One of the UK’s leading family lawyers is appointed a Deputy District Judge

Rachael Oakes is no stranger to giving sound judgements and providing clear advice in a legal capacity over the years having qualified as a lawyer in 1996. Today she is ranked by the UK’s leading legal directories, The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, as one of the UK’s top family lawyers for matrimonial law.

This appointment is a part-time position enabling Rachel to still manage her national team whilst bringing to the job the experience she will gain sitting as a Deputy District Judge and seeing things from the other side of the fence! Her duties will include preparing for trial and hearing actions, the handling of applications in the course of proceedings, and determining applications and deciding claims through fact finding and using her twenty plus years’ of experience and expertise as a seasoned lawyer to give reasoned judgements.

Rachael Oakes, Partner and National Joint Head of the Family Wealth Department at Freeths, commented, “I’m very much looking forward to bringing the same passion, energy, commitment and enthusiasm to the role of Deputy District Judge as I have done as a family lawyer since qualifying in 1996. The process of being appointed as a Deputy District Judge is a lengthy one but rightly so, as it is a responsibility that requires the right person to have the necessary experience, expertise, empathy and compassion to fulfil their duties. I truly believe that taking on this role which comes with such responsibility will help me be a better lawyer in my everyday practice.”