Karen Gibbons

Practice Areas

Karen is a highly experienced family law solicitor who is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in family law and also as a family law mediator. She is trained in Collaborative Practice.

Having specialised exclusively in family law since the outset of her career, Karen has many years of experience of assisting clients to achieve the right outcome for their particular circumstances. Karen is aware just how challenging issues arising from relationship break-downs can be and that the legal process can be very daunting. Karen has an open and down to earth approach to her practice and clients comment not only on her knowledge of the law but also the care taken to genuinely understand their individual situations.

She is an experienced litigator, with many years litigating in both the sheriff courts and in the Court of Session. Whilst recognising that in some cases litigation will be appropriate, Karen is more often than not able to assist clients find a positive way forward without the need for court proceedings.

Karen’s extensive experience covers the spectrum of family law case types. She has particular experience in complex financial provision matters both in divorce (often including a cross-border element) and cohabitation cases. Karen regularly negotiates and assists clients in entering into separation agreements following on from the break-down of a relationship. In addition, Karen is regularly instructed to assist clients who wish to put in place pre-nuptial and pre-cohabitation agreements.

Karen is very experienced in complex cases relating to children, particularly those arising following the break-down of relationships, including residence and contact cases, as well as relocation cases. Karen has particular experience in dealing with cases where there has been the rejection of a parent following a separation and recognises that such situations are often very complex and deeply distressing. Karen’s child law practice also includes cases with an international element as well as child abduction cases. She has many years of experience in dealing with cases where domestic abuse is a feature or is alleged to be a feature. Karen recognises the complexity of such cases and the need for sensitivity.

Karen is regularly appointed as a child welfare reporter by Edinburgh Sheriff Court. She is also a keen proponent of the use of mediation in family law cases, recognising the benefits the process can bring to many family law cases, and undertakes mediation in all types of family cases.

Professional Memberships

Karen is a member of Consensus, IACP (the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals), CALM Scotland and the Family Law Association of Scotland (FLA). For many years Karen, had a close involvement with the running of Scotland’s FLA as a committee member from 2008 to 2016 as well as in office bearing roles (Vice Chair 2012 to 2014 and Chair 2016).