Karin Cox-Putker

Solicitor

Karin was born in the Netherlands, and moved to the UK in 1982. Karin began her career in Marketing and Financial Services, but was drawn to the legal profession, and qualified as a solicitor in 2000. Karin joined Pinto Potts in 2007 as Head of Family Law, Wills & Probate.

In order to provide her clients with the widest possible array of Family Law options, Karin undertook additional training and qualified as a family Mediator. Pinto Potts is pleased to offer both private and publicly funded Mediation, as well as child consultation.

Karin is also member of the national association ‘Solicitors for the Elderly’ (SFE), an association of lawyers who specialise in legal services for older people and their carers.  Karin has a wealth of experience within this key legal area and spends a substantial amount of time working for elderly clients.

Karin offers a sympathetic ear to her clients, but at the same time she is determined to ensure that her clients achieve the outcomes they need. She explores every option for her clients, and explains the implications of each route, giving them the ability to make the very best choices. Karin cares about her clients and appreciates that there is always a great deal at stake for them. Through personal experience she recognises the difficulties that elderly clients can face in obtaining legal advice and support and will be happy to be of assistance.

Karin is a member of Resolution, the College of Mediators, Solicitors for the Elderly and the Law Society Family Panel as well as the Law Society Private Client section.

Areas of Expertise:
All aspects of Family Law and Private Client Law including Cohabitation, Divorce and Separation (including complex financial settlements and contact disputes), Pre & Post Nuptial Agreements, Civil Partnerships, Injunctions, Mediation, Wills, Probate, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection.

Notable cases:
1. Karin represented a husband who ran a very successful business with complex tax structures. An independent expert was appointed to report on the value of the business and the effects of the tax schemes. A great deal of time and collaboration with finance/accounting professionals was required, but eventually the parties settled on an overall financial agreement. However on the day of the final hearing, the husband suggested that he would try and seek a reconciliation…

2. Karin represented a co-owner of a property, opposing her ex-boyfriend’s quest to sell the property, where she continued to reside with their child. In this case the client won the right to remain in the property until the child was older. However this area of law remains vague. Many cohabitating individuals who share property assume that they are ‘common law husband and wife’. Unfortunately, there is no such legal status. They can only rely on property rights that may be determined at the outset or early stage of the relationship and do not take into account ‘fairness’. Karin advises that with cohabitation, if you hold a property jointly, that you commit your ownership to paper and review it on a regular basis to provide clarity and avoid future proceedings.

3. Karin took on a case where the relationship had ended, the mother had moved on emotionally and was in a new relationship. She wanted to take her two young children from Hampshire to live in the North of England. The father objected, seeing his whole world falling apart. It took a number of mediation sessions to explore their respective anxieties and the practical issues. They both felt that the children were not opening up to either of them, probably for fear of upsetting their parents and therefore agreed that the children would benefit from child consultation with Karin. Following one session, both parties were able to see beyond their own needs, focus on the children’s wishes and make the necessary arrangements to positively move on with their lives.

4. Karin represented a wife in a case of a 12 year separation. The couple had separated, divided their assets and moved on, but never completed a separation agreement. After 12 years they wanted a divorce. However, since the husband’s financial position had improved significantly over the period, relative to that of the wife, and the husband had a substantial pension, the verbal financial agreement reached all those years ago had to be revisited. Karin ensured that her client obtained an improved settlement. Although there are advantages and disadvantages, having a separation agreement drafted by solicitors makes legal sense.

5. Karin represented a husband whose ex-wife made an application to vary and extend the maintenance just before the financial order was about to finish. This was a case where there had been no clean break, and therefore there remained the possibility of ending up in court again. Fortunately for Karin’s client, the application was dismissed following financial disclosure and a round table meeting.

Personal interests:
Out of the office, Karin’s passion has always been her children. However now that they have repaid her years of devotion by moving far away to University, she has even more time and good advice to share with her clients. Karin is a governor at two schools in Fleet (vice chair at Velmead Junior and chair of finances/personnel committee at Calthorpe Park secondary school) and tries to keep fit by going to the gym regularly and attending tap classes. The dance troupe puts on performances occasionally, but so far Karin has been able to keep this under wraps.

Email: karin.cox-putker@pintopotts.co.uk
Direct Line: 01252 360 492