Dornier Whittaker
Call: 1994
Dornier Whittaker
BA (Hons) Kings College, London
City University (Diploma in Law)
Inns of Court School of Law
Middle Temple Queen Mothers Scholar
FLBA
Contact
T: 01274 722560 / 0113 246 2600
Dornier is your ‘go to’ person in respect of all applications for financial remedy and private children disputes. With over 30 years under her belt, Dornier has a wealth of experience in complex relocation cases, intractable children disputes and is recognised for her knowledge in high value financial relief cases, especially those involving companies, partnerships, farms and “hidden wealth”.
Dornier has a reputation for robust advocacy and is a firm believer in practical, no-nonsense advice which is often praised by the Judiciary. She prides herself on her open and easy to approach manner with both solicitors and clients which is regularly reported by the Legal Press.
As well as being fluent in French and the mother of three busy teenage children, Dornier still finds time to regularly deliver legal seminars and is the governor of 2 local schools.
Reputation
Chambers & Partners
Chambers & Partners 2023
“Dornier Whittaker is a highly experienced practitioner with a practice covering finance and children matters. Her work ranges from contact arrangement orders to financial remedies and maintenance payment variations. She regularly acts for high net worth individuals."Dornier is wonderful with clients." "She is reasonable and realistic in negotiations, and a top court performer." "Dornier is a pleasure to deal with. She is happy to provide additional support on cases so that the client really gets a team approach."
Chambers & Partners 2022
“She is client and lawyer friendly and takes a hands-on approach. This makes working with her a very cooperative experience for not only the client but those instructing her.” “She is extremely thorough, clear in her advice and proactive in managing very anxious and difficult clients.” “She is extremely personable with clients and sees cases through while working as a team with the instructing solicitor and the client.”
Chambers & Partners 2018
“Dornier is extremely experienced and is a great all-rounder for family law. She is very client-friendly and her advice is easily understood.”
Chambers & Partners 2017
“Extremely skilled in private law work relating to children as well as financial family disputes. She has previously advised on complicated separations involving farming and corporate assets, in addition to complex child relocations.” “She is sensible, charming and empathetic, and really excellent at managing difficult people.”
Legal 500
The Legal 500 2022: ‘She is calmly reassuring with clients in what can be difficult cases. Her advice is sound and rational.’
The Legal 500 2020: “Specialises in private law children and financial matters”
The Legal 500 2017: “She has an ability to think outside of the box and is very good on her feet.”
The Legal 500 2015: “She is impressive on her feet without being unpleasant or resorting to bullying”
Seminars
Dornier delivers seminars to solicitors and other legal professionals throughout the North of England and beyond. Dornier has recently covered:
- Top Tips: Practice, Procedure & Preparation for the FDA, FDR and Final Hearing 2021
- Top Tips on Practice & Procedure in Private Law Children 2021
- Private Law Children – Essential Update 2021
- Costs Update in Private Law Proceedings 2020
Expertise
Family
Financial Remedy
Dornier’s practice involves all aspects of financial remedy. Dornier has extensive experience of representing business owners, professionals, third parties and their spouses, and has a particular interest in corporate and farming cases where the assets are up to £10m. She regularly appears in cases which involve the following issues:
- Company and business interests including valuations.
- Farming assets including valuation and liquidity.
- Cases involving significant property portfolios.
- Non-matrimonial inheritance assets.
- Significant pension assets.
- Assets located outside of the jurisdiction including company and family trusts.
Private Children
Dornier has extensive experience in all aspects of private children disputes representing mothers, fathers and other family members. She has a particular interest in the relocation of children whether within this jurisdiction or overseas, parental alienation cases and fact finding hearings involving serious allegations of domestic abuse. Her case load regularly involves the following:
- Private disputes as to child arrangements including ‘live with’ and ‘spend time with’ orders.
- Relocation of children including both within this jurisdiction and overseas.
- Parental alienation.
- Fact-finding hearings involving allegations of domestic abuse.
- Specific issue orders, re-schooling and medical issues.
Notable Cases
Financial Remedy- January 2022 – Circuit Judge, Leeds
10 day financial remedy final hearing, representing husband – assets of £8 million in Cyprus and UK. Wife moved to Cyprus with parties’ young children following separation. Complex case involving conduct, expert psychiatric evidence, jurisdictional issues re division of assets and child maintenance.
Financial Remedy - February 2022-DJ, St Helens
Represented Wife in 2 day hearing in which court heard substantial oral evidence from both parties- found that Wife had been subject to duress and unfair to hold her to consent order. Costs awarded to wife in sum of £30,000 with matter listed for FDR following expert pension report.
Children Act - June 2021- DJ, Newcastle
4 day fact finding hearing – representing father on his application to spend time with his son following separation. Mother making serious allegations of abuse. Court found that mother had lied and maliciously made up many of the allegations to prevent father from having contact. Matter concluded in April 2022 with F having regular overnight contact with his son.
Children Act – July 2021-Circuit Judge, Leeds
Relocation -Representing mother on her application to permanently remove parties’ children abroad, opposed by father. Appeal dismissed – appeal court found that even though his time would be reduced it would be quality time and move would be beneficial to children.
Children Act - May 2022- Justices, Manchester
Relocation, 3 day hearing – representing father on mother’s application to relocate with their children from Manchester to London. Justices refused application on basis that children needed both parents, mother’s proposed arrangements for father to spend regular time with children in London would be minimal during term time, it would have a hugely detrimental effect on the children.
Clerks
