Lora has a breadth of experience in all aspects of Family Law including divorce, separation and associated financial matters, cohabitation/unmarried/LGBT couples. She has a particular specialism and expertise in children law and cases involving domestic abuse.
Lora also advises in relation to surrogacy and adoption and in matters where the client may be experiencing uncertainty about the involvement of Children’s Services with the family where child protection issues may have arisen.
Lora acts for spouses, unmarried people and also other people involved in family proceedings, such as grandparents.
Lora has extended rights of advocacy which enable her, when possible, to represent clients in all family courts, thus providing clients with continuity.
Lora is a member of Resolution, a national association of family lawyers and other professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. Lora is also the founder and chair of the Guildford & District Branch of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).
Lora is based in TWM’s Epsom office, but will also hold client meetings at TWM’s Guildford, Fulham and Wimbledon offices.
Experience
- Advising parties both out of court and during proceedings on financial matters following the breakdown of marriage or civil partnership;
- Advising and representing parents in disputes regarding their children. If a matter cannot be resolved amicably, then Lora will represent clients in court proceedings to resolve issues, such as where the children will live and the time they are to spend with each parent;
- Advising in relation to other issues, such as where a child will attend school and when one parent wishes to take a child either temporarily or permanently to another part of the UK;
- Lora specialises in complex disputes involving allegations of domestic abuse and parental alienation;
- Advising in cases with an international element involving different jurisdictions, including applications for leave to remove a child from the jurisdiction or where the parties live in different countries;
- Advising other family members or persons in relation to court applications. This may, for example, be on behalf of a grandparent or aunt who wishes to apply for a Special Guardianship order to enable that person to have parental responsibility and care for a child, or simply a Child Arrangements order to enable a family member to have an ongoing relationship with a child;
- Advising with regard to financial support for a child when the parents have separated. Dealing with general child maintenance issues, but also broader provision under Schedule 1 of the Children Act;
- Dealing with cases where there are allegations of domestic abuse, including representing applicants and respondents in relation to applications for non-molestation orders/injunctions and occupation orders restricting or limiting a person’s right to occupy the home or part of it.
