Lauren Carmichael

Lauren has worked as a family lawyer in London, Johannesburg and Dubai. She has significant experience dealing with international family law matters, particularly those involving England, South Africa and the UAE and is now based in London. Lauren’s breadth of multi-jurisdictional experience means that she can advise on a wide range of family law matters including the financial and children issues which arise upon the breakdown of a relationship in married or unmarried couples, plus the drafting of pre and post nuptial agreements. Lauren regularly acts for British expatriates in South Africa and the UAE, as well as South African expatriates in England.

Lauren started her legal career as a corporate lawyer, before deciding to pursue a career in family law. In 2009 she joined Camilla Baldwin, a specialist family law firm in London, where she worked until she moved to South Africa in 2013 and joined Clarks Attorneys, a leading family law firm in Johannesburg, as an international legal consultant.

During her time at Camilla Baldwin, Lauren developed expertise in areas including financial remedies on divorce, financial provision for children of unmarried families and various private children law proceedings including the relocation of children.

While working for Clarks Attorneys, Lauren gained considerable experience in South African family law, acting on a range of cases with different matrimonial property systems as well as on a range of children matters, the majority of which had an international element. She acted for South Africans, expatriates living in South Africa, as well as for English and South Africa clients living in the UK with reason to pursue matters through the South African courts.

Lauren also founded and managed the Johannesburg Family Law Conference in its first few years. The Johannesburg conference is now in its 10^th year, attracting attendees from all over South Africa as well as high profile international speakers. Lauren returned to present a paper addressing FAQs for South African/English matters at the 5^th Johannesburg Family Law Conference in 2018.

More recently, Lauren presented at the 9^th Johannesburg Family Law Conference in 2022 on “Tips and Traps for expats moving between South Africa and the UAE”, as well as on “Changing times in the UAE” at the 25^th Annual Family Law Conference in Cape Town in March 2023, hosted by the Law Faculty of the University of the Western Cape and Miller du Toit Cloete Inc.

In 2016, Lauren moved to Dubai, where she continued to consult for Clarks Attorneys before returning to England and joining Expatriate Law in 2018. Lauren is a member of Resolution and has presented at a Resolution seminar on the wrongful retention of children in England, focusing on the UAE as a case study.

Lauren is passionate about family law and strives to go the extra mile for her clients.

For matters involving British expatriates in South Africa, the UAE or South African expatriates in England or for any other enquiry, please contact Lauren by emailing her at lauren@expatriatelaw.com. Lauren is able to offer rounded family law advice on the pros and cons of English, South African and UAE jurisdictions for divorce and other family law applications, and if necessary, will work closely with specialist South African and UAE family lawyers.

Learn more about British expat divorce in South Africa or options for South African expats living abroad. Or you can listen to a podcast.