Legal 500 2022
…dynamic, intelligent and always well prepared. She gets results and is pragmatic when necessary. A rising star.”
Marc Saunderson – Partner and Head of Family - Mills and Reeve Solicitors
“… fights tirelessly for clients. She is always prepared and goes the extra mile.”
Georgina Chase – Principal Solicitor - Slater and Gordon Lawyers
“… fearless cross-examiner … fights for our clients to ensure the best outcomes are achieved. Her drafting skills are exceptional … she wins difficult cases …”
Inayah Habib – Associate Solicitor - Hallmarks Solicitors
“Katie is meticulous in the preparation of her work and exemplary in its delivery. A robust and passionate advocate who fights for her clients with the ability to tailor her skills to meet her clients’ individual needs. A strong lawyer with great finesse”.
Lindsey Newell - Partner - Baches LLP
Awards
Middle Temple Scholar – Harmsworth Scholarship
Memberships
Midland Circuit
Midland Circuit Women’s Forum
Family Law Bar Association
Employment Law Bar Association
Resolution (Associate)
Qualifications
Law (LLB) – University of Bristol
Masters in Industrial and Commercial Law (LLM) – University of the West of England
Bar Vocational Course (Bar) – University of the West of England
Public Access Accredited
Pupil Supervisor
Background
Previous Experience
Before coming to the Bar Katie worked in accounting and dealt also with contractual and employment disputes. She ran her own businesses and worked also for BUPA Legal dealing with a multitude of corporate issues: confidentiality; contractual clauses/breach and inquests. At the other end of the spectrum Katie was employed by the CAB to represent Claimants at Employment and Social Security Tribunals. She sat also as an appointed governor at the local upper school on the Finance and Resource Committee.
At the Bar, before specialising in Family Finance, Katie practiced general civil law, Employment and Professional Regulation. She successfully represented Claimants and Respondents in all types of employment disputes including multi-day discrimination claims and at the Employment Appeals Tribunal.
In her Professional Regulatory practice Katie conducted multi-day disciplinary hearings involving the most serious allegations of physical and sexual misconduct. She also represented the Executive Principal of Park View Academy Trust in the disciplinary proceedings which ran over two years and were known colloquially and within the press as the ‘Trojan Horse Case’.
Those proceedings ran for over two years and involved: 16 weeks of trial time, 26 witnesses, interventions from the House of Commons Speaker’s Office, Birmingham City Council and two Unions – regarding privilege, privacy and confidentially of witnesses respectively – numerous ancillary applications and hearings. As a result of further disclosure and Katie’s requests for explanations in respect of the same, the case was discontinued against all five senior teachers in that hearing but also all other teachers being prosecuted in the Trojan Horse Case.
Katie now specialises in Family Finances and utilises all of her previous experience within her practice.
