About
Dawson Cornwell LLP is a UK specialist family law firm with distinct matrimonial and international children departments, noted for expertise on high-profile and complex international family law matters. The Legal 500 describes the firm as “a firm of exceptionally dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable solicitors.”
Practice areas
Office
Lawyers at this firm
Anna Shadbolt
Partner advising on all aspects of family law, particularly financial issues arising upon divorce or separation of cohabiting couples. She advises on a range of complex legal issues, including financial provision for children of unmarried parents, claims in respect of property owned by cohabitees, pre and post nuptial agreements, the treatment of non-disclosure by one party and cases involving a significant asset base. She is also experienced in international cases including advising on complex issues of enforcement in other jurisdictions, securing financial provision for parties who have obtained an overseas divorce, the treatment of offshore trusts or other international assets, and multifaceted jurisdictional issues concerning competing legal proceedings in other countries. · Family / Matrimonial
Aysel Akhundova
Aysel advises on all aspects of children law, specialising in complex children related matters including domestic child arrangements, international and domestic child relocation, international child abduction cases and recognition and enforcement of overseas orders. She frequently acts for ‘Intended Parents’ in obtaining Parental Orders in this jurisdiction, following both domestic and international surrogacy and has a growing practice specialising in surrogacy, assisted reproduction and modern families. As a qualified Solicitor Advocate (High Court Civil Proceedings) she represents Intended Parents at the High Court. · Children
Carolina Marín Pedreño
Partner specialising in international children work: child abduction, jurisdiction disputes, registration and enforcement of foreign contact orders, leave to remove, contact, adoption, cross borders placement and public law cases. As a surrogacy lawyer she has experience in both domestic and international surrogacy agreements and disputes, family formation and assisted reproduction rights. Carolina also acts for the victims of forced marriages and honour based violence. · Family / Children
Charlotte Conner
Partner specialising in divorce and all issues relating to relationship breakdown, including complex financial remedy proceedings, pre and post nuptial agreements and issues relating to cohabitants including contentious trusts and probate. · Family / Matrimonial
Charlotte Image-Flower
Partner specialising in private and public children law and care proceedings. As an expert public children law practitioner she is also an active member of both the Central Family Court and the East London Family Court Duty Solicitors' Scheme. · Children
Floriane Laruelle
Floriane advises on all issues relating to children law including care cases involving issues of severe child abuse, domestic and international child arrangements, international and domestic child relocation and child abduction. Much of her work has an international element. · Family / Children
Forum Shah
Partner specialising in private and public children law, with particular expertise in international child abduction and relocation. She receives instructions directly from the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU). She acts for both applicants and respondents in cases concerning the 1980 Hague Convention/wardship and non Hague Convention countries. Forum also acts for parents and other family members in care proceedings (her expertise in international children law means she is often chosen by parents residing abroad and who are seeking their child to be placed with them), in living and contact arrangements, applications to relocate abroad and cases involving allegations of drug and alcohol abuse, domestic abuse and parental alienation. · Children
Helen Kings
Partner specialising in private children law, international child abduction, other children cases with an international element or involving the cross-border movement of children, international relocation/leave to remove applications and adoption. Reported cases: Re R (Abduction: Habitual Residence) [2004] IFLR 216; AF v T and anr [2011] EWHC 1315 (Fam); JEG and IS and E J G-S [2014] EWHC 287 (Fam). · Children
Hilka Hollmann
Partner known for her expertise in international and domestic adoptions, surrogacy and alternative families, cases involving the relocation and international movement of children, abductions, jurisdictional disputes, and complex care proceedings, often involving cross-border issues, and the most serious allegations of sexual abuse, non-accidental injuries, factitious illness and radicalisation, with concurrent criminal investigations/proceedings. · Family / Children
Jessica Reid
Partner and Mediator; specialises in divorce, financial and private children cases. She is especially known for her experience in complex high value financial cases, often involving non-disclosure trusts, pensions, and the preparation of pre-nuptial agreements often for international clients. · Family / Divorce
Kate Brett
Kate advises on all issues relating to relationship breakdown: divorce, cohabitation and applications for financial remedy following divorce, as well as complex children related matters including domestic child arrangement disputes and international and domestic child relocation. Much of Kate’s work has an international element. Her broad practice means that she regularly acts for clients in relation to all of the issues they encounter following relationship breakdown, providing continuity as well as expertise. · Family / Matrimonial
Naomi Angell
Consultant · Family Law
Rhiannon Lewis
Consultant specialising in divorce, cohabitants’ disputes and high-value ancillary relief. Reported cases: C v C (maintenance pending suit: legal costs) [2006] 2FLR 1207. · Family / Matrimonial
Russell Bywater
Partner and Head of Matrimonial Department specialising in complex high net worth financial cases, arising out of marital and non-marital breakdown. He has particular expertise in heavy international trust cases and has been involved in some of the leading cases. · Family / Matrimonial
Sarah Jane Lenihan
Partner specialising in financial remedies and private law children matters. Widely regarded for her expertise in complex cases, Sarah Jane has extensive experience in challenging and emotionally charged matters involving allegations of domestic abuse, parental alienation and safeguarding issues. She is also known for advising individuals with substantial income and assets with complex international elements, and a variety of financial, business and trust structures. · Family / Matrimonial
Simon Bruce
Partner specialising in financial matters, particulary complex HNW cases. He also has wide expertise in children matters as a result of his caseload in pro bono family law clinics in London. Simon is known for his naturally empathetic and caring style. He is also an experienced mediator and collaborative lawyer. · Family / Matrimonial
Stephen Harker
Managing partner specialising in commercial property and residential work. · Real Estate
Sulema Jahangir
Partner who undertakes all aspects of domestic and international family law including child abduction, child custody and the financial consequences of divorce and separation. She also acts for the victims of forced marriages, abandoned spouses and honour based violence. She has acted in several reported cases in superior courts in both England and Pakistan. · Family / Divorce
