Family/Matrimonial
UK Guide 2025 : Thames Valley
Band 1
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
01727 837161About
Provided by Debenhams Ottaway
Our family team advises on high value and complex divorces and financial settlements involving significant personal assets, with complicated business interests and challenging child arrangements, often involving an international element.
We work with individuals, parents, couples and grandparents in Hertfordshire, London, across the UK and internationally, guiding people sensitively and proactively through what is often a difficult time for the entire family. Our collaboratively trained lawyers deal with all family issues.
Our services include
•Prenuptial and Post-nuptial Agreements
•Divorce and Civil Partnership Dissolution
•International and Expatriate Divorce and Separation
•Divorce and Marital Finance Settlements
•Cohabitation and Living Together Agreements
•Separation Agreements for Unmarried Couples
•Disputes concerning arrangements for children
•International Relocation of children
•Variation of spousal and Child Maintenance claims
Chambers Review
Debenhams Ottaway frequently advises on high-value financial remedy proceedings involving trusts, overseas assets and pensions, as well as assisting with the creation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. The firm additionally handles a range of children law matters, including child maintenance, residence and potential abduction issues. The team, based in St Albans, is able to provide clients with the benefit of its wider capabilities in private wealth matters.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Debenhams Ottaway's level of service and responsiveness were second to none; all the team were magnificent."
"Their approach is professional and knowledgeable. Each step is clearly articulated in a form that is understandable, and potential possible outcomes are explained with their consequences."
"Debenhams Ottaway gave honest, pragmatic advice throughout the process."
"Debenhams Ottaway are incredibly efficient."
"Debenhams Ottaway's level of service and responsiveness were second to none; all the team were magnificent."
"Their approach is professional and knowledgeable. Each step is clearly articulated in a form that is understandable, and potential possible outcomes are explained with their consequences."
"Debenhams Ottaway gave honest, pragmatic advice throughout the process."
"Debenhams Ottaway are incredibly efficient."
Notable Practitioners
Helen Young is head of the family team and a leading lawyer in high-value financial remedy proceedings and child relocation cases. She also has notable experience in negotiating prenuptial and postnuptial agreements between couples.
"Helen Young has expert knowledge in her field. She is easy to communicate with and has shown empathy within a very stressful process."
"Helen is empathetic and she is very good at balancing that client-focused approach."
"Helen is realistic and pragmatic; she is willing to fight a client's corner if needs be."
Natalie Lester is well placed to assist clients with financial remedy proceedings, often involving overseas assets, as well as disputes concerning child arrangements.
"Natalie was always professional and efficient in her dealings."
"Natalie Lester is an exceptional lawyer who is very approachable and practical in her outlook."
Ranked Lawyers at
Debenhams Ottaway
Thames Valley