Family: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40

Head of the family law team in Oxford, specialising in family law, particularly in more complex financial cases and difficult disputes concerning arrangements for children. Accorded top ranking in both Chambers UK and The Legal 500 for many years. A Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, one of only a relatively small number of UK family law specialists outside London who are members.

Managing Partner and Joint Head of Department

Claire Dyer is partner in the Family team at Blandy & Blandy. She is experienced in all aspects of divorce and separation, financial remedy and disputes in relation to children. She advises both married and unmarried individuals, at all stages of their relationship. Claire has worked on complex cases involving trusts, business assets, international elements, third party interveners, injunctions and appeals. She is also experienced with separation and nuptial agreements. Claire has advised in children cases acting for parents, grandparents and families with complex needs.       She also practices as a collaborative lawyer and mediator, having completed her training with Resolution, the family lawyers’ association which aims to resolve Family Law matters through a constructive approach.

Senior Partner

Kerry has been specialising in Family Law for nearly 30 years. Having qualified in 1993, she was made a partner at the top prestigious firm of Manches in London in 2002 and moved to Henley on Thames in Oxfordshire in 2004. Kerry has been privileged to head up the Penningtons Manches Cooper Reading family team for 12 years now, building it up to a legal 500 and Chambers rated team and developing and training many excellent family lawyers under her tutelage. Kerry is highly experienced in mid to high net worth family cases including Schedule One claims and children proceedings for both fathers and mothers. Kerry also has experience of leave to remove proceedings and advising on both pre and post nuptial contracts and cohabitation agreements. Kerry is also a collaborative lawyer and trained mediator. A tough negotiator when required, she is also empathetic and supportive to clients with good judgment. Kerry is ably assisted by her excellent team of Danielle Bentley, Hannah McCrindle, Poppy Holmes and Rebecca Holder.

Jolene’s expertise covers a wide range of family law matters, including complex financial cases arising on divorce for high-net worth clients. Career cases include a divorce with assets, including trust assets and companies, worth over £10 million. Jolene also advises clients seeking to protect their income and assets on divorce through the drafting of Pre and Post- Nuptial agreements. Recent agreements involved inherited wealth in the region of £60 million. She also advises on agreements with an international element to ensure protection where other jurisdictions are involved. During her career, Jolene has dealt with and continues to deal with complex children cases, including applications for leave to remove children from the jurisdiction and also financial claims (Schedule 1 claims) in respect of children born to unmarried parents.  

Ruth is a partner and trained collaborative lawyer in the family law team in Oxford. She specialises in financial matters and disputes relating to arrangements for children. Acting for both married and unmarried clients, she regularly advises on cases involving international elements and complex financial arrangements. She also acts in cases where there are allegations of parental coercion or control. Ruth is also particularly skilled in acting for business owners and executives, or their spouses, and advising where there are complex issues regarding company valuations and remuneration packages.

Senior solicitor

Partner

Partner

Tom specialises in family law and his focus is on helping you to reach an amicable agreement quickly, constructively and cost-effectively. He does this by working with you to find the best approach – whether it’s advising as you seek to reach an agreement yourself; or by going through mediation, or negotiating on your behalf.When going to court is the only option, Tom has extensive experience of contested court proceedings. Tom is a family lawyer primarily based in our Oxford office, but also works from our Milton Keynes office and is able to meet with clients there.Tom is a member of Resolution, a family law professionals’ group committed to resolving family disputes in a constructive, non-confrontational way that puts the best interests of the children first.

Family Law solicitor and a Resolution accredited specialist, Catherine advises clients in divorce/civil partnership proceedings, financial remedy negotiations and in private law Children Act matters, as well as Cohabitants’ disputes and in drafting Deeds of Cohabitation and Pre-Nuptial/Post-Nuptial Agreements. Catherine often advises clients in cases with complex elements and in 2019 was named by eprivateclient as one of the Top 35 under 35 professionals in the private client sector.

Joanne has specialised in all aspects of Family Law since qualifying in 2012, developing a particular expertise in advising on marital agreements, divorce, cohabitation disputes and financial matters arising from the breakdown of a relationship. She regularly advises on cases involving family businesses, inherited wealth and complex legal issues.Whether advising on financial matters or disputes involving children, Joanne is dedicated to providing clear, pragmatic advice, which enables her clients to achieve the best, long-term solution.As a member of Resolution, a national organisation of professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes, Joanne advocates resolving family issues as amicably and cost-effectively as possible, particularly where children are involved. However, it is not always possible to resolve family issues without involving the Court. Where contested court proceedings are instigated, Joanne is highly experienced in advising and supporting clients through the legal process.