About
Dawson Cornwell is one of the UK’s leading specialist family law firms, described in the words of The Legal 500 as a “firm of exceptionally dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable solicitors with an unparalleled case load of high-profile and complex international family law cases” and by sources as “without question… the leaders in the field“. The firm: Dawson Cornwell combines its highly regarded expertise in all aspects of family law with an unrivalled reputation in the field of international children law. The firm is unusual in that it has developed two specialist departments: the matrimonial department and the international children department, which work together as “a strong team of talented lawyers who are tactical, experienced and pragmatic”, providing its clients with a bespoke service. The matrimonial partners are Russell Bywater who “has great judgement combined with a down-to-earth manner”, the “very supportive” Charlotte Conner, Jessica Reid who “is an excellent choice: measured, responsive, great on paper and in person”, Sarah Jane Lenihan who “really cares about her clients and achieving the best possible outcomes for them”, Simon Bruce “who continues to provide an effortlessly first class service”, Anna Shadbolt who "provides clear, insightful and very valuable advice" and the "exceptionally excellent" Kate Brett. The matrimonial department also includes consultant Rhiannon Lewis who is “excellent and extremely knowledgeable”. The international children department is headed by the “absolutely superb” dual-qualified partner Carolina Marín Pedreño who “has strong experience at the highest level of international cases. Her tactical judgment is excellent, and her international links and knowledge are impressive”, Sulema Jahangir who stands out for her “knowledge and experience in very sensitive matters”, Hilka Hollmann who is "an impressive advocate who deals with some of the most complex cases for children", "the emotionally intelligent and committed" Charlotte Image-Flower and "the incredibly bright" Forum Shah. The children department also includes consultant Naomi Angell who is “ hugely knowledgeable and the doyenne of adoption”. The vast majority of the firm’s cases are international. The firm’s lawyers have extensive experience dealing with jurisdiction and other international issues. “They have every language under the sun covered”, including Azerbaijani, Catalan, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Malayalam, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish and Urdu. They are trailblazers in the field of cross-border children work, to which their unparalleled and ongoing record of reported cases is testament. Dawson Cornwell has a reputation for taking on the trickiest international cases, and as a firm who “handle the heavyweight, complex and cross-jurisdictional cases well”. “They are known for their tenacity and fighting a client’s cause”. The firm has thus been instrumental in developing entirely new areas of law, including failure to maintain applications for spouses who are stranded abroad and Schedule I applications following sperm donation cases. The firm prides itself on its partner-led approach, with strategic thinking and deft negotiation. While fee-earners assist partners to ensure that all work is undertaken cost-effectively, clients are always able to speak directly to, and deal directly with, the partner in charge of their case. Each partner has, deliberately, a different speciality so that they are able to offer collaborative law and mediation through to a high level of experience in jurisdictional work and complex litigation and trusts. At the same time the firm is known for being united in resolution rather than litigation and proportionality in respect of costs. Sources say about the firm, “An excellent team that has a good mix of experienced heads at the top of the tree and a lot of young, keen and clever junior lawyers coming through”. Types of work undertaken: The firm advises clients in the UK and internationally on all areas of family law, including prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, separation, divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships, international forum disputes, complex financial investigations, high-net-worth financial settlements, child maintenance, enforcing foreign orders, EU regulation cases and pensions. Its award-winning specialist international children department undertakes international custody disputes, child abduction, adoption, relocation, leave to remove, stranded spouses, forced marriage, honour-based violence, EU regulation recognition and enforcement, and complex international care cases. The firm also has a highly regarded reputation in international surrogacy, assisted reproduction law and same-sex parenting cases and has represented several high-profile commissioning parents in this field. This work is undertaken by partners Carolina Marín Pedreño and Hilka Hollmann, senior associate Naomi Angell and senior associate Aysel Akhundova. In addition to its litigation practice, the firm actively promotes alternative dispute resolution, with collaborative lawyers, Simon Bruce and Carolina Marín Pedreño and Resolution trained mediator Jessica Reid. The firm is described as “an outstanding supporter of mediation” and is known for having “a strong practice handling mediated and collaborative solutions to family matters”. ### Languages - Spanish - French - Russian - Urdu - Catalan - Tamil - Turkish - Azerbaijani - Swedish - German - Gujarati - Hindi - Italian - Malayalam - Polish - Portuguese - Punjabi ### Staffing Figures - 13 Number of UK partners - 25 Number of other UK fee-earners
Office locations
London
London
Dawson Cornwell LLP 11 Staple Inn London WC1V 7QH
Practice areas
Lawyers in this office
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