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Fiona specialises in all aspects of family law. Her practice includes advising married and unmarried clients in relation to their divorce or separation, helping them resolve issues relating to their children, finances and property rights. She advises a broad range of clients from all walks of life.
The majority of Fiona’s cases include an international element and her financial work ranges from cases with modest assets to those with complex and multimillion pound assets. She frequently advises on pre/post nuptial agreements, cohabitation contracts and separation agreements.
Fiona has extensive experience in the resolution of issues concerning children and is routinely recommended for her child focused and empathetic approach to children law matters.
This includes advising on child arrangement orders, specific issue orders concerning a child’s health or education, and domestic and international relocation.
Fiona’s overarching aim is to provide clients with pragmatic advice as to the options available to them, and she believes in resolving any disputes constructively, cost-effectively and, when possible, out of court. Should court proceedings prove necessary, Fiona is highly experienced in guiding clients though the litigation process.
Fiona recognises that people often seek family law advice in times of stress and difficulty and hopes to provide clients with a clear path forward and a sense of optimism about their future.
Examples Of Her Work Include
- Representing a client in high value and complex financial remedy proceedings involving properties and assets overseas and protecting that client’s business interests in the UK
- Advising the spouse of a high earning city professional to achieve an Order providing financial security for her and the parties’ children
- Representing a party with complex trust assets to preserve them in the divorce settlement
- Representing a parent who wished to relocate with the child overseas in a contested relocation application where the CAFCASS officer’s report was successfully challenged, allowing the parent to move to the Netherlands with the child.
- Acting for a parent in respect of an emergency application to the court, involving allegations of child abuse and mental health issues, to obtain an Order protecting the children.
A Little More About Fiona
Fiona trained and qualified as a solicitor in 2005 into the family department of a well known city law firm.
Outside of the law, Fiona enjoys travel, walking, art and spending time with her family.
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As a Paralegal, Effiyenia supports the management team and solicitors in both legal and administrative matters.
She developed an interest in family law after studying it as an elective module at university, and knew immediately that this was the area of law she wanted to work in.
During her time at university, Effiyenia volunteered as a mentor on the KCLSU Mentoring Scheme, where she worked with law students from widening participation backgrounds. As part of her role, she helped them adjust to their new lives at university and aided them with their studies.
A Little More About Effiyenia
Effiyenia works at the firm part-time and also volunteers for Greenpeace as a part of their political lobbying network.
In her free time she loves to bake, read novels and takes part in yoga classes most days.
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Siobhan specialises in family law, civil litigation and probate disputes for high-net-worth individuals, their spouses and families. Many of her cases have an international dimension and arise from disputes where there is fraud or deception often within a family or between close business associates or partnerships.
Siobhan’s family law expertise includes divorce and the dissolution of civil partnerships, matrimonial finance claims and disputes between unmarried couples. She brings a commercial approach and forensic eye to disputes involving worldwide assets, trusts and cases of non or incomplete financial disclosure. She has an excellent record of resolving complex parental disagreements involving contact with and care of children, including applications to remove children from the jurisdiction.
Siobhan is a skilled litigator with extensive knowledge of civil fraud recovery, including international freezing orders, and a niche expertise in Spanish property-based fraud. She has had considerable success challenging wills and helping clients to make claims against high value estates.
Her broad experience also enables her to help victims of harassment and stalking, including those who are being targeted across multiple jurisdictions.
Many of Siobhan’s clients have a public profile and favour the privacy of Arbitration and other means of Alternative Dispute Resolution. She will actively pursue those who do not co-operate with the legal process.
Some Notable Cases Include
Confidentiality and discretion are paramount to Siobhan’s most notable clients, so she does not discuss them. Cases she can refer to include:
- Representing a UK citizen following the breakdown of his civil partnership to an Australian national, which included acting to prevent the disposal of the former matrimonial home and involved the Supreme Court in Australia.
- Acting for the wife in divorce proceedings involving valuable and complex shareholdings. The wife received the full value of her shareholding and a substantial share of other assets.
