Stephanie Coker

Stephanie represents parents and children through their Guardians in complex Children Act proceedings from the FHDRA to final hearings. Many of these applications involve parallel Family Law Act applications. She is confident in dealing with matters involving issues of parental alienation, intractable disputes, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and mental health. She also has experience in representing clients in multi-day fact-finding hearings. Stephanie is able to represent clients in matters involving child abduction, international relocation and leave to remove, and other international family work.

Stephanie has a busy financial remedies practice dealing with applications under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 and Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. She regularly accepts instructions in matters involving businesses, intervenors, nuptial agreements, pensions, non-matrimonial property, disclosure issues, enforcement, and variation applications. She possesses detailed knowledge of the various jurisdictional routes available for enforcement and prides herself in offering pragmatic advice at the outset and during proceedings to ensure the best outcomes for her clients. Her specialist LLM puts her in good stead when dealing with matters involving cross-border matters. Stephanie is available to conduct private FDRs.

Cohabitee Disputes (TOLATA): Prior to joining the Bar, Stephanie worked at leading law firms in which she gained a wealth of experience in contentious and non-contentious property matters. Stephanie’s background in property and understanding of the CPR makes her well suited to advising and attending on claims concerning the Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and Proprietary Estoppel. She has a busy paper practice which involves drafting pleadings in contested TOLATA claims, points of claim for intervenors/third parties in matrimonial proceedings, witness statements and opinions. She has successfully represented clients at all stages from initial advice to final hearings.

Financial Remedies Journal: Stephanie writes regularly for the FRJ, summarising key cases. Some recent cases of interest include:

• Jardaneh v Jardaneh [2022] EWFC 201 – Judgment summons
• AR v BR [2023] EWFC 76 – Divorce & forum conveniens
• Kaur v Singh and Others [2023] EWCH 304 – Reasonable provision for spouse
• HD v WB [2023] EWFC 2 – Nuptial agreements

AR v BR [2023] EWFC 76 Divorce & forum conveniens

Kaur v Singh and Others [2023] EWCH 304 Reasonable provision for spouse

HD v WB [2023] EWFC 2 Nuptial agreements

Jardaneh v Jardaneh [2022] EWFC 201  Judgment summons