Catherine Taylor

Client owned a property in her sole name and was due to enter into a civil partnership. The client was struggling to meet her mortgage instalments and it was agreed between the parties that her soon to be civil partner would join her on the mortgage. The parties made enquiries and were initially advised by mortgage advisors that this could only take place if the parties were registered as joint owners of the property. The parties made a mortgage application, only to be told that our client’s income was too low and, in addition, as a result of her poor credit rating, they could not remortgage. Without seeking any legal advice and in anticipation of their civil partnership, the client transferred the title of the property and the mortgage into her partner’s name, but within weeks the parties’ relationship broke down. The client instructed another firm of solicitors, who became involved in the minutia of the relationship breakdown and did not look at the wider picture. The client spent thousands of pounds without achieving any result. She then instructed Healys LLP Brighton office. We took control of the situation and immediately liaised with the other party’s solicitors, advising in the strongest possible terms that the matter would be best dealt with via arbitration. The other side were eventually persuaded to accept this proposal and the arbitration hearing is due to take place next month.

The client had been in a long marriage and throughout most of the marriage the parties and their children had lived abroad due to the husband’s career. The wife sacrificed her career to further the career of her husband and to care for the family. The wife and children returned to live in the UK to allow the children to complete their education, with the husband remaining overseas. The husband earned a considerable salary and the family led an extravagant lifestyle. Upon the wife’s return to the UK, the marriage broke down and she instructed us to represent her. The wife was of the view that the husband had hidden assets abroad and we went to considerable lengths to uncover any hidden assets and were successful in discovering the true level of the husband’s wealth. This led to the wife achieving a much better outcome than that anticipated.

We were instructed by a client in relation to her divorce. The client asked if we would assist in relation to a separate issue relating to her father. The client’s father has dementia and is living in a nursing home. The father’s ex-wife had made an application under Schedule 1 of the Children Act for a lump sum stating that she needed monies for the children. We advised the client and assisted her in obtaining a Deputyship in order that she could instruct us and speak on behalf of her father and manage his affairs. The client was strongly of the view that her father needed any monies from the sale of his property to secure his care at the nursing home. We were of the view that the other side did not have a legitimate claim, but unfortunately, the matter went to Final Hearing. At the Final Hearing the Judge strongly agreed with our argument and the application was dismissed, with a Costs Order being granted in our client’s favour.

We are instructed by a high profile entrepreneur, following the very public breakdown of his marriage. The client has a large successful company in the Brighton and Sussex area and the case involves detailed knowledge of clients with complex financial matters and company law whilst also dealing with the sensitive nature of the breakdown of a family.

We are dealing with a client with very limited assets who lives abroad. The main asset in question being the husband’s pension and we are seeking a Pension Earmarking Order as opposed to a Pension Sharing Order to ensure that both parties maximise the pension income for the remainder of their lives.

We act for a client who is seeking to re-establish time with his daughter, having not spent time with her for some six months. Difficulties have arisen due to client’s alleged use of illicit drugs, but we have managed to expedite matters so that within six weeks of instructing us, the client had attempted mediation, attended Court and is now seeing his daughter on a regular basis.

Catherine Taylor acted on behalf of a woman (w) in respect difficulties which had arisen regarding her civil partnership. In this case the w was the subject of financial and physical abuse. Catherine Taylor provided the w with clear and concise advice outlining all the options available to w and the statutes under which the w would be protected against domestic violence. An urgent application on a without notice basis for an Occupation and Non-Molestation Order was made on behalf of the w thus preventing the intimidation, pestering, threats or harassment from continuing. The w was very satisfied with the advice and representation received from Catherine Taylor throughout. The Court duly made a Non-Molestation and Occupation Order in favour of the w, and, more importantly attached a Power of Arrest to the relevant elements of the order. The parties’ civil partnership is at Conditional Order stage, but the parties are yet to resolve their financial matters. Catherine Taylor went over and above by reassuring the client that she had a strong case alienating her fears and guiding her to the right path especially by taking a firm approach. This has led to the w obtaining a better outcome than expected in her case first of all ensuring the w is safe and that the Respondent is prevented from future harming the w thus giving the w the utmost security to continue enjoying her life.

The client had left the family home with the child who is autistic and has ADHD. , Issues arose in respect of the father’s time with the child. The mother expressed concerns of the father struggling to cope with the child and failing to meet his needs and refusing to accept the severity of the child’s condition. The mother instructed us to represent her in connection with the fathers application to spend more time with the child. Throughout the case we provided sound advice and dealt with all the aspects of the case. We obtained a Child Arrangements Order in our client’s favour, thus benefiting both the mother and more importantly, the child.