The ‘trustworthy, hardworking and intelligent’ Newcastle-based family law team at David Gray Solicitors LLP ‘represent clients in court with extreme skill and professionalism’. The department is led by financial arbitrator Lucy Mead, who is well-versed in advising clients regarding divorces and the dissolution of civil partnerships, arrangements for children, injunctions, and financial issues. Children arbitrator Elspeth Thomson represents adopters and children in cases with cross-border elements. The ‘excellent’ Lesley Monkhouse has expertise in parental alienation issues and is ‘vastly experienced in some of the most complex cases to come before the family court’. Associate Anna Curphey is praised by clients for her ‘kindness alongside her professionalism, honesty and extensive knowledge of family law’. Claire Hunter, who specialises in family law and court of protection work, was promoted to partner in September 2023.

Specialist family firm Major Family Law is well-regarded for its depth of expertise in all areas of family and child law, and acts for national and international clients; the department is supervised by managing director Joanne Major. Anna Hunter is involved in complex children work, including international and internal relocations, and cases involving serious allegations of abuse, while Lucinda Connell covers high-value financial cases often with an international element. Sam Carter deals with complex children law cases, and Jonathan Dunkley represents high-net-worth clients in financial and business issues. Associates Calvin Walker and Stephanie Layton handle financial matters, and Sahil Aggarwal‘s practice covers a wide range of family matters. Other key members of the team are Rona Samuel, Katie Wright and Stacy Williams, who provides advice on children matters.

Boutique firm Silk Family Law ‘is known in the North East as the go-to firm for family law’. The Newcastle team is co-led by the experienced Kim Fellowes, Ian Kennerley and Wayne Lynn. Fellowes is referred to as ‘superb’ and ‘incredibly dedicated, always over the details and has a brilliant reputation with the local judiciary’. Kennerly ‘is highly experienced and a great presence to have in the room’, while Lynn is ‘very knowledgeable in high-value separations and divorces and engages very well with the lay client, providing realistic and accurate advice’. Margaret Simpson, who splits her time between North Yorkshire and Newcastle, is highly regarded for her complex matrimonial finance work involving land and significant business assets. Katie Machin is experienced in all aspects of divorce, including financial remedies and children work.

EMG Solicitors‘ family team specialises in private client advice, offering the full range of family and matrimonial services, mediation as well as other dispute resolution options, and has particular strength in court of protection services, across the UK and internationally. The department is co-led by director Julia Middleton, who is based in Newcastle and Durham, and is praised as a ‘fantastic lawyer and leader and an absolute pleasure to deal with’; and director Gemma Holmes, who is based in Durham and Darlington and is ‘a skilled negotiator and someone you would want to have on your side in family matters’. Senior associate, resolution specialist and mediator Sue McArthur deals with family and matrimonial matters.

Dealing with high-value financial provision cases and pre and post-nuptial agreements, Hay & Kilner often handle complex cases involving assets including trusts, companies, pensions, property portfolios, digital assets, and cryptocurrencies, combining the ‘firepower of a large corporate firm, with the approachability and human touch of a boutique service’. The department is co-led by Christian Butler, who specialises in disputes arising from divorce and separation, and Kerry Kelso, who was recently promoted to partner and emphasises private children work and care proceedings. The ‘talented and personable’ Louisa Bestford and ‘calm and accomplished’ Fiona Ryans are recommended for a wide range of family matters. Nicola Matthews retired in April 2023.

Mincoffs Solicitors LLP is described by clients as ‘a powerhouse for matrimonial finance and children disputes’, fielding lawyers who are ‘specialists in their respective fields and are incredibly well-respected in the market’. The practice regularly deals with cases involving high-net-worth individuals and complex business structures. The Newcastle-based family department is led by Emily Cannell, who is an expert in divorce and the financial aspects of divorce; she also advises on pre-and post-nuptial agreements, financial remedy work and private law children matters. The ‘exceptionally talented’ Rachel Smith has extensive experience in all areas of matrimonial law, especially private law children matters. Other valuable members of the team are Lyn Rutherford and Jessica Nicholson.

Newcastle-based Sintons LLP is able to provide a full-service offering to its clients, working cross-departmentally on a wide range of family matters, providing an array of services ranging from pre-nuptial agreements to divorce proceedings and mediation advice. Louise Masters, who is praised as a ‘fantastic family lawyer’, heads up the family team and covers matters at the intersection of serious injury and family law. Consultant Elizabeth Gallagher is 'exceptional, very supportive, and provides good frank advice’ and covers the whole range of family matters, with a special focus on financial remedy cases. Jo Scott is recommended for her ‘excellent level of client care and focus’.

Swinburne Maddison LLP’s family practice in Durham is well-established in the North East and handles a wide range of advice in relation to family breakdowns from divorce and separation, the division of assets and making arrangements for children. Legal director Kath Hill heads up the department and is experienced in all aspects of relationship breakdowns; she is the key contact for collaboration and mediation proceedings. Managing associate Catherine Lowther covers all areas of family law, regularly representing high-net-worth clients in financial remedy proceedings, investments and allegations of child neglect or abuse. The department is well-supported by Ellie Straughan, who joined the firm in January 2023 and deals with divorce, separation and private law children matters.

BHP Law‘s family practice is comprised of Andrea Hewitson and Amanda Adeola, who bring together expertise in all aspects of family matters, including divorce, separation, ancillary financial matters, as well as private and public law children matters. Hewitson is qualified as a collaborative lawyer and accredited resolution solicitor, while Adeola is a resolution accredited solicitor in advocacy, financial remedy proceedings and advocacy in private law children proceedings; she also holds higher rights of audience in civil proceedings. Gillian Mitchell deals with all aspects of private family law matters, including financial remedies relating to divorce, and private law children matters; and consultant Terry Hamer handles care proceedings.

With a focus on private client work, Burnetts handle a varied range of advice, encompassing financial cases with significant assets and children matters, including cases involving the local authority. The family team is led by Mark Ward, who joined from Cartwright King in April 2023, and splits his time between Newcastle and Carlisle. In Carlisle, senior associates Elizabeth Wilson and Emma Armstrong, who is a ‘force to be reckoned with’, advise on all aspects of family law. Senior associate and chartered legal executive Vikki Porthouse is the key contact in Cockermouth. Simon Mortimer retired in September 2023.

Stowe Family Law LLP has developed a firm presence in the region, covering all family law matters, including divorce, separation, private and public child law, and financial settlements involving complex assets. The team frequently assists with nuptial agreements, and civil partnerships, as well as complex cases. The department is led by Nicky Hunter in Newcastle, who handles complex financial and children cases. Sarah Crilly has particular expertise in divorce and finance cases; David Allen focuses on high conflict private law children matters and contested financial remedy proceedings; and Hollie Morgan primarily deals with high-value financial cases.

Noted for its capabilities in children and matrimonial work, Ward Hadaway LLP‘s family law team in Newcastle offers advice on relationship breakdowns, private and public law children disputes, as well as safeguarding children work, acting for the NHS, academies and third sector. The department is co-led by Gemma Iceton, who is the key contact in relation to divorce, finance and private law children work, and Louise Cannell-Mirza, who is an expert in children and safeguarding matters. Other key members of the team are consultant Jonathan Flower, managing associate Simon Dakers, associate Heather Armstrong and solicitor Louise Dodd.

Specialising in complex high-net-worth finance and complex private law children matters, Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd's family law department in Annitsford handles a range of mandates. The department is headed up by Victoria Lant, who has vast experience in private law children, domestic abuse and high-net-worth finance matters.

Gibson & Co Solicitors Ltd‘s private family and wealth department receives instructions from farmers, landowners and high-net-worth individuals and focuses on high-value ancillary financial matters. The team is led by the experienced Christopher Sheppard in Newcastle, who is a specialist in private client work, including wills, probate, and tax issues as well as elderly client matters, and regularly acts in divorce and financial remedy proceedings. Nina James has experience of dealing with pre and post-nuptial agreements for high-net-worth parties.

Samuel Phillips Law Firm‘s Newcastle-based family law team is headed up by Jenny Goldstein, a ‘gifted lawyer and negotiator, who adopts sensible and well thought out litigation positions’. She is experienced across all areas of family law, including divorces involving commercial, pension and tax issues, contested probate work and Court of Protection matters. The arrival of Sara Stockdale in May 2023, who has been described as ‘the epitome of going the extra mile for your clients’, strengthened the firm’s reach in relation to care and child-related work.