Cambridge Family Law Practice

How would you describe your role at Cambridge Family Law Practice?

I am one of the partners at Cambridge Family Law Practice. We all undertake work in the specialist areas of family law: family finance work, private law children work and non-contentious matters like prenuptial agreements and cohabitation agreements.

But, although we all do everything, we each have a particular area of interest, I would say. My own specialist interests are in complex divorces which involve either businesses or trusts, as well as international cases involving children, such as relocation or abduction cases.

Looking back across your career, do any cases stand out as especially memorable or meaningful?

Yes. I’ve had a few. Those cases that tend to be most memorable aren’t those worth millions of pounds. Yes, I’ve had some like that, but making a real difference to someone’s life is what feels most important.

For example, cases which involve a potential relocation of a child to another country are always fraught with highly charged and emotional situations. Often a decision needs to be made within a tight timescale (e.g. before a new school year starts) and it can be demanding and time consuming work. The client is almost always very worried about their future and their child’s future and so whether I am acting for the parent who wants to relocate, or the parent who wants to stop a relocation of their child, it brings me great pleasure to support and advise those clients. The relief and pure joy a client expresses when we are successful in obtaining permission to relocate or defending a relocation makes it an honour and pleasure to be that client’s legal representative and for all the hard work to have paid off.

Sometimes it isn’t the legal intricacies of a case that are the most interesting or rewarding, but simply helping people with what faces them. I previously acted for a client with a relatively modest lifestyle and a limited knowledge of the family’s financial circumstances – she worked part-time and as far as she was aware, the couple owned their own home and had very little else. When I began to analyse the case and financial information, I discovered the husband’s company was a very valuable asset. I was able to persuade the Court that the company’s accounts should be audited and the company valued. The end result was that the company was worth several millions of pounds – completely unknown to my client, and overnight my client became a multi- millionaire as we negotiated a settlement for her to keep the house plus several millions of pounds.

The high value ones can be interesting for those kinds of reasons, but mostly for me it’s cases that have a real impact and can change the course of someone’s life that I find most meaningful.

You qualified in 2008. Could you give a summary of your career since then?

I studied for my law degree at Cambridge University. I wanted to stay in Cambridge because I loved the city after living here as a student. It’s also where I met my husband. So, although I then went on to law school in London for a year, I came back to Cambridge.

I secured a training contract at a national law firm and stayed with them for eight years. The firm is highly regarded for its training and I agree with that: the training was excellent and I learned so much there. But at the end of that eight years, I felt it was the right time for me to move on and to step out on my own.

I was six years qualified and 30 years old when I took partnership at Cambridge Family Law Practice: I think I was the youngest partner in the region at the time. And I’ve never looked back because we’re all able to act for clients in the ways we want to act for them. We’re not constrained by the priorities of other departments or the business considerations of larger firms with multiple departments.

Previously I trained as a community mediator (neighbour disputes) and collaborative family lawyer, and then once I joined Cambridge Family Law Practice, I also trained as a family mediator and financial arbitrator.

In 2021 I decided to take the next step in my career and apply for a judicial role. It was a year long process but I was successfully appointed as a Deputy District Judge (Family and Civil) in October 2022 and as a Family Recorder (Deputy Circuit Judge) in May 2023. I sit part time (30 days a year) as a judge alongside my role in Cambridge Family Law Practice.

Finally, what are your interests outside work?

I enjoy running, baking and walking my dogs. I’ve got three German Shorthaired Pointers, who are all very active and keep me busy!

I’ve run at least one half marathon every year for the last six years and I’m hoping to continue the streak for as long as I can! Outside of work I spend my time hosting family or friends, meeting up with my sisters, or simply relaxing in the garden with my husband.

Here at CFLP, we are all big on health and fitness and you know, the good things that come with that – then I balance out all the healthy pursuits by baking cakes or making pork pies!