Dereham: 01362 692182 | Ely: 01353 662203 | King's Lynn: 01553 660033 | Swaffham: 01760 721992 | Watton: 01953 880800
Private Individuals > Family Law

Family Law

People often think of a Family legal team as 'divorce lawyers'. While much of what we do does involve traditional divorce work, we can also help with the following:

Family Law

Pre-nuptial agreements

Engaged couples can enter into agreements setting out their financial plans in the event of the marriage breaking down. Although these are not legally enforceable at present they can be helpful later on.

Children issues of all types

Including parental contact with children following the breakdown of the parents' relationship.

Cohabitee issues

At the outset of a relationship as a preventive measure or when things go wrong and there is no Cohabitation Contract to provide guidance.

Civil partnerships

We can advise on the equivalent of a 'pre-nuptial agreement' or 'cohabitation agreement' for those embarking on a civil partnership, or help with dissolving the partnership and the division of assets when things go wrong.

Domestic violence

Sometimes people need protection from a partner or family member. The court can make orders for the protection of individuals (often called injunctions).

Ward Gethin Archer's Family Law lawyers offer a comprehensive service including:

If you require advice, then please contact one of our solicitors below or contact your nearest office who will be more than happy to assist. The contact details for each of our offices can be found by clicking here.

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Richard Pennington

Richard Pennington

Richard is the Finance Director and Partner with responsibility for the firm's finances. He is the firm's Compliance Officer of Financial Administration (COFA) and is solicitor and Partner in our Family, Civil Litigation and Employment departments based in King's Lynn.

Richard became a solicitor in 1986, and has been a Partner since May 1991. Richard brings over 20 years of litigation experience and deals with particularly contentious financial issues in divorces for SME owners and their spouses, commercial disputes of all sorts, contentious probate matters and professional negligence disputes for the firm.

Richard is a trained civil litigation mediator, a Member of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association and a Resolution Trained Collaborative Family Lawyer able to deal with collaborative work, and is also a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists.

Richard is also the Chair of YMCA Norfolk and a trustee of a number of local charities, a church elder and a member of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship.

Email Richard Pennington 

Telephone Richard Pennington 01553 667202

Accreditations & Professional Memberships:

Members of ResolutionMembers of The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS)Professional Negligence Lawyers AssociationResolution Collaborative Lawyer
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Sara Plummer

Sara Plummer

Sara is a solictor in the Family Law team and works both in our King's Lynn and Swaffham offices. Sara qualified in 2006, joined the firm in October 2008 and has over six years' experience in Family Law.

Sara advises clients on all aspects of Family Law including divorce, civil partnership dissolution, in particular upon financial issues that follow a relationship breakdown. Sara also specialises in issues regarding children such as child contact arrangements and residence disputes. Sara also deals with advice and preparation of Cohabitation Agreements, Separation Agreements, Pre-Nuptial Agreements and Change of Name Deeds.

Sara is a Resolution Accredited Specialist with particular specialisms in Child Law, private proceedings and financial provision. She is also a member of Resolution, which is an organisation of Family Law that is committed to resolving family disputes in a constructive and conciliatory way. She has also been a trustee of charities that help victims of domestic violence.

Sara is also on the staff liaison committee with the firm. She enjoys keeping fit/relaxing by supporting her local villages with zumba and yoga clubs.

Email Sara Plummer 

Telephone Sara Plummer 01553 667230

Accreditations & Professional Memberships:

The Law Society Accredited: Family LawMembers of ResolutionResolution Specialist
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Sarah Davies

Sarah Davies

Sarah is a trainee solicitor based in our Ely office. Sarah graduated from the University of Warwick in 2011 and went on to study the Legal Practice Course at BPP Cambridge. Sarah joined the firm in August 2012 and having completed her first seat with our Family team, is now undertaking her second seat with our Conveyancing team.

Sarah is on the committee for the West Norfolk and King's Lynn Junior Lawyers Division and is involved in the organisation of the various social and networking events the group holds.

As a member of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship Sarah has participated in the Summer Justice Programme. This involved volunteering with both legal aid and legal education projects in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

Email Sarah Davies 

Telephone Sarah Davies 01353 662203

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Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter

Karen is a Chartered Legal Executive who heads up the Family Team based at the Ely office, where for over 30 years she has given help and support to all her clients who find themselves in situations of conflict and high emotion.

A member of the Law Society Family Panel and Resolution, Karen has undertaken mediation training and qualified as a Collaborative Lawyer in 2005 (for more information go to www.ccflg.co.uk).

Karen deals with and has experience of all aspects of Family Law including divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and all related financial issues, child welfare including residence orders and assisting grand parents and other family members to obtain Special Guardianship orders together with Step-parent Parental Responsibility Agreements.

Karen is a director of and sits on the management committee of the Ely and Cambridge Contact Centre.

Karen plays an active role in her home village. She enjoys amateur dramatics, reading and walking.

Email Karen Carpenter 

Telephone Karen Carpenter 01353 646105

Accreditations & Professional Memberships:

The Law Society Accredited: Family LawMembers of ResolutionResolution Collaborative Lawyer
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Rachel Compton

Rachel Compton

Rachel is a Chartered Legal Executive in the Family Law team. Rachel advises clients on all aspects of Family Law including divorce and separation, and in particular upon the financial issues that follow relationship breakdown and issues regarding children, including child contact arrangements and residence disputes. She also specialises in preparation of cohabitation agreements, separation agreements, pre-nuptial agreements and change of name deeds.

Rachel qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 2001 and has over 10 years of experience in Family Law. She was admitted as a Legal Executive Advocate in 2011 and is an experienced advocate in County and Family Proceedings courts.

Rachel is a member of the Family Law Accreditation Scheme and is certified as a specialist Family Law advisor by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. She is also a member of Resolution, which is an organisation of Family lawyers committed to resolving family disputes in a constructive and conciliatory way.

Rachel is the Treasurer and a founder member of East Anglian Rotary E-Club.

Rachel is a keen triathlete and regularly takes part in local triathlons and open water swimming events, and is also a member of the Newmarket Cycling and Triathlon Club.

Email Rachel Compton 

Telephone Rachel Compton 01353 646108

Accreditations & Professional Memberships:

The Law Society Accredited: Family LawMembers of Resolution
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Teresa Taylor

Teresa Taylor

Teresa joined the firm in 1995, qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2007. She works within the Family department and is based at our Dereham office, but also covers the Watton office.

Teresa specialises in all aspects regarding the breakdown of a marriage or civil partnership, together with the financial aspects of a relationship, and children issues regarding residence and contact disputes. She also deals with advice regarding cohabitation, together with Pre-Nuptial Agreements, Change of Name Deeds and domestic violence.

When not working, Teresa enjoys spending time with her family, having just given birth to her second child, swimming, walking and reading.

Email Teresa Taylor 

Telephone Teresa Taylor 01362 852905