Dornier Whittaker

Dornier has specialised in both private children and financial remedy work for over 30 years, consistently recognised in both areas by the Legal Press and giving her the advantage of being able to advise clients in both children and financial disputes. Dornier knows only too well how stressful court proceedings can be for clients and the importance to them of feeling fully engaged and listened to during the process and outcome. As a highly committed practitioner to NCDR both as an advocate, evaluator and arbitrator, Dornier can see the real benefit of the confidential, less formal, and flexible approach that it offers allowing parties to make agreements or enable decisions to be made away from a court environment.

“She is an excellent advocate. She can see through a complex and emotive matter and can find a way forward. She is very hands on, robust and kicks a case into order. She is a breath of fresh air and pulls out the stops. She is well prepared, has a very good client care manner and is approachable. She is unflappable even with the trickiest of opponents." (Chambers & Partners)

With a specialist knowledge of relocation, child arrangements and specific issue applications for example schooling, Dornier can assist at a very early stage following parties separating in advising clients as to the likely outcome of disputes and the best way forward to resolve issues without court proceedings and the worry of mounting legal fees.  Dornier is also highly experienced when asked to act as an evaluator in ‘Dispute Resolution Appointments’, when parties can come before her together to resolve issues in a child centred way knowing that they are under no time constraint, that they do not have the anxiety of attending court and that they have chosen a specialist in the area of dispute who is experienced and committed to resolution being reached. Dornier’s flexible approach means that she can assist both locally and nationally, either in person or remotely and is very happy to discuss options to tailor the needs of parties whether separately or together.

If agreement cannot be reached and a decision needs to be made then Dornier’s advice would always be for parties to consider arbitration. Arbitration enables parties to appoint an agreed specialist in the area of dispute with appropriate experience who will deal with their case from start to finish, completely confidential, outside of the court arena and with flexibility as to case management. As one of only a small number of qualified children’s arbitrators, Dornier sits both locally and nationally, accommodating remote hearings if necessary and out of work hours.

Dornier is regularly instructed to act as an advocate in pFDRs , in both mid to high value cases. For the parties, having the ability to choose an evaluator and counsel of their choice who are experienced specialists in financial remedy, in a more relaxed, confidential environment without court time constraints has proved invaluable to outcomes. Over the last 3 years Dornier has only been involved in one case that has not settled at a pFDR saving clients the anxiety of having to go to a contested hearing and increased legal fees.

Children

M v F (arbitration - advocate 2025). Internal relocation involving 3 young children with the ISW opposing relocation.

M v F (arbitration - advocate 2025). Very young child, dispute as to child arrangements, specifically if there should be a 50/50 shared care order.

Finance

H v W (pFDR - advocate, 2026): Assets of c£2m with parties in their mid 50’s. Significant issues as to future income earning capacity, the housing needs of older children, pension offsetting and treatment of post-separation bonus.

H v W (pFDR - advocate, 2025): Assets of c £5m with principal asset being farm in which both parties worked and ran a separate business from. Issues as to fairest way to divide the assets without it them being sold, Wells sharing and liquidity.

H v W (pFDR - advocate, 2025): Complicated business interests and one of parties with significant mental health issues. Issues as to needs, both in terms of housing and income and likely success of companies going forwards with Wells sharing argument.

H v W (pFDR - advocate, 2025): Significant conduct issues including non-disclosure, transfer of company shares to another family member, further reckless dissipation and add-back arguments.

E: clerks@broadwayhouse.co.uk

T: 01274 722560 / 0113 246 2600