- Acting for the husband of a high-net-worth spouse in a difficult jurisdiction dispute and investigation of multiple worldwide assets. Successfully establishing jurisdiction of England and Wales at both High Court and Court of Appeal level and opposing a referral on to the European Court of Justice.
- Successfully challenging divorce jurisdiction for a high-net-worth husband from the Middle East, which resulted in proceedings being dismissed in this jurisdiction.
- Obtaining leave to remove permission from the court enabling a mother to permanently relocate to Europe with her child.
- Successfully challenging a Will relating to a high-net-worth estate on the grounds of a technical defect connected to the circumstances in which the Will was witnessed.
- Advising a US citizen in a substantial fraud recovery matter and in a related claim against a UK private bank that had released funds to a fraudster and achieving a substantial settlement.
- Acting for high-profile individuals in respect of harassment by a US citizen across multiple jurisdictions.
- Successfully challenging the appointment of an Attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney and obtaining a judgment in excess of £1 million against the former Attorney to recover money and assets wrongfully removed from the estate of the Donor.
A Little More About Siobhan
Siobhan has practiced family law for many years and has been recognised in Legal 500 for her “excellent client engagement”.
She splits her time between London, Brighton and Spain, where she assists UK expatriates with fraud recovery and family law issues.
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Jennifer is an experienced family lawyer and was previously a director at a specialist family law firm in North London. Jennifer advises on a wide range of family law matters including divorce, financial relief, nuptial agreements, unmarried families, children disputes and domestic abuse.
Her financial work ranges from cases with modest to multimillion pound assets and she is experienced in dealing with offshore assets, complex pension issues, company assets and third party interests. She is able to deal with emergency applications to preserve assets as well as applications to vary or enforce orders.
Jennifer advises clients on various private children matters including contact and living arrangements. She frequently deals with cases where a parent wishes to relocate with a child both domestically or internationally.
She can also deal with complex children cases including where there are allegations of domestic abuse or substance abuse.
Jennifer has a diverse client base which has included high profile clients and their partners, members of the entertainment industry, lawyers, entrepreneurs, professionals and clients whose primary responsibility is caring for their children. She provides each client with the same high level of care and attention.
Jennifer is approachable and level headed and provides clear and realistic advice. She tailors her approach to each case in order to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients. She works constructively in order to find solutions and most of her cases reach negotiated, agreed outcomes. In cases where this is not possible, Jennifer is able to effectively guide clients through the litigation process.
Examples of her work include
- Advising the partner of a multi-millionaire high-profile sportsman and securing an Order to provide financial security for her and the children.
- Representing a client whose business interests were held within a complex structure of multiple companies and protecting those interests.
- Managing a case with multiple properties both in the UK and overseas and obtaining a divorce settlement which preserved them for the client.
- Representing a parent in a complex children case where there were allegations of child abuse and multi-agency involvement. Obtaining an Order that protects the children.
- Obtaining an Order to uphold the terms of a complex financial agreement where the husband sought to resile from it and obtaining a Costs Order against the husband.
A Little More about Jennifer
Jennifer holds the Law Society’s Family Law Accreditation as well as an LLM in Child Law.
She is a trained collaborative lawyer and a committed member of Resolution, the professional organisation dedicated to dealing with cases in a constructive and non-confrontational manner.
Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys stand-up comedy shows and the theatre.
She is musical and has achieved ABRSM grade 8 in both piano and singing.
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Victoria is a Solicitor and assists clients with all aspects of family law that arise from a relationship breakdown. She has a keen interest in helping clients with children disputes.
Victoria developed a passion for family law following her own divorce and this is evident in her empathetic, sensitive and compassionate approach. She takes into account the whole picture with the aim to resolve matters as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Where clients need the assistance of the court, she is able to provide a robust approach to support them through a difficult time.
Victoria joined Allard Bailey Family Law as a Paralegal in 2018, gaining valuable experience whilst she studied for her Legal Practitioners Course (LPC), in which she earned a Distinction. She completed her legal training contract with the firm and qualified as a Solicitor in 2022.
