Laura is a senior associate solicitor in the Private Family team
Laura graduated from Keele University in Law with Mathematics in 2008 and obtained a distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice thereafter. She completed her training contract at a local firm in Bedfordshire and qualified as a solicitor in 2013.
Laura has specialised in family law since qualification and has previously led a team of divorce and finance specialists in the Milton Keynes branch of a large national family law specialist firm. She joined Machins as a Senior Associate Solicitor in September 2023.
Laura predominantly deals with divorce and financial settlements and has dealt with cases ranging from low to high net worth matters for a variety of clients. She also regularly advises clients in relation to children matters arising from parents separating. She takes a pragmatic and sensible approach, and prides herself on giving no-nonsense advice while remaining empathetic to every client’s individual needs. Laura is regularly contacted by friends or family members of previous clients who have recommended her which is a testament to the outcomes she achieves and her cost-conscious approach.
Laura is a committed member of Resolution, an organisation which promotes the need for a practical and non-confrontational approach in all Family matters. She is also accredited as a Specialist Family Lawyer by Resolution in both Complex Financial Remedy cases (low to medium net worth) and Private Law Children cases.
In 2024 Laura will be presenting a webinar for family lawyers:-
Conduct in Financial Remedy Proceedings – A Guide to the Court’s Approach – Webinar – Available to view from Tuesday 8th October
Machins Solicitors has demonstrated once again its ability to deliver to its clients, maintaining its position as a top-tier firm for family law for the sixth consecutive year. We are also proud to announce that our multi-faceted practice has been recommended in a further seven practice areas in The Legal 500 2025 edition.
A judgment has been made public in a case involving a celebrity influencer, Lauryn Goodman, who brought a financial claim under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 against her former partner and England footballer, Kyle Walker. The pair, who have two children together, were in Court for a two-day final hearing on 16th and
Father’s Day is a special day to be enjoyed with children and family however unfortunately the day can be difficult for some fathers who are unable to spend the day with their child. Whilst it is hoped that most separated parents would be able to agree the arrangements for special dates such as Father’s/Mother’s Day,
According to the Office for National Statistics, 41% of marriages will end in divorce. Frequently, one or both partners will have an interest in a business. Divorce or separation can prove challenging if so. With many business owners following the advice of their accountants to utilise their spouse’s unused tax allowances, it’s commonplace to find
It has been widely reported this week in the mainstream media that a couple had their divorce finalised in error following a mistake by solicitors which a senior judge has refused to overturn. The couple were separated and had applied for a divorce which had reached conditional order stage of the divorce. It would appear
Termination of Parental Responsibility is rarely made by the Court and only ever in exceptional circumstances. Following a recent private family law case acting for a mother who successfully obtained a termination of Parental Responsibility order to end the father’s Parental Responsibility, we asked Laura Martin-Read, Senior Associate Solicitor to explain what Parental Responsibility is
The High Court has settled a dispute relating to how much of a couple’s assets should be considered matrimonial and how much should be excluded during divorce proceedings. The case involved a couple who ran a hotel business together. The husband was 49 and the wife was 56. They had been married for 17 years