Lauren Carmichael

Lauren was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2008 and has worked as a family lawyer in London, Johannesburg and Dubai. She has significant experience dealing with international family law matters, particularly those involving English and South African law issues and is now based in London.

Lauren originally qualified as a corporate lawyer before deciding to pursue a career in family law. She worked for Camilla Baldwin, a specialist family law firm in London until she moved to South Africa in 2013. 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.

In 2013, Lauren joined Clarks Attorneys, a leading family law firm in Johannesburg, as an international legal consultant. 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 seventh 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 5th Johannesburg Family Law Conference in 2018.

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 recently presented at a Resolution seminar on the wrongful retention of children in England, focusing on the United Arab Emirates as a case study. Lauren is one of our senior associates and her breadth of multi-jurisdictional experience means that she can advise on a wide range of family law matters.

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

For matters involving British expatriates in South Africa 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 and South African jurisdictions for divorce and other family law applications, and if necessary, will work closely with specialist South African 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.