Caroline Penfold

7th Floor, 85 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1AE
Email: caroline.penfold@rlb-law.com
Caroline is a Partner and Head of Family Law. Caroline advises on all aspects of private family law including divorce, complex financial and property cases often involving substantial assets and an international element, disputes over children including residence, contact and removal from jurisdiction, emergency injunction and enforcement proceedings.
‘Caroline Penfold has a well-established reputation in London as a very experienced matrimonial finance solicitor. She has many years of experience and is extremely well respected by her peers, counsel and the judiciary. She exercises very sound judgement, is highly intuitive, and understands the subtle nuances of a case‘. Legal 500 2021
One source describes Caroline Penfold of RadcliffesLeBrasseur as “a natural family lawyer; she heads the family department with great skill.” Penfold’s practice covers all areas of family law. “She took away any fears from what could otherwise be a very daunting experience,” says a client, adding that “Caroline is a very thorough and exacting lawyer; she is kind and personal when it is needed, but also tough when needed.” Chambers HNW 2020
‘Caroline Penfold is an extremely experienced solicitor who is handling complex cases.’ Legal 500 2020
Caroline Penfold is ‘completely on top of the detail of the case.’ Legal 500 2019
RadcliffesLeBrasseur is ‘an extremely polished central London firm dealing with high net worth clients’. Caroline Penfold is ‘highly efficient and can defuse potentially highly confrontational situations.’ Legal 500 2017
RadcliffesLeBrasseur is ‘an all-round excellent private client firm, and for family law matters it cannot be praised enough’. The practice is led by the ‘really efficient’ Caroline Penfold, who is ‘highly thought of by senior counsel and the judiciary, and is excellent with clients.’ Legal 500 2016
RadcliffesLeBrasseur has a ‘small but experienced family team’ that acts for a wide range of clients. Caroline Penfold is ‘level-headed’. Legal 500 2015
Areas of Expertise
Caroline is highly skilled and experienced in advising her clients on divorce, matrimonial finance, pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, civil partnerships, children matters, including residence and contact, domestic violence and emergency relief and enforcement of orders and agreements.
Experience
Notable cases:
- Re. H (A Child) [2002] EWCA Civ 2005
(Children – condition attached to Contact Order) - A v B [2005] EWHC 314 (Fam)
(Separation Agreement) - Tracey v Tracey [2007] 1FLR196 (Court of Appeal)
- Overruling [2006] 1FLR903
(Lump sum payment of school fees) - Q v Q and ORS [2008] EWHC 1874 (Fam)
(Dispute over ownership of property) - D v D [2015] EWHC 1393 (Fam)
(Successfully defending non-disclosure allegations brought by wife) - WMvHM (2017) EWFC 25
(Linear approach to historic valuation of a high value manufacturing business, special contribution, sharing principle and pre-marital property issues)
Membership
Resolution
- Ending the blame game: new legislation introducing ‘no-fault divorce’
9 April 2019 | Family | Litigation and dispute resolution | Tax and private client - Birch v Birch – Flexibility v finality
7 September 2017 | Family - Financial Dispute Resolution Hearings
4 July 2017 | Family - Drafting divorce petitions and the impact of Owens v Owens
10 May 2017 | Family - Relocating within the UK as a single parent
5 April 2017 | Family - Divorce and reasonable needs
14 February 2017 | Family - What is arbitration?
9 August 2016 | Family | Litigation and dispute resolution - Problems with family contributions towards the purchase of a family home on divorce or separation
1 June 2016 | Tax and private client - Is my trust protected if I get divorced?
5 March 2012 | Family | Tax and private client