Personal bio
I have specialised in family law for more than 35 years. My work now focuses exclusively on family financial arbitration through Ayrton Arbitration, the dedicated practice I established for that purpose.
In 2009, I founded Lake Legal, a specialist family law team based in Leeds which became recognised as one of the leading family law practices in the North of England.
I was consistently awarded the highest personal rankings by Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500, the leading independent legal directories. Legal 500 has described me as ‘the real Queen of financial remedy in the North East region’ and that I am 'an exceptional and dynamic lawyer.' Chambers UK has described me as having 'a brilliant mind and is technically, commercially and emotionally astute'. I am also widely regarded as having a no-nonsense approach.
I was one of the first solicitors in the country to qualify as a family law arbitrator in 2012. Since then, I have conducted numerous hearings, both in person and remotely, as well as private FDR hearings. In 2026, I established Ayrton Arbitration, one of only a handful of dedicated family law arbitration practices in the country.
Although I am based in the North of England, my arbitration practice has a national reach, with appointments from across the country. My Awards have been consistently commended for their clarity, detailed analysis and comprehensive treatment of the issues.