Heather Souter

Heather Souter is a family law partner specialising in divorce and dissolution of civil partnerships, financial consequences following a relationship breakdown, cohabitation and living together agreements and private children matters, including financial provision for children under Schedule 1.

Heather advises on all aspects of family law to include divorce, financial settlements arising after a separation (including interim finances pending an overall settlement), enforcement and variation claims, and complex private children matters, which often raise serious issues such as parental alienation, substance misuse and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Heather has a specific interest in farming and agricultural cases, having led her previous firm’s agricultural team. She has specific expertise as to how these cases are treated upon a divorce or dissolution. Her agricultural sector knowledge has been noted by the leading independent directory, The Legal 500, which also names Heather as a key lawyer.

Heather’s clients are wide ranging and include sports personalities, business owners, members of the medical profession, accountants, farmers and landowners, and homemakers.

In addition, Heather is chair of Hampshire Resolution. Resolution is a national organisation committed to resolving family matters through constructive and non-confrontational means. Heather was formerly chairperson of Hampshire Young Resolution committee (YRes) ensuring that she has been at the forefront of developments in family law throughout her career.

Heather is familiar with and open to all non-court dispute resolution options, enabling her to help clients choose the most appropriate options to move matters forward. She is a trained collaborative lawyer and has assisted clients involved in mediation and arbitration. 

Heather joined Rayden Solicitors in August 2026, having spent her career at a leading South coast firm. 

Examples of her experience include:

• advising in respect of financial settlements involving complex trust and company structures, significant pension provision (including Armed Forces pension provision), personal injury awards and foreign property;
•  assisting to advise and draft multi-million pound pre-nuptial agreements;
• acting for an intervening adult son in a complex farming case between his parents;
• acting for parents to resolve living and educational arrangements for their children to include obtaining a court order that her client’s son live with him having previously lived with his mother;
• acting for fathers in contested court proceedings to obtain permission to move to different countries with their children; and
• resolving cohabitation disputes and drafting deeds of separation following the same.

This experience has led to Heather being shortlisted for the Family Lawyer of the Year (Partner) in the prestigious Citywealth Future Leaders Awards in 2024, and as a recommended family lawyer for Hampshire by the independent Doyle’s Guide in 2025.

Heather will be based at our St Albans office for a short interim period before moving to our soon-to-be-opened Salisbury office.

Email Heather.