Kirsten Allan

Kirsten has extensive experience of all areas of family law with a particular focus on financial provision following relationship breakdown and private law Children Act matters.

Financial Remedies - Kirsten has advised on ,and appeared in, a wide variety of financial remedy cases, ranging from limited asset cases requiring creative solutions up to high value cases with considerable assets available for division between the parties.  She strives to obtain the best possible outcomes for clients in the most cost-efficient way, ideally by way of negotiated settlements or, where necessary, through contested proceedings, from first appointment through to final hearing. Kirsten is often brought on board early in proceedings to advise on settlement and/ or draft consent orders, or to apply for interim orders such as interim maintenance and or legal services payment orders at the start of proceedings.  She also advises and represents clients applying to enforce and vary financial remedy orders, if needed, once a final order has been made.  Kirsten has also represented clients in associated divorce proceedings where required, including cases involving issues of jurisdiction where the parties have married or lived overseas.

Children Act - Kirsten has acted for parents, stepparents, grandparents and children, amongst others, and always aims to provide sensitive, clear and realistic advice to ensure clients achieve the best outcomes from litigation involving children.  She has appeared in applications for every type of section 8 order including applications for living/ caring arrangements,  spending time arrangements, specific issues (including issues as to education, medical treatment, name change, religion, amongst others) and prohibited steps orders. Kirsten has advised on many applications for permission to relocate children, both internally and outside the jurisdiction. Kirsten has considerable experience in Section 8 applications involving significant complicating factors (e.g. serious domestic violence, addiction and/ or mental health issues, separate representation of the children). 

Family Law Act Injunctions - Kirsten has appeared on behalf of both applicants and respondents in applications for non-molestation orders and occupation orders, often at very short notice.  She is also experienced in bringing and defending applications to enforce and punish breaches of FLA injunctions by way of committal.

Third party disclosure applications in the Family Courts – Kirsten has extensive experience advising and representing police forces in disclosure applications in the Family Court. Her work has included making applications on behalf of the police for disclosure from the Family Court into the criminal investigation, as well as opposing/ limiting the scope of applications made in family proceedings for disclosure from criminal investigations on the basis of Public Interest Immunity.  As a family practitioner herself, Kirsten is able to give specialist advice to police forces as to the practice and procedure in the family court and the likely approach of the court.