Catherine Sousa

Director

Catherine is the Founding Director of Sousa Law and established the firm in 2009. Since then she has developed and expanded the firm over the years into a well-established and highly regarded specialist family law firm on the South Coast. The firm continues to prioritise the original ethos established by Catherine from day one; exemplary client care and clear direct advice.

Catherine has specialised in family law in the Hampshire area since 2001. She is an active member of Resolution and a fully trained Collaborative Solicitor, Family Mediator and Arbitrator (Children Scheme). She is also accredited as a family law specialist with the Law Society.  Catherine is highly experienced in all aspects of family law, particularly complex and high net worth financial settlements upon divorce and separation, cohabitation and complex children matters.

Catherine promotes all dispute resolution options and is committed to finding the right process for her clients at the outset.  She is a member of the Solent Collaborative POD, The North Hampshire Collaborative POD and the Hampshire Family Legal Solutions (HFLS) POD and was a founding member of HFLS. HFLS promotes identifying issues and options at the early stages of relationship breakdown by working with other professionals to achieve the best process and outcomes for the family, prioritising any children. This scheme started as a pilot scheme with Catherine being part of the very first pilot test case. HFLS are now well established and many cases have been progressed through this process with Catherine being involved and instructed on the majority of them.  Catherine is also a member of the Resolution Collaborative Working Party who engage and support other Collaborative Practitioners in growing their Collaborative Practice.

Catherine is also experienced in drafting wills, lasting powers of attorney and probate matters. She is also a qualified criminal solicitor and experienced in property matters.

Catherine enjoys travelling and has lived in Australia, Italy and Portugal over the years and has experience of other European legal jurisdictions, having undertaken a European Law degree.  She also enjoys spending time with her daughter and dogs walking in the New Forest, South Downs and spending time on the Isle of Wight.