Blog
Cross Practice Insights Part 2: Disputes About Parentage in Family and Succession Cases
Kate Salter
FRENCH VERSION / VERSION FRANÇAISE
Colleen is a Senior Associate in the Family team. She is a fluent French speaker and advises on all aspects of family law issues, with a particular specialism in cases with an Anglo-French element, including:
- Cases with intricate finances, with expertise in those involving complex business arrangements and uncommon income structures (for example, music industry individuals or income derived from personal injury settlements);
- Cross border issues and cases with an international element, in particular cases with French nationals or assets in France;
- All stages of divorce, dissolution and judicial separation proceedings, including where proceedings have been issued in more than one jurisdiction;
- Issues concerning the arrangements for children, including representing clients in contested Children Act proceedings;
- Assisting clients in applying for non-molestation and occupation orders (as well as defending such applications); and
- Drafting pre and post nuptial agreements.
Colleen is committed to resolving matters in a pragmatic and amicable fashion, and is fully focused on achieving the best outcome for her clients. She regularly works with intermediaries on cases, such as foreign lawyers, therapists and financial advisors, to ensure clients have the support that they need.
Colleen is a Committee member and Administrator of the England and Wales section of the Franco-British Lawyers Society and helps organise and host events on a variety of legal topics. Colleen is listed in the Pro Bono Recognition List 2025.
Colleen studied Law and French at the University of Leeds. This included a year studying French law at the Université de Nancy II. After a period working at a think tank in Westminster, Colleen joined the firm to complete her training contract. Upon qualification, Colleen undertook a secondment at leading French family boutique bwg associés in Paris.
recent examples of work
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De Gafforj [2018] EWCA Civ 2070 - Interlocutory application in the Court of Appeal, successfully obtaining a “Hadkinson Order” to immediately dismiss the husband’s appeal against an Order that England & Wales has jurisdiction in the event he failed to purge his contempt of a previous court order within 14 days, and to lift the stay on the wife’s Petition for Divorce in England & Wales.
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V v W (Jurisdiction: Dissolution of Pacte Civil de Solidarité) [2024] EWFC 111 – Jurisdiction and forum conveniens dispute in respect of a French pacte civil de solidarité, successfully obtaining an order dismissing the applicant’s dissolution application on the grounds that he was domiciled in France at the time the application was made. France also found to be the more convenient and appropriate forum, in the event that the Court had found it did have jurisdiction to entertain the application.
What clients say
Colleen…was a brilliant, quick and sharp minded…a brilliant lawyer.”
Thank you so much for the great advice and smooth handling of this process”
Thank you so much Colleen, you always do make me feel better….You’re so incredibly thorough and I admire that about you”
Press and media coverage
- Disputes about parentage in family and succession cases - Family Law Journal, August 2025 (subscription required)
- What's love got to do with it? Everything - but money still talks - ThoughtLeaders4 HNW Divorce Magazine, February 2024
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Tales from across La Manche – the interplay between the French PACS and the English Civil Partnership – ThoughtLeaders4 Private Client Magazine, December 2024, written with Camille Anger and Margaux Pfister, bwg associés
