Katie Taft

My Approach

I provide clear advice and guidance which not only deals with the legal aspects of your case, but also takes into consideration the difficulties you face when dealing with family breakdown. I strive to minimize acrimony and costs by taking a proactive, pragmatic and sensible approach.

I am able to draw on my mediation training to work with you to settle matters by agreement, where possible. Where this is not possible, I am able to draw on my experience as a litigator to work with you to achieve the best possible outcome.

I have particular expertise and experience in dealing with complex financial matters, cases with an international aspect (particularly the relocation of children), and cases involving domestic abuse. I have significant experience acting both for and against individuals with narcissistic personality traits and other personality disorders and am highly skilled in dealing with cases involving controlling and coercive behaviour.

Area of Expertise

• All aspects of divorce and civil partnership dissolution
• Financial disputes arising from relationship breakdown including disputes over property, pensions and maintenance
• Disputes involving children including access, contact, choice of school, relocation and holidays
• Emergency applications to protect children e.g. preventing them from being taken abroad
• Emergency Applications relating to domestic abuse, including controlling and coercive behaviour and stalking
• Narcissistic and other personality disorders in the context of family breakdown
• Relocation of Children inside and outside of England
• Child Abduction
• Cohabitation Disputes between unmarried partners
• Cohabitation Agreements
• Mediation all of issues mentioned above

Recent Work

• Representing parents of abducted children in the High Court, Court of Appeal and United Kingdom Supreme Court. See reported cases - (Re C (Children) (Abduction: Rights of Custody)[2018] UKSC 8 (14 February 2018) and Re NY (A Child) [2019] UKSC 49
• Representing a mother whose child had been abducted three years ago. An emergency application was issued and the child was found and returned to the mother within 6 weeks
• Successfully setting aside an Arbitral Award which granted permission for a child to live in France on the basis of a change in the child’s views
• Representing a client in financial proceedings involving a substantial buy to let property portfolio, tax issues and complex pension arrangements
• Successfully representing a client who wished to retain a lucrative family business post divorce
• Securing significant findings of domestic abuse (both physical and non-physical) against a mother in Children proceedings. See reported case Re V and W (Children: Finding of Fact) Re [2023] EWFC 233 (23 June 2023)
• Securing the removal of a spouse from the matrimonial home by way of Occupation Order to protect my client from further domestic abuse
• Successfully representing a number of clients in their application to move their child abroad, including in the Court of Appeal (Re F (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 1364)
• Representing a client whose partner failed to disclose significant assets in divorce and financial proceedings
• Acting both for and against parties with Narcissist traits and/or Borderline Personality Disorder
• Acting for and against parties who lack mental capacity
• Agreeing a complicated financial settlement by a series of round table meetings and negotiations which avoided Court proceedings
• Mediating complicated arrangements for international access to children as well as several seemingly intractable financial disputes

Professional Associations & Qualifications

• Qualified as a solicitor in October 2010
• Became Partner of the firm in 2018
• LLB Law Degree from the University of Southampton (2:1)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Bournemouth (Distinction)
• Qualified Family Mediator with Resolution
• Member of Resolution
• Law Society Accredited Mediator
• Resolution Accredited Specialist in Child Abduction and Children Law (Private)
• Ranked as Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Family Law - "Katie Taft is a practitioner whose career has simply excelled far beyond her years. She is able to deliver clear, sensible advice while leaving no stone unturned"
• Recognised in Chambers & Partners (UK 2023) for Family Law - "Katie is a very strong lawyer."
• Ranked as Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Family Law - described as highly knowledgeable, has a brilliant eye for detail and tactics, and always produces immaculate briefs for counsel.
• Ranked as an Up and Coming individual in the Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2022. "She approaches things in a calm, rational, and forensic way, and she combines that with being able to empathise with and support her clients on a personal level." "Katie Taft works hard for her clients, and she has an extra flair for international proceedings."
• Recognised as a Notable Practitioner in the Chambers & Partners UK guide 2020 for having 'good judgement' and being 'very good at handling clients'.
• Recognised as an Up and Coming Lawyer in Chambers & Partners UK guide 2020.
• Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2022) for Family Law – recognised for particular specialism in working with international children’s relocations.
• Recognised as a Key Lawyer in The Legal 500 (UK 2020) for having 'expertise in matters concerning international child abduction and injunctions'.
• Ranked as a Leading Individual by The Legal 500 (UK 2019)
• Ranked as a Leading Individual by The Legal 500 (UK 2018)
• Finalist in the Dorset Legal Awards for “Lawyer of the Year” 2018
• The Legal 500 (UK 2017) describes Katie as ‘exceptionally bright’ and is ‘one to watch’ being considered as ‘a leading solicitor in the field of international children law’
• Recognised as a 'Next Generation Lawyer' by The Legal 500 (UK 2017)