Hughes Fowler Carruthers


Pauline is a founding partner of Hughes Fowler Carruthers. She is a well-known and highly respected family lawyer.

Pauline has worked with Frances Hughes since 1985, first at Bates, Wells & Braithwaite (where she was a partner from 1990) and now at Hughes Fowler Carruthers.

As well as specialising in complex divorce and children’s work, Pauline also specialises in international adoption and surrogacy. She is a highly regarded senior mediator, well known for her work in this area. She is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, a member of The Pensions Advisory Group and of Resolution, having previously chaired Resolution’s Pensions, Tax and Financial Remedies Committee for many years. She is a regular broadcaster and writer on family law matters.

Pauline is consistently recognised as a leading individual in the Chambers UK guide.  She is ranked Band 1 in Chambers UK 2023, where she is praised for being “extremely clever and focused on getting a good outcome for clients” “technically brilliant”, “tactically strong” and “a very good lawyer”.  One source observes “Pauline is a very effective problem solver; she has a good sense of what is going to be the right decision in a case, which comes from her vast experience but also her insight.”

The Chambers UK 2022 Guide commented that she is particularly noted for her representation of high net worth clients in divorce proceedings involving substantial cross-border assets, and that she “has immense wisdom in terms of understanding how to resolve things and has great skill as a litigator and mediator”.  She was described as “a formidable practitioner in this field” and someone who “thinks outside the box” and “has a winning attitude”.  She is also featured in the Spear’s Family Law Index’s ‘Recommended Family Lawyers’ list and won Gold in Woman of the Year – Professional Services at the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards 2023.

Pauline retains her Band 1 ranking in Chambers HNW 2023, with a source commenting that she “is a real all-rounder and experienced in all areas of this field.” Another commentator notes that “Pauline is an extremely capable, careful and precise lawyer. She runs her cases in a very careful and measured way, which means she gets really good results for her clients. Most that know her will say that she is calm in the most stressful situations.”

Chambers HNW 2022 describes Pauline as “really precise, very attentive to detail and tactically strong. She is extremely clever and focused on getting a good outcome for clients.  She is very pragmatic and good at working with the other side. She is technically brilliant.” Pauline is praised as “a complete delight. She’s straightforward, no nonsense and experienced.”

The Legal 500 UK 2022 describes Pauline as “brilliant at resolving the trickiest of cases” and reconfirms her ranking in ‘The Legal 500 Hall of Fame’. The Guide praises her for being “extremely professional” and highlights her “vast experience” with complex cross-border matters, and her “stellar”, “entirely deserved reputation” adding the support she offers clients is “second to none”. The Legal 500 UK 2021 described Pauline as “highly respected”. The Guide praised her as a “formidable yet personable”“brilliant solicitor” whose “insight is second to none”.

Pauline studied music and worked in music publishing before qualifying as a solicitor in 1983.

She retains her interest in music and is an accomplished violinist and pianist.

Recent News

11 Jul

Pauline Fowler to sit on the judging panel for the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards 2024
Read More

02 Mar

Pauline Fowler wins Woman of the Year – Professional Services at the Powerwomen Awards 2023
Read More

26 Oct

Pauline Fowler shortlisted for the Powerwomen Awards 2023
Read More

Academy Court
94 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1DT

Tel: +44 (0)20 7421 8383
DX: 251 London/Chancery Lane
Email: [email protected]

Academy Court
94 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1DT

Tel: +44 (0)20 7421 8383
DX: 251 London/Chancery Lane
Email: [email protected]

Spear's family law
LexisNexis 2020