Prior to this, Victoria was the Pro-Bono Clinic Co-Ordinator for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Northampton, working in conjunction with LawWorks. She also set up a free Family Law Clinic for local residents.
A Little More About Victoria
Outside of work, Victoria is kept active by her four teenage children and lovable family dog. In her spare time, she enjoys charity work in her community, baking, eating carbs and kayaking.
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Louise specialises in all aspects of high net worth divorce and matrimonial finance and advocates the use of pre/post nuptial agreements. The majority of her cases involve some assets located abroad.
She has extensive experience in advising unmarried couples on cohabitation contracts, as well as the financial impact of separation.
Louise also advises on all aspects of private law children matters, with a particular interest in international relocation cases. She regularly advises clients on issues relating to child arrangements orders and her emphasis is on reaching agreement, where possible, through sensible child-focussed discussion and negotiation.
Louise has experience of cases involving coercive behaviour and domestic violence, as well as cases where one party is experiencing mental health issues. All of which require careful handling.
Louise favours a solution-orientated approach and supports many clients through the mediation process. Whilst she advocates resolving all disputes outside of the court arena whenever possible, Louise is quick to act where a case warrants court intervention.
She is, at all times, pragmatic and sympathetic with a clear focus on achieving a fair outcome. As a result, Louise receives a high number of referrals from city law firms and represents a broad range of clients, many of whom are fellow lawyers, city professionals and their spouses. Louise is routinely commended for her common sense approach.
Examples of her work include
- Representing a wife in high value financial remedy proceedings where there were parallel company law proceedings relating to the successful business owned by the divorcing couple. The husband’s disclosure was found to be unreliable and the wife achieved a favourable outcome personally and professionally.
- Advising the wife of a premier league footballer on matrimonial finance and contact issues.
- Representing a father in a highly contested relocation application where the CAFCASS officer’s report was successfully challenged and the child was able to relocate to Canada.
- Advising a British actress in relation to financial remedy proceedings.
- Securing a favourable outcome for a husband in proceedings where the wife was a major shareholder in a multi-million pound accessories business.
A Little More About Louise
Louise trained and qualified into family law at a Legal 500 leading regional law firm, before moving to a well known city law firm.
During a year spent in Sydney, Australia, Louise was the Legal Writer and Editor of professional legal journals and textbooks on family law.
Louise has an interest in school governance having served as a Parent Governor and Chair of Governors in recent years. In her spare time she enjoys Yoga, Pilates, Aquafit and spending time with her family.
You can learn more about Louise’s work and her approach as we follow a day in her life.
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Sabrina is a founder and Joint Managing Partner of Allard Bailey Family Law. She has broad experience of all aspects of family law, including divorce and separation with business interests, international assets, sizable pensions and high-net-worth financial settlements.
Sabrina has a special interest in matters involving children such as complex care arrangements, international relocation, adoption and surrogacy. She enjoys helping parents resolve disputes and always encourages a child-first approach. This is shown in her contribution to the book ‘101 Questions Answered About Separating With Children’.
As an advocate of collaboration over litigation, Sabrina helps people entering relationships with children, as well as those with existing assets such a properties, businesses and pensions, to protect their futures with Pre-Nuptial Agreements and Living Together Agreements (also known as Cohabitation Agreements).
Due to her skilled handling of complex family law issues, Sabrina often advises on matters where there are much larger firms on the other side. With an empathetic but firm approach, she always strives to reach a conclusion for her clients in a cost effective and timely way.
Some notable cases include
- Obtaining 80% of marital assets for a wife in contested Financial Remedy Proceedings.
- Negotiating a complex Pre-Nuptial Agreement for a high-profile client with extensive assets in multiple jurisdictions.
- Securing an Adoption Order for a same-sex couple in contested proceedings.
- Gaining an order allowing a mother to relocate to New Zealand with her children.
- Successfully challenging false allegations made against a father in Children Act Proceedings, which had led to him having no contact with his child, and securing a shared care arrangement.
A Little more about Sabrina
Sabrina is an active member of Resolution, a national organisation of family lawyers committed to a constructive approach to family law. She practiced family law at two highly rated Legal 500 firms, as well as starting a very successful non-legal business, before co-founding Allard Bailey Family Law in 2016.
