Sarah Hutchinson

Sarah is ranked in the Spear’s 500 Family Law Index (as a "Top Recommended" lawyer), the Legal 500 Guide (as a "Leading Partner") and Chambers UK HNW Guide (in Band 2 for Family/Matrimonial: UHNW).

Sarah has written articles for a number of family law publications. She regularly speaks at international family law conferences and has provided articles and commentary for wider publications such as the Financial Times, the Telegraph, Grazia Magazine and the Financial Reporter.

Sarah is a member of Resolution and the Association of Lawyers for Children.  She is also a trained mediator.

Sarah has been the Practice Area Manager for the Family team since 2018. She is part of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Forum, the Graduate Recruitment Interviewing Panel, and a member of the firm choir.

“Sarah is very good, and one of the stars of the future in the field." (Chambers HNW 2024)

“Sarah is unique. Her clients stay with her for the long haul and trust her." (Chambers HNW 2024)

"Outstanding service all round, could not wish for better or more – truly exceptional. I feel in very safe hands. Sarah Hutchinson is one of the most outstanding professionals I have ever worked with in my life. Incredible technical skills and experience, great judgement and a human touch and empathy that I find unique, and I value very highly. I trust her 100%." (Legal 500 2024)

"Sarah is ambitious, extremely competent, has a very good grasp of the law and is willing to push the boundaries." (Chambers HNW 2023)

“Sarah Hutchinson is hugely respected for her work on both financial and children matters.” (Legal 500 2023)

"She is an excellent lawyer. She is very dedicated, very user-friendly and very intelligent." (Chambers UK 2023)

"Sarah is an incredibly determined and persistent solicitor who really wants to achieve good outcomes for her clients. She is incredibly hard-working and knows every nook and cranny of her client's case." (Chambers UK 2023)

"She's good to have on the other side of a case; she will fight her client's corner, but in a very tactical and fair way." (Chambers UK 2023)

"[Sarah] is so knowledgeable, so experienced and just so client-friendly. She's thorough, organised and on top of everything." (Chambers HNW 2022)

"Sarah Hutchinson leaves no stone unturned and is both beyond thorough and nuanced in her approach. Exceptional with clients in a crisis, or who need to be persuaded as to what is really in their best interests. She is a delight to work with, and a very fine lawyer indeed." (Legal 500 2022)

"Sarah Hutchinson is an exceptional solicitor. She has amazing client care skills and is passionate about her work and in getting the best possible result for the client. Sarah is all over the detail of a case; she is hardworking and extremely effective at what she does. A joy to work with." (Legal 500 2022)

"Sarah Hutchinson – exceptionally bright lawyer. Very personable but she has razor sharp intellect." (Legal 500 2022)

"She is totally dedicated to her clients and gains their confidence through her supportiveness." "She knows her stuff, is very approachable and engages well with clients. She is a good litigator and communicator." "She has an incredible determination to succeed for her clients." (Chambers UK 2022)

"She's absolutely fabulous in private children disputes and is always very good at interrelationship between money and children." (Market Commentator)

"One of the few solicitors who is genuinely child focused”; “her client care is outstanding.” (Independent social worker/children’s guardian)

“She is very dynamic and one of the stars of children work.” (Top ranked children law QC)

“You are completely awesome and have been a beacon of light for me and indeed my boys - your guidance and handling of my situation, your kindness and sheer brilliance I will never forget.” (Client)

“I wanted to say a massive thank you for being brilliant and for your brilliance, guidance and support through my divorce. I simply wouldn't have got to where I did without you and having you in my corner has always made me feel so much stronger.” (Client)

"All your advice and help has been very much appreciated during such a turbulent period. I’m confident we are moving positively forward.” (Client)

"Sarah’s wealth of experience in family cases and as a mediator allow her to take a practical, friendly and supportive position with her clients, providing clear, pragmatic advice. You know you are in good hands from day 1. She is an absolute powerhouse, I cannot recommend her highly enough." (Client)

A v B & Ors (Wardship; Parental Order; s10(9) Leave Application) [2023] EWHC 1680 (Fam)
Acting for the father of a baby born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement in America. The father was the respondent in the proceedings in relation to the baby, further to applications brought by the mother of the father’s older child. Mrs Justice Theis determined that the applicant’s application for a parental order lacked merit and that she could not ‘read down’ the statutory criteria in s54 HFEA 2008 in order to open the gateway to a parental order for the applicant; furthermore, the ECHR rights were not engaged in accordance with the authorities. The applicant’s application for permission to make an application for a child arrangements order pursuant to s10(9) Children Act 1989 was also refused. The father’s own application for a parental order in relation to the baby, made as a single parent, accorded with the provisions of s54 HFEA 2008.

Goddard-Watts v Goddard Watts [2019] EWHC 3367 (Fam)
Acting for Mrs Goddard-Watts, in what is believed to be an unprecedented application to set aside a financial order on divorce for the second time within the same proceedings on the basis of fraudulent non-disclosure by the husband. Mr Justice Holman, the judge determining the application in the wife’s favour, described the scenario as “vanishingly rare and probably unique”. The case was reported by The Times.

IX v IY [2018] EWHC 3053 
Acting for a former model in her application for financial remedies on divorce, involving high value assets in multiple jurisdictions. The case concerned whether the parties’ long pre-marital relationship amounted to quasi-marital status, thereby enabling the wife to share in the significant assets generated in the husband’s business during the relationship. The court considered the relevance and impact of the parties’ spending the entirety of the husband’s pre-marital wealth during the marriage due to their very high standard of living. A further issue was whether the wife’s daughter from a previous relationship was a “child of the family”.

BD v FD [2016 EWHC] (Fam) 595
Acting in a case involving very substantial assets, largely inherited, consideration of how the other spouse's needs should be assessed. The court also considered the consequence of profligate spending by one spouse in the period leading up to the trial.

KG v LG (No 2) [2015] EWFC 64
Acting for a former wife in her successful application for an appeal where her former husband was guilty of non-disclosure at the time of the divorce regarding his interest in two trusts.

G v G [2015] EWHC 1512 (Fam)
Acting for a former wife in financial remedy proceedings seeking orders preventing her former husband's legal team (leading and junior counsel, and solicitors) from continuing to act for him at a forthcoming hearing and redaction of his evidence.

BD v FD [2014] EWHC 4443 (Fam)
Acting for a husband defending a maintenance pending suit application which was rejected by the court on the basis that the wife's interim budget manifestly exceeded the standard of living of the marriage and court intervention was not required to ensure her interim needs were met.

Y v Y [2012] EWHC 2063 (Fam)
Acting in an important divorce case, involving a landed estate and inherited assets.

NA v MA [2006] EWHC 2900 (Fam)
Acting in a significant divorce case involving a post-nuptial agreement.