Praised by its clients for fielding an ‘extremely competent team’, David Gray Solicitors LLP leverages the firm’s wider departments to offer clients a comprehensive family law service. Spearheading the practice is Lucy Mead, a seasoned practitioner in the divorce and dissolution of civil partnerships, arrangements for children, injunctions, and financial issues. With a specialism in children matters, Elspeth Thomson ‘provides an accomplished, measured and calm approach to care proceedings,’ while Lesley Monkhouse is recognised for her expertise in parental alienation issues. Promoted to partner in 2024, Rebecca Tonkin regularly handles care, adoption, special guardianship, and private law proceedings, whereas Claire Hunter‘s practice spans family and court of protection work.

Following the merger with specialised family firm Silk Family Law, Irwin Mitchell has established its presence in the market within the region. Fielding a versatile team, allowing the group to offer clients non-court dispute resolution and litigation and continue to receive instructions from high-net-worth clients. Kim Fellowes leads on complex financial matters and children’s law, with expertise in trusts, pensions, and pre-acquired marital wealth. Ian Kennerley, a family law barrister, consistently acts for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients. Margaret Simpson is highly regarded for matrimonial finance cases involving farming and business assets. Wayne Lynn is known for his work on nuptial and cohabitation agreements. The four jointly lead the team.

Major Family Law is a boutique family firm renowned for its work across all facets of family and child law. The team regularly acts for high-net-worth individuals on complex matters. As managing director of the practice, Joanne Major’s established experience in the sector generates significant activity for the firm. With a far-reaching practice across divorce, children and financial issues arising out of relationship breakdowns, Anna Hunter is a crucial contact for complex children matters, while Lucinda Connell is equally recommended for her expertise in high-value financial cases and is readily prepared to handle those with international elements. Jonathan Dunkley engages closely with high-net-worth clients on complex financial and business issues, and Sam Carter advises on complex children matters. Rona Samuel receives praise as a ‘true advocate’ on matrimonial finance matters. Calvin Walker and Sahil Aggarwal handle a varied stream of family matters, while Stephanie Layton lends her expertise to separation issues. The team also includes Stacy Williams, Katie Wright, Anya Harrison, and Kalem Grant.

EMG Solicitors has a team that ‘can support a wide range of clients with bespoke legal services to meet their every need’. The team advises on the full suite of family and matrimonial services, mediation, as well as other dispute resolution options, while its strong court of protection services continue to be at the core of the firm’s offering. Both with broad practices, practice head Julia Middleton is noted for ‘formidable skills and expertise in private family law’, while co-lead Gemma Holmes ‘is known for her supportive and collaborative approach’. Resolution specialist and mediator Sue McArthur regularly aids clients on financial matters and complex family issues.

Providing its clients ‘the best and realistic advice’, Hay & Kilner is well geared to act on high-value financial provision cases pursuant to separation and divorce. Group head Kerry Kelso is highly proficient in care proceedings, where she regularly acts for children, parents, and other family members. Fiona Ryans co-leads the divorce and finance team and has in-depth knowledge of all aspects of family breakdown, in particular on aspects of finances and children. Co-leading the divorce and finance subgroup, Louisa Bestford takes the lead on pre- and post-nuptial agreements, child arrangements, and financial remedies.

Mincoffs Solicitors LLP continues to be the chief point of contact for individuals dealing with relationships and relationship breakdowns and deals with a variety of agreements, remedies, and TOLATA disputes. Practice head Emily Cannell and Rachel Smith are praised as ‘leading practitioners’ by their clients, with Cannell’s varied caseload encompassing pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, and notable work on financial remedies arising out of relationship breakdowns. With a similarly broad practice, Smith is a key contact for complex private law children matters

Frequently sought out by high-net-worth clients, the ‘wonderful and collaborative’ team at Swinburne Maddison LLP is particularly noted for its activity on multi-jurisdictional family disputes. Spearheading the team is Catherine Lowther, a ‘collaborative practitioner' who has proven experience across the full suite of family mandates, with instructions from high-net-worth clients on financial remedy and pre-nuptial agreements being a common feature of her recent caseload. Kath Hill left the firm in February 2024.

The bulk of the workload for the versatile practitioners at Burnetts is focused on divorce and the financial implications thereof, in particular from clients within the farming, industrial, or service sectors. Mark Ward sits at the helm of the practice and specialises in financial matters on separation for both married and unmarried couples. Elizabeth Wilson regularly handles high-value and complex finance mandates, while Vikki Porthouse advises on all manner of matrimonial finance, divorce, separation, and Children Act matters.

Embedded within a full-service firm, the Sintons LLP family team delivers comprehensive advice across divorce, financial remedies, and pre-nuptial agreements. The team is led by Derek Pack, who joined from Beecham Peacock in August 2024, and handles a wide range of complex financial and children’s matters. Senior associate and mediator Jo Scott offers expertise in high-net-worth financial remedy cases and complex TOLATA disputes. Louise Masters left in January 2025, and Elizabeth Gallagher left in June 2024.

Stowe Family Law LLP has a comprehensive family offering, allowing the team to advise on divorce, financial remedies, and child arrangements.  Nicky Hunter lends her experience to clients on high-net-worth financial proceedings, whereas Sarah Crilly provides additional depth to high-net-worth financial disputes for high-profile clients. The team is well supported by Orla O’Connor, who assists on complex finance matters. David Allen focuses on high-conflict private law children matters, and Hollie Murray regularly leads on high-net-worth matters.

Ward Hadaway LLP is home to a versatile team that is rated by clients for private law litigation, including domestic and international relocation, contact and living arrangements, and contact disputes. The team recently extended its high-value financial remedy offering with the January 2025 hire of Louise Masters, with particular experience in catastrophic injuries within this space. The team is jointly led by Gemma Iceton, who balances a busy workload of separation, children, and financial matters, and Louise Cannell-Mirza, who oversees children’s issues. Other key practitioners include Heather Armstrong, who offers a far-reaching practice, and Simon Dakers, who is noted for his representation of children, parents and grandparents in proceedings.

Browell Smith & Co Solicitors Ltd‘s family department specialises in high-net-worth finance and complex private law children matters, and has recently seen an uptick in cohabitation agreement instructions. Victoria Lant sits at the helm of the practice and is recognised for her broad practice, which extends to private law children matters, domestic abuse issues, and high-net-worth matters.

Gibson & Co Solicitors Ltd is frequently sought out for advice on mid- to high-range-net-worth matrimonial matters, with a client roster made up of farmers and landowners within the region. Team head Christopher Sheppard acts at the intersection of family and wealth mandates. Nina James is an active advisor on children and divorce proceedings, with particular activity on resolving finances upon separation and divorce.

Punch Robson Solicitors holds experience across public law children, private law children, matrimonial and domestic abuse matters. Jennifer Williamson covers a broad portfolio, handling domestic abuse, private and public law children mandates.