Accredited member of the Law Society’s Children Pane

Sara is an experienced Supervising Solicitor within our Children Department. She joined FMW Law in Hammersmith in December 2010. When GT Stewart incorporated FMW Law in 2018, Sara remained with the firm, continuing to work from the Hammersmith Office. In 2021, Sara returned to her home county of Yorkshire and is responsible for the creation and development of the Childcare department in Leeds. Sara is able to see client’s in our Leeds office but represents client’s both throughout Yorkshire and nationwide.

Sara is a specialist Children’s Solicitor, representing parties in all aspects of proceedings concerning children. She is a Law Society Accredited Children Law Practitioner which allows her to represent children, either through a Children’s Guardian or a child directly. Sara undertakes her own advocacy in the Family Court.

Sara’s experience involves representing parents and children in cases where there are issues of neglect, mental health, domestic abuse, drug/alcohol use, physical and sexual abuse, Fabricated Induced Illness (FII) and Non Accidental Injuries. Sara has represented parents and children in Deprivation of Liberty (DOLS) cases, Forced Marriage cases and is instructed by the Official Solicitor when a parent is a Protected Party.

Sara’s breadth of knowledge and her experience in representing both parents and children allows her to provide well rounded and realistic advice. Sara is dedicated and passionate about her work and is considerate and sympathetic, recognising that proceedings can often be daunting and overwhelming. Sara provides straightforward advice and her approach is to represent clients in a way that allows them the opportunity to achieve the best outcome for themselves and their family. Sara’s level of experience gives her the confidence to vigorously argue her client’s case.

Sara is also experienced in representing extended family members in proceedings, to include challenging negative assessments and advising on Special Guardianship Orders. Sara also has experience of representing parents prior to the issue of proceedings. This can include a child being made subject to a Child Protection Plan or when a parent is invited to a ‘Legal Planning’ or ‘Pre Proceedings Meeting’. This is often an opportunity for a family to avoid court proceedings and Sara recognises the need for a robust approach at this stage.

Sara also has experience of acting for parents in private law children proceedings, to include standalone applications or when these issues overlap with ongoing proceedings or local authority involvement. This experience includes applications for Child Arrangements Orders (formally Residence and Contact Orders), Prohibited Steps and Specific Issue Orders as well as Non-Molestation Orders.

Client Feedback: 

• “I’ve had Sara Horncastle and Ellie Butterfield working with me for a long time now. These are the best solicitors and always helped me as best they can! Even in such difficult times they always took the time to contact me, even out of hours to discuss matters and try to make me feel as comfortable as possible. I’ll definitely be asking them to help me again in the future if needed, absolutely amazing solicitors, couldn’t ask for more. So thank you guys so much!”
• “Amazing. Sara is a amazing solicitor her knowledge is great she is friendly to approach she helps get things sorted she is very professional and has great communication.”
• “Sara thank you for all your help in this case. You put your heart passion and soul into this and I fully respect that and much appreciated” – Parent
• “Sara is an absolute delight to work with. She is intuitive, efficient and knows her clients and what is right for each one of them. I know that a brief from Sara contains all that I need to prepare properly and she is easily contactable and responsive. She is a rare breed indeed and many could learn from her” – Counsel
• “My work with Sara has been complex and challenging but she has handled the clients in a professional, caring and clear way so that they feel supported and listened to. Her work is outstanding and she is always available to action matters. It is always a pleasure to receive instructions from Sara” – Counsel
• “Sara is an excellent, hardworking solicitor who, without shadow of a doubt, fights her client’s corner tooth and nail. In one particular case where a baby was said to have been injured by one of her parents, Sara spent lengthy periods of time taking instructions, emailing and liaising with Counsel. The Court found that the injuries were not inflicted by our client and the outcome was eventually that the baby returned to live with her. Sara is a delight to work with and I am always really pleased to see when she instructs me because I know that everything has been done and is in order, ready for me to deal with it at Court” – Counsel
• “Sara is a pleasure to work with. A clearly tenacious and extremely able solicitor who has a real understanding of what her client’s position is and what steps to take to progress it” – Counsel

Education and Qualifications 

Law Society Accredited Children Law Practitioner 

2007 – LLB (Hons) incorporating LPC, University of Northumbria