Forsters appoints Sarah Williams as partner

Leading London law firm Forsters has announced the appointment of Sarah Williams as a partner and Head of Children in its Family department, set to join the firm on 22 September. Williams, a highly renowned specialist in children law, began her career at the Bar, spending a decade representing parents, children, guardians, local authorities, and the Official Solicitor in complex cases. Following her time at the Bar, she held various roles at boutique family practices before joining Payne Hicks Beach in 2020 as Partner and Head of the Modern Family Law team.

She brings extensive experience in family law matters, with particular expertise in modern family issues such as fertility, surrogacy, adoption, child arrangements, donor conception, schooling, and gender. Williams serves a clientele that includes ultra-high net worth and high-profile individuals and families, frequently engaged in international and multi-party cases.

Widely recognised within the legal profession, she has received praise from Chambers and Partners for her “encyclopaedic knowledge of the law", her skill in handling “tricky modern family matters” and being “at the cutting edge of case law”. Additionally, The Legal 500 describes her as “exceptional” and “entirely dedicated to her clients”.

Jo Edwards, Partner and Head of Family at Forsters, expressed enthusiasm about the appointment, stating: “We are absolutely thrilled that Sarah is joining us. This strategic hire significantly enhances our already strong children law practice, adding a dedicated expert to an already exceptional team." He further remarked on her deep expertise and commitment to client care, noting how it will be in high demand for complex, multi-jurisdictional cases.

In her remarks, Williams stated: “Joining Forsters is a hugely exciting next step in my career. The breadth and depth of the firm’s expertise represents the perfect platform to build my practice and provide Forsters’ clients with a holistic service.” She emphasised her excitement about collaborating with Jo and the team to develop a world-class children law offering that addresses the modern challenges of their clients.

Natasha Rees, Senior Partner at Forsters, added: “Sarah’s appointment signals a major milestone in the evolution and growth of our market-leading Family team. Few practitioners bring the same calibre of specialist knowledge and experience in children matters.” Rees expressed delight in welcoming Williams to the firm, noting that her expertise bolsters their already excellent Family team.

Williams’ arrival is part of an exceptional year for Forsters’ Family team, which previously saw Guy Mawson promoted to partner in April and Dickon Ceadel, a Family partner, recently named a Rising Star at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2025.