Katie O'Callaghan

Practice Areas

Katie advises clients on all aspects of family law, with a particular emphasis on high net worth financial remedy proceedings on divorce.

A high proportion of her workload involves complex wealth structures both in the UK and abroad. She often acts for clients where the majority of the wealth is tied up in a family business which raises issues not only about the value of the company but also the ways in which funds can be extracted from it to buy out one spouse’s interest. She has a varied client base with backgrounds in private equity, sport, retail and technology.

Katie has a particular interest in the preparation and negotiation of pre- and post-nuptial agreements in order to seek to protect certain assets in the event of a divorce. She works closely with the Firm’s corporate and private client teams to advise entrepreneurs, landed estate families and trustees in relation to such agreements. These may also be preceded by cohabitation agreements for unmarried partners as a means of regulating each partner’s financial contribution to their relationship.

Katie has expertise in private children law matters which often involve disputes regarding the arrangements for the children upon their parents’ separation, applications by one parent to relocate a child elsewhere in the UK or abroad and financial provision for children of unmarried parents. She has particular experience in dealing with cases involving an autistic child.

Katie is also a qualified mediator. Mediation works by helping people who have decided to separate, end a civil partnership or divorce or who are trying to deal with changes in family relationships to talk things through. Katie is trained to help clients focus on what really matters to them and their family and to help clients to discuss and agree the best arrangements for the future, whether that be in relation to their children, their money or the practicalities of how life will work in the future. Find out more about mediation here.

Clients and Counsel commend her support throughout what can be a difficult process and her detailed knowledge of the law. She is dedicated to securing the best outcome for her clients, whether through negotiated settlements or via the court.