Fiona Read > Russell-Cooke LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Conducting sole, hybrid, shuttle, and co-mediation, Russell-Cooke LLP’s six-strong mediation team works ‘effectively’ and ‘efficiently’. Fiona Read, team head in Putney, ‘speaks with a calmness and authority that sets the clients at ease’; she offers arbitration and an early neutral evaluation service alongside expertise as a child-inclusive mediator. In the central London office, James Carroll is ‘one of the very few lawyer mediators that handle the most difficult and complex cases’, with experience supporting same-sex couples and handling issues with an international dimension. Alongside Read and Carroll, also in central London, Kate Hamilton ‘exudes experience‘ in mediation for unmarried couples and family members intervening in divorce proceedings. Katie Longmate joined the team from AFP Bloom in January 2024, bringing a strong practice in child relocation cases.

As ‘a truly excellent firm‘, Russell-Cooke LLP‘s family team is ‘always at the forefront of developments’ from a range of non-court dispute resolution options, including mediation and arbitration, to international surrogacy arrangements. James Carroll, managing partner, is ‘a brilliant strategist‘ with experience of complex financial disputes, leading the central London team alongside Kate Hamilton, who is ‘second to none‘; Katie Longmate, who joined the team in January 2024 from AFP Bloom; and Jemma Pollock, who is a go-to for cohabitation disputes. Arbitrator Fiona Read and financial specialist Hannah Minty co-head the Putney team. Sarah Richardson leads the children team, handling serious child protection matters and with a growing practice in alternative family law, where Jade Quirke, a fertility law specialist, is a particularly experienced. Samantha Little and Rachel Donald are also recommended.