Katie advises in all areas of private family law, with a particular focus on resolving financial matters between divorcing/divorced couples and unmarried parents.
Many of the disputes Katie deals with have complex financial and/or international elements.
Katie is consistently ranked in The Legal 500 UK and Private Client Global Elite and was recently awarded Silver in her category at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2024. Katie is also listed as a “Rising Star” in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025 with a focus on financial matters between divorcing couples.
Katie read Chemistry & Law at Bristol University. Katie trained at Sears Tooth, qualifying in 2013. She joined Payne Hicks Beach in 2019 and was promoted to senior associate in the same year.
Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025: Katie is listed as a “Rising Star” with a focus on financial matters between divorcing couples. Spear’s writes:
“A legal director at Payne Hicks Beach, Katie Parkes specialises in cases that are complex and cross-border, often involving foreign nationals or international assets. ‘I’m primarily dealing with clients who are bringing a claim or responding to a claim in this [UK] jurisdiction,’ she explains. She often works on cases where assets exceed over £1 billion and frequently advises on prenuptial agreements. In 2022, she worked on the high-profile Princess Haya case alongside Baroness Fiona Shackleton, Ben Parry-Smith and Nick Manners, and has represented UHNW clients in major cases such as Collardeau-Fuchs v Fuchs [2022] (with Baroness Shackleton), a high-value child maintenance dispute. Parkes tells Spear’s that clients value her direct approach. ‘I cut to the chase. You’re paying for my advice. It’s about having frank conversations with clients so they know where they stand but also making them feel listened to.'”
Private Client Global Elite 2025: Katie is recognised in the Private Client Excellence category for her specialism in family and matrimonial law and described as “an outstanding family law solicitor with an extraordinary ability to manage the most complex of cases”, “she is hardworking, astute, her attention to detail is exceptional and she has great judgment and instincts”, “Katie’s client care skills are superb… she is a star”.
The Legal 500 UK 2025: Katie is ranked as a “Leading Associate” for the Family Law category and is recognised as being “experienced in dealing with international children matters”.
The Legal 500 UK 2024: Katie is listed as a “Rising Star”.
Private Client Global Elite 2024: Katie is listed in Tier 2 Private Client Global Excellence and recognised for her specialism in “family law advising ultra high net worth clients”.
Citywealth Future Leaders 2024: Katie was awarded silver in the Family Lawyer of the Year – Senior/Managing Associate category at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2024
The Legal 500 UK 2022: Katie is listed as a “Rising Star” where she is described as: “The stand out associate is Katie Parkes. … She has a superb command of the detail of the case and often spots a nuance or a point missed by others. She is prodigiously hardworking and has been the backbone of the case.”
“Katie is an outstanding family law solicitor with an extraordinary ability to manage the most complex of cases. She is hardworking, astute, her attention to detail is exceptional and she has great judgment and instincts. Katie’s client care skills are superb. She is a star.” Counsel
- KV v KV [2024] EWFC 165
- KV v KV (No 2) [2024] EWFC 359
- Loh v Loh-Gronager [2024] EWFC 241
- MB v CD [2024] EWHC 751 (Fam)
- Collardeau-Fuchs v Fuchs: [2022] EWFC 135
- Collardeau-Fuchs v Fuchs [2022] EWFC 45
- Collardeau-Fuchs v Fuchs: MPS [2022] EWFC 6
- Re Al M: Publication [2022] EWFC 16
- Re Al M: Final Welfare Judgment [2021] EWHC 3480 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Finances [2021] EWFC 94
- Re Al M: Hacking Fact Finding – Appeal – Court of Appeal [2021] EWCA Civ 1216
- Re Al M: Hacking Fact Finding – PTA – Court of Appeal [2021] EWCA Civ 900
- Re Al M: Immunities – Court of Appeal [2021] EWCA Civ 890
- Re Al M: Lives with [2021] EWHC 1577 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Hacking Fact Finding [2021] EWHC 1162
- Re Al M: Foreign Act of State – Court of Appeal [2021] EWCA Civ 129
- Re Al M: Foreign Act of State [2020] EWHC 2883 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Non-Molestation [2020] EWHC 3305 (Fam)
- Re Al M: [2021] EWHC 915 (Family)
- Re Al M: Legal Services [2021] EWHC 303 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Immunities [2021] EWHC 660 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Court of Appeal Judgment on publication [2020] EWCA Civ 283
- Re Al M: Publication [2020] EWHC 122 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Assurances and Waiver [2020] EWHC 67 (Fam)
- Re Al M: Fact Finding [2019] EWHC 3415 (Fam)
- WS v WS [2015] EWHC 3941 (Fam)
- Sekhri v Ray [2014] EWCA Civ 119
- Sharbatly v Shagroon [2012] EWCA Civ 1507
- Chapman v Kawash [2014] EWHC 4481 (Fam)