Outside of work, she enjoys the gym, spending time with her children and travelling.
You can learn more about Sabrina and her approach as we follow a day in her life.
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Louise is a founder and Joint Managing Partner of Allard Bailey Family Law. She has over 16 years’ experience of family law including, divorce, separation, children disputes, adoption and surrogacy.
Her clients come from all walks of life including city professionals, company directors, CEO’s, entrepreneurs and their spouses. Many of her cases have an international element.
Louise is passionate about family law and totally committed to helping people through some of the most difficult times of their lives with dignity and respect. As a member of Resolution, she will steer clients around conflict if possible, opting for a conciliatory approach to reach a fair agreement.
To aid this, Louise recommends that anyone with business interests, a well-established career or family wealth should enter into a pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement when they marry.
She says “No one wants to think about separating before they are married, but it is a lot easier agreeing what is fair while you are still enjoying the best of times, rather than when you are in the worst of times.”
That said, she represents her clients tenaciously and will always fight to get the best outcome.
Louise works tirelessly to help those affected by domestic violence – men, women and children – running the firm’s subsidised-fee scheme to assist in these cases.
Some Notable Cases include:
- Representing a husband in complicated divorce and financial matters where the wife had recently sold a stake in a business for up to £12 million.
- Preparing a case at short notice to resolve financial and contact arrangements for a mother who had been caught up in the court system for over 2 years with other legal representation.
- Representing a mother seeking a child arrangements order, housing and maintenance for her son in England, which was complicated by the fact that divorce proceedings were ongoing in Europe.
- Successfully challenging a negative CAFCASS report for a father who was accused of serious domestic violence, but maintained that accusations were made to influence the court’s decisions about the children’s arrangements.
- Representing a temporary foster carer who wanted to be joined as a party to care proceedings so that she could challenge the Local Authorities recommendation. The case had an international element and proceeded to the Court of Appeal. Louise worked with counsel in this jurisdiction as well as in Bulgaria.
A Little More About Louise
Before finding her true passion as a family lawyer, Louise worked in public relations and set up a New Media Agency in London.
Outside of work she is a school governor, runs half marathons to keep fit and is kept busy by her 3 sons.
It is a challenge balancing family and work life, but Louise believes it is possible and is committed to helping other members of the firm achieve that balance through flexible working.
You can learn more by reading about a day in her life.
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Aswini has been specialising in private family law for over 10 years and has a broad range of experience including advising on divorce, financial remedies, private children law, nuptial agreements and injunctions.
She advocates a collaborative approach to help clients achieve fair and dignified out of court agreements wherever possible. If that is not feasible, she will vigorously represent her clients to give them the best possible chance of achieving a positive outcome.
With a down-to-earth approach, Aswini always provides sensible, straightforward advice. She regularly advises on cases where there are allegations of domestic abuse and coercive control, which require sensitive but firm handling.
Her clients include business owners, company directors, accountants, lawyers, bankers, TV Producers, headteachers, doctors, their spouses and partners.
Examples of her work include
- Acting for a wife with young children in a complex and highly contested case involving allegations of domestic violence and requiring expert valuation of high-net-worth assets. Aswini successfully argued that the children should live with the wife and that the husband should provide her with sufficient capital and maintenance.
- Negotiating an out of court settlement in favour of an unmarried client regarding the beneficial ownership of a high-value property.
- Obtaining civil protective injunctions on behalf of a wife, who had been subjected to physical and emotional abuse throughout the marriage, to remove the husband from the family home and ensure the safety of her and the children.
- Representing a successful businessman in financial proceedings on divorce, preserving his business which he had built up over many years and securing his interest in the family home, as well as an investment property.
A Little More About Aswini
Aswini is a member of Resolution, a national organisation committed to a constructive approach to family law. She is also a trained family mediator.
Outside of work, she enjoys boxing, circuit training and weight-lifting. She is a mother of two and an active school class representative.
You can learn more about her approach as we follow a day in her life.
