Karl Smith is a Family Solicitor at E J Coombs, having joined the firm in August 2023, located in their Purley and Caterham offices. Karl has been in Family Law since 2018, when he began working as a paralegal for a local firm in Sutton, while studying for his LPC and master’s degree at the University of Law in Guildford.
He completed his training contact with the same firm and qualified as a Solicitor in November 2021, following which he has practised exclusively in Family Law, which is his passion.
Karl has gained experience in Housing and Civil matters, including evictions and landlord/tenant disputes, which can often intertwine with family matters and has provided him with a great basis to work from.
He has also represented clients involved in care proceedings with the local authority, in particular dealing with a range of severe and extensive issues including allegations of sexual abuse of children, substance abuse, personality disorders and parental alienation.
Karl has also previously worked as the Pro Bono Manager at the National Centre of Domestic Violence, responsible for the largest pro-bono department in the UK. Utilising his experience of domestic abuse to provide assistance to those unable to afford legal representation privately.
Karl’s aim is to provide practical and logical advice to his clients, with the view of attempting to reach a resolution as efficiently and constructively as possible. He can assist with all areas of family law, including children matters and divorce/separation, specialising in cases where there are severe allegations of abuse.
Outside of work, Karl enjoys married life and spending time with his three British Shorthair cats: Eliza, Evie and Daisy. He enjoys a range of sports including football and rugby. Epilepsy is a cause close to Karl’s heart, in his spare time having campaigned for Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LiTT) funding approval in the NHS.