Blackadders LLP

Private Client, Family Law

Gareth is a partner in our Family Law team. Experienced in family law matters for approaching three decades, Gareth is regularly instructed in matters relating to care and contact arrangements for children and the financial consequences of relationship breakdown.  He also has significant experience in adoption and permanence matters.  He is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in both Family Law and Child Law.  Gareth is trained in the collaborative family law model and conducts cases this way regularly.  He encourages a co-operative and child-centred approach to family disputes, but equally is robust and assertive when necessary. Gareth regularly appears in the Sheriff Court in respect of family law cases, generally conducting cases himself without reliance on Counsel. His significant experience covers financial provision on divorce, claims arising out of cohabitation and cases relating to care and contact arrangements for children, including relocation cases. He advises clients on high-value financial provision divorce cases brought in both the Court of Session and the Sheriff Court.  He also offers advice and representation in contentious guardianship applications.  Gareth has been appointed by Aberdeen Sheriff Court to prepare child welfare reports in unresolved child cases.  Gareth is a member of the Law Society of Scotland Child Law accreditation assessment panel.  He has been appointed in court as a person of skill to assist in resolution of a professional fees dispute relating to a divorce.  He has been engaged as an ad hoc tutor at the University of Aberdeen for the Civil Court module of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice. He previously tutored on the Private Client module of the Diploma at the Robert Gordon University.  Gareth is a member of the Family Law Association and Consensus Scotland.

Trainee solicitor James & George Collie from 1992-94; assistant solicitor, associate Adam Cochran; becoming partner in 1999 until merger with Blackadders 2014.

Accredited as a Specialist in Family Law Accredited as a Specialist in Child Law ‘Band 2’ Lawyer – Chambers Trained as a collaborative family lawyer

Robert Gordon’s College; Aberdeen University (1990 LLB, 1992 Dip LP).

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