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VIEW ALLLegal 500 UK 2026Jessie Smith is a passionate and focused lawyer who is particularly good with fast-moving cases that need quick and decisive but equally well-judged action. She brings a wealth of experience and is a definite go-to lawyer.
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Jessie is a Partner in Howard Kennedy's Family team.
Jessie's strengths lie in simplifying for her clients the psychological and financial complexities arising from the establishment and breakdown of married or unmarried families.
While she spends much of her time assisting clients with the disputes about finances and children arising from their divorces, her practice is broad. She is the founder of, and the Family team lead in, Howard Kennedy's specialist cross-practice cohabitation and property co-ownership disputes group, and she regularly negotiates and drafts complex nuptial and cohabitation agreements.
Jessie tailors her advice to her clients and works with them to understand their individual needs from an early stage so that they feel supported through what is very often a stressful and traumatic time in their lives. When appropriate to do so, Jessie works with external experts including psychotherapists, psychiatrists, accountants and financial advisers to provide a holistic approach to her clients' cases.
Jessie employs a trauma-informed approach, and cares passionately about wellbeing within the family law system, both in relation to family law professionals and their clients, particularly neurodivergent people.
Jessie has written articles for a number of publications, appeared as a guest on podcasts and she is a member of Resolution. She is the Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association's Family Law Committee.
- Acting for the commissioning parents in a reported surrogacy case with various complexities including the fact that the parents were not living in the same property.
- Acting for a client in financial proceedings to which a number of family members were joined as a result of long-standing family trust assets forming part of the matrimonial pot.
- Acting for a client in a case involving significant non-disclosure, addiction and mental health issues.
- Acting for a client in a case involving various moving parts including domestic violence allegations, child arrangements applications and financial remedies requiring expert valuation of unlisted corporate assets.
- Acting for a client in financial proceedings involving significant fraud by the other party, both prior to and during the proceedings.
- "Jessie Smith is a passionate and focused lawyer who is particularly good with fast-moving cases that need quick and decisive but equally well-judged action. She brings a wealth of experience and is a definite go-to lawyer." Legal 500 2026
- "Jessie Smith is quite simply one of the best lawyers I have worked with. Her preparation and thoroughness are something to behold: a star of the future." Legal 500 2026
- Listed as Recommended Lawyer, Spear's Family Law Index 2025
- "Jessie Smith is part of an exceptionally strong team working tirelessly for their clients." Legal 500 UK 2024
- Ranked as Associate to Watch, Family/Matrimonial: High Net Worth, Chambers UK 2023
- ''Jessie Smith – supremely organised, excellent judgment. She is ferociously bright with a creative flair. A force to be reckoned with.'' Legal 500 2023
Jessie plays bass guitar in Howard Kennedy's resident rock band, Take It To The Bridge, and she is the vice chair of the governing board of a large state primary school in East London.