Our work covers all areas of family law, with particular expertise in the following areas:
Call: 2008
"A tenacious and yet personable advocate with a keen eye for detail... Sara is always able to put the client at ease."
Solicitor
Sara McIlroy is a specialist children and public law barrister, who has recently returned to her practice at Harcourt after working as senior legal advisor for a British Overseas Territory. Sara is well known for successfully managing complex cases including those with significant disclosure issues, novel jurisdictional disputes, sexual abuse and serious injury allegations as well as those with particularly vulnerable parties. Sara has particular experience of advising and assisting international families in both private and public children work, as well as in financial remedy cases.
Sara’s four years as Senior Crown Counsel (Civil) for the Government of St Helena gave her extensive experience of advising senior decision-makers on complex and sensitive matters, conducting litigation and dealing with novel questions of jurisdiction, public and constitutional law. That experience informs her work in complicated children and international cases, particularly cases involving difficult questions of evidence, risk, proportionality and the exercise of public authority. Sara has also previously acted as a Trustee for Women’s Aid, as a member of the Family Justice Council and was part of the JUSTICE Working Party on Improving Access to Family Justice for Separating Families (2022).
Sara is particularly valued for her clear strategic advice, careful preparation and measured but robust advocacy in cases where the factual, legal or jurisdictional issues are unusually complex.
To instruct Sara or for more information…
Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk
Sara is regularly instructed in all types of private law matters and has particular expertise in matters involving issues of domestic abuse, alleged parental alienation and intractable contact disputes. Sara regularly works with international and military families and understands the pressures faced by such families going through the family court. Sara is well regarded by clients for helping with sensitive disputes and works with vulnerable parties.
Sara acted for the respondent over a number of years in this ongoing intractable contact dispute. This highly sensitive matter included allegations of coercive control and child abuse, as well as issues concerning the mental health of one of the parents.
Sara acted for the respondent in this long running matter which included applications in respect of a child’s schooling and residence. The case started when a child was withheld at the end of a usual contact time and later included issues of abduction and emotional abuse
Sara has experience of dealing with cases with an international dimension where parents are seeking to relocate to another jurisdiction or opposing an application to permanently remove a child from this jurisdiction.
Sara acted for the applicant in an application in the High Court for leave to remove to Kuwait following previous abduction proceedings. This case included allegations one of the parents had been associated with terrorist groups in the Middle East and that the child may have been exposed to extremist ideas after periods abroad.
Family Finance & Financial Remedy
Sara advises and acts in all areas of matrimonial finance, including cases involving assets held outside of the jurisdiction, business valuations, pension disputes, dissipation of assets and trust assets. Sara is adept at dealing with cases where the finances are genuinely limited or have become so due to the action of another party. Sara has experience in cases involving third party interests and has acted on behalf of interveners
Sara represented the applicant in complex financial remedy proceedings where there are allegations of improper disposal of assets and fraudulent behaviour by the respondent. A complicating feature of this case was the respondent’s fluctuating capacity to litigate, which at times has resulted in Court of Protection proceedings.
Sara acted for the applicant in this application for enforcement and later variation and capitalisation of previous financial award after the respondent had swiftly left the jurisdiction leaving little trace of himself and finances. Sara worked with the client through multiple applications until the respondent was located and the finances secured.
Suzanne specialises in financial remedy cases and all aspects of private family law. She is recognised in the Legal 500 as a leading practitioner.
Sara specialises in the financial consequences of…