Alison Ratchford

Alison specialises in divorce and separation, with particular expertise in resolving financial matters, including complex assets and pensions, as well as arrangements for children. She is also highly experienced in helping clients with prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes, and living together agreements. Alison works with a broad range of clients, from professionals and business owners to retirees and parents, tailoring her advice to their specific priorities and concerns.  She has a particular expertise in representing clients living abroad, drawing on her own experience of working and living overseas to offer practical, empathetic support to international families navigating the legal system from afar.

A strong advocate of non-court dispute resolution, Alison believes that alternative processes give couples greater control over their outcome, timescales and costs — especially at a time when the court system is struggling to meet demand. Alison is highly experienced in private Financial Dispute Resolution hearings, having used them extensively since 2019, and will raise the option of a private FDR as early as practicable with clients and other solicitors. She also supports other methods such as solicitor-led negotiation to achieve fair outcomes without the uncertainty of contested court proceedings.

Alison explains: “My aim is to give clients firm, clear advice from the outset, to help manage expectations and encourage early, sensible settlements wherever possible.”

Clients value Alison’s honest, level-headed style and her focus on realistic outcomes, often recommending her to family and friends.

Alison qualified as a legal executive in November 2000 and joined Woolley & Co in October 2007 from a firm in the West Midlands and after a short break returned in 2016.

Outside of work, Alison enjoys ballroom dancing and regularly competes in events across the country, including in Blackpool. She also loves spending time with her family and travelling whenever she can. A keen baker, Alison has a particular talent for creating novelty cakes and enjoys experimenting with creative designs.