Sarah is a partner and head of the family department at Ramsdens. She is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500, member of the Law Society family panel and collaboratively trained solicitor.
What was your career path to your current role?
I joined Baxter Caulfield as a trainee solicitor and qualified into the firm’s litigation department, covering aspects of civil and commercial litigation, personal injury and family law – but it was family that I found the most rewarding. Following the merger of Baxter Caulfield with Ramsdens, I joined the family team and have never looked back.
Did you have any other career ambitions?
I had several as I didn’t really know what I wanted to do for many years. I considered medicine briefly during 6th form but didn’t have the right A-levels, so I went to university to study Geography. It was whilst I was there that I began considering law.
What keeps you motivated in your work?
In family law, we deal with people whose lives are falling apart, and they are in their most raw, emotional state. Helping someone through the process and giving them the tools to move forward with their next stage of life is extremely rewarding.
What has been the best development in family law in the last 20 years?
The introduction of no-fault divorce. Before that came into effect in 2022, parties had to blame one another for the breakdown of the marriage, unless they wanted to wait for two years. This can land unnecessary blame at one person’s door and, as it has no impact upon either finances or the arrangements for any children, it simply added another layer of antagonism.
And the worst?
The law surrounding child maintenance is a minefield. The system is confusing, out of date and people are given conflicting information from different people. It does not consider income such as dividends, which is the main source of income for many company directors, and insists on payments being made when both parents share equal care of the children.
If you could bring in one new piece of legislation for the sector, what would it be and why?
Cohabiting couples are the fastest growing household in the UK but there are no rights for them when they separate. Claims are limited only to the house they live in, and they are not entitled to share in pensions or receive maintenance, even if one person has had childcare responsibility, meaning that they have been disadvantaged in the workplace. The area is crying out for legislation to address this unfairness.
What’s the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you regarding your career?
To have confidence in myself and in my work.
What’s the best piece of advice you’d like to give to someone just starting out?
Your career is a marathon not a sprint. Don’t always be in a rush to move on but take the time to learn from those around you who have more experience. You will not know everything from day one, but as time goes on, you find yourself being the one people ask for advice!
Tell us something people may be surprised to know about you…
I had 10 penfriends around Europe in my teens and yes we wrote actual letters to each other!
If you’d like to appear in a future Today’s Family Lawyer profile, email press@todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk
