Sarah Laughey
Director & Head of Private Family Law
Sarah is Head of our Private Family Law department.
Sarah, who became Partner at the firm in 2019, is the dedicated Family Law expert at our branch offices of Ilkley, Otley and Guiseley. Sarah became a Director in January 2022 when the firm became an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
An Ilkley native, Sarah attended Ilkley Grammar School before qualifying as a Solicitor in 2007.
Sarah’s practice is diverse, with the full range of Family Law services being offered, from divorce and separation to related financial, children and domestic abuse aspects.
When it comes to financial cases, Sarah deals with situations where there are varying levels of money available to the parties. However, Sarah has increasingly become specialised in high net worth cases where there are complicated assets including multiple properties (in the UK and abroad), businesses, shareholdings, and pension policies.
In children cases, Sarah will commonly be instructed in Child Arrangement Order applications (live with or spend time with (formally residence and contact)), Prohibited Steps and Specific Issue Order applications, as well as Parental Responsibility and Special Guardianship cases.
In all areas of Family Law, Sarah will frequently see client cases through to final hearing, but wherever possible the aim is to settle cases in a fair and reasonable manner, and before extensive litigation has become necessary.
In 2012, Sarah qualified as an Accredited Resolution Specialist, with specialist subjects including private children law and domestic abuse. As a member of Resolution Sarah is committed to resolving disputes in a constructive and non-confrontational manner.
Away from work, Sarah enjoys walking in the Yorkshire Dales with her young family, and takes a keen interest in current affairs and politics.