Stephanie Butler

Senior Associate Cambridge Office
+44 1223 326694 +44 7814 094329 [email protected]
Stephanie Butler profile picture

Stephanie Butler is a Senior Associate in our property disputes team, having qualified in September 2018. She is a leading member of the firm’s Home Ownership Disputes and TOLATA practice.   

Stephanie specialises in advising private individuals on disputes involving equitable interests and co-ownership. She is regularly instructed to act for former romantic partners, former cohabitants, parents, adult children, and business partners in applications under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA) concerning jointly owned property. She has a strong track record of resolving such family, domestic, commercial, and farming disputes through negotiation and mediation.

Alongside her disputes practice, Stephanie also undertakes advisory work, helping clients take a forward-looking, risk-managed approach to property ownership. This includes advising on and preparing cohabitation agreements to minimise the risk of future disputes.

Her work frequently involves complex and sensitive issues, including mental incapacity, insolvency and allegations of domestic abuse. Stephanie is experienced in navigating these challenges with care and clarity.

Stephanie is based in our Cambridge office.

Recent work highlights

Stephanie recently represented a client in a cohabitee dispute that proceeded to a five-day trial. Stephanie successfully argued that her client’s ex-partner was solely responsible for discharging the mortgage from the ex-partner’s share of the sale proceeds, based on a collateral contract between the parties.

Stephanie acted for a client who owned a property jointly with his parents. The parents denied the client’s 50% beneficial interest, despite it being recorded in the property deeds. They alleged, among other things, misrepresentation and undue influence. Following a summary judgment application, the court declared that the client owned a 50% beneficial interest in the property. The client was awarded his costs on the indemnity basis.

Stephanie represented a client asserting a beneficial interest in a relative’s property, relying on the direct and indirect contributions the client had made to it. Following the legal owner’s bankruptcy, Stephanie achieved a settlement with the trustee in bankruptcy, enabling the client to obtain a transfer of the property into the client’s sole name. In the meantime, the lender applied to repossess the property due to mortgage arrears. Stephanie successfully applied to delay the repossession and ultimately secured a settlement with the lender, allowing the client and her children to remain in their home.

Experience & education

2024 promoted to Senior Associate at Birketts.

2021 promoted to Associate at Birketts.

2018 qualified as a Solicitor at Birketts.

2013 graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first-class degree in History, before completing the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School.

Areas of Expertise

Sectors

Services

Memberships

Resolution

Member

Property Litigation Association

Member

The Contentious Trusts Association (ConTrA)

Member

“

Laura Tanguay and Stephanie Butler are outstandingly able and hardworking. They are talented solicitors with an impressive grasp of law and procedure. They also demonstrate a high standard of client care, even or especially when the case becomes difficult and testing.

Legal 500 [UK 2024]

”

Insights

Contact Us
Contact Us
For general enquiries please call +44 (0)808 169 4320 or send a message from our Contact us page.