Erika Khokhani
- Called to the Bar in 2007
- Practice Area: Family
- Erika is a barrister in chambers specialising in family law, including financial remedies, international children law, private/public children law
To instruct Erika Khokhani, contact her clerks at clerks@2drj.com or call 020 7936 2613
Overview
Erika Khokhani is a family law barrister practising in England and Wales, with nearly two decades of experience since her call to the Bar in 2007. Her practice covers all aspects of family law, with particular specialisms in financial remedies, international family law, child abduction and child arrangements.
Erika is instructed in complex and sensitive matters where the financial or welfare stakes are high. She is known for meticulous preparation, robust advocacy and a clear-sighted approach to strategy, both at trial and on appeal. She is equally at home negotiating settlement at an FDR as she is presenting a contested final hearing or advancing an appeal.
She appears in the Family Court at all levels and in the High Court. She accepts instructions from solicitors and also directly from members of the public on a direct access (Public Access) basis.
Direct Access
Erika is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public under the Bar Standards Board’s Public Access scheme, without a solicitor being instructed. Direct access can be a cost-effective option for clients who want specialist advice and representation, whether for a single piece of work, such as an advice, the drafting of documents or a hearing, or throughout their case.
Before accepting a direct access instruction, Erika will consider whether the case is suitable for direct access and whether the client’s interests would be better served by also instructing a solicitor. The terms of each instruction, including the work to be done and the fees, are confirmed in a written client care letter.
Enquiries about direct access instructions should be made through clerks@2drj.com.
Financial Remedies
Erika’s financial remedies practice covers the full range of matrimonial and civil partnership finance work, including:
- Applications under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004
- Nuptial agreements: pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, including challenges to their enforceability
- Spousal and child maintenance, including variation and capitalisation
- Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 claims
- Cases involving trusts, business assets, pensions and complex asset structures
- Interim applications, including maintenance pending suit and legal services payment orders
- Costs applications under FPR Part 28
- Enforcement and appeals
Erika has successfully had pre-nuptial agreements set aside. That work calls for close analysis of the circumstances in which the agreement was made, and of whether holding the parties to it would be fair under the principles in Radmacher v Granatino.
International Family Law and Child Abduction
Erika acts in cases with an international dimension, including:
- Applications under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction
- Non-Convention abduction cases and inherent jurisdiction applications
- Wardship
- Leave to remove (relocation) applications, both internal and international
- Jurisdictional disputes and cases involving the 1996 Hague Convention
- Recognition and enforcement of foreign orders
- Financial relief after an overseas divorce under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984
She is used to working to the urgent timetables these cases demand, often alongside foreign lawyers and through central authorities.
Children: Private Law
Erika represents parents and other parties in private law children proceedings under the Children Act 1989, including:
- Child arrangements orders (living with and spending time with)
- Specific issue and prohibited steps orders
- Parental responsibility disputes
- Cases involving intractable contact disputes and allegations of alienating behaviour
- Fact-finding hearings
She has particular experience of cases involving allegations of significant harm, including physical abuse, neglect and female genital mutilation (FGM). This includes applications for FGM Protection Orders under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. She handles these cases with the sensitivity they require, without compromising the rigour needed to test or advance the evidence, including in cases involving expert medical evidence under FPR Part 25.
Children: Private Law
Clients and instructing solicitors value Erika’s:
- Depth of technical knowledge across finance and children law
- Strategic judgement on when to settle and when to fight
- Composed, persuasive advocacy in high-conflict and emotionally charged cases
- Clear, practical advice delivered in plain English
- Attention to detail in drafting, including skeleton arguments, grounds of appeal and position statements
