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People

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022

Portrait of Bethan Carr
Areas of expertise: Family law, Private wealth

Profile

Bethan is a senior associate in the family team in Guildford. She advises on all areas of private family law, including divorce, financial remedy proceedings, private children disputes and cohabitation issues. She has a particular specialism in domestic and international surrogacy arrangements and frequently advises intended parents on their legal status. Her approach is to focus on finding a creative solution which works best for her clients’ individual situation and she has been described in The Legal 500 as ‘thorough, professional and knowledgeable’.

After studying Law at the University of Southampton, Bethan undertook work experience with a High Court judge in the Family Division and spent time at a number of family law firms and barristers’ chambers. She went on to complete the Legal Practice Course in Guildford and qualified in 2017. She is a member of Resolution, the leading specialist family law solicitors’ organisation.

Bethan has written about surrogacy for a number of publications, including The Times and Glamour magazine, and last year was nominated for Surrogacy Professional of the Year at the National Surrogacy Awards. She has also appeared on BBC 1’s The Big Questions for a debate on surrogacy. You can follow Bethan on Instagram, @thesurrogacysolicitor, where she posts about surrogacy and fertility law in an attempt to raise awareness and make information more accessible for intended parents and surrogates.

Recent work highlights

  • Successfully advising a father in private Children Act proceedings and achieving a specific issue order in respect of immunisations and schooling.
  • Representing intended parents in the High Court and obtaining a parental order for them following the birth of their child through a surrogacy arrangement in the US.
  • Representing the applicant wife in protracted financial remedy proceedings, including an application for permission to appeal and enforcement.
  • Advising intended parents considering surrogacy and providing guidance on their options in the UK and overseas.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.

Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP