Specialisms & expertise
- Divorce, judicial separation and dissolution of Civil Partnerships
- Issues in respect of children, including parental responsibility, deciding with whom a child should live, deciding how often a child should spend time with a parent and re-location (national and international)
- All financial aspects of a relationship breakdown
- Collaborative law
- Family mediation
- Prenuptial and Postnuptial agreements
- Advice and agreements for cohabiting couples
- Issues between former cohabitees
- Domestic violence, including applications for non-molestation and occupation orders
Client stories & examples of work
- I have been very impressed and satisfied with all aspects of Thomson Snell & Passmore’s service. I was particularly grateful for the thoughtful, meticulous and excellent advice provided by Desmond O’DonnelI have found both Una and Desmond very professional, knowledgeable and understanding people. It is good to deal with 'humans' when having to work on personal documentation.
Achievements & other appointments
Desmond has a wealth of experience in dealing with families in difficulty and in seeking to resolve their problems constructively.
Desmond is a member of Resolution and is a Resolution trained mediator and collaborative lawyer. In addition, he has passed the Californian Bar examinations and completed a Los Angeles mediation course and is listed as a Citywealth Leader.
Desmond was a member of the Lord Chancellor’s International Child Abduction Panel and the English Law Society’s representative on the National Victim Support Working Party on Domestic Violence. He was involved in preparing a paper for the Lord Chancellor’s Department concerning domestic violence.
Desmond is acknowledged in leading independent guide to UK law firms, Chambers UK as a leader in his field. He is praised in the 2013 edition for his “good response times, good knowledge and sympathetic treatment”. In the 2012 edition he is applauded as a 'sensible and talented lawyer'. Clients say 'he has a very good understanding of the human aspect of work and is terribly professional'.
Profile
Desmond graduated from the University of Kent in Canterbury where he obtained an Honours Degree in Law. He studied for and took his solicitors’ examinations through the College of Law. He was admitted as a solicitor in December 1985.
From 1983-1997 he worked in London, spending the last 10 years of this with Bindman & Partners. From 1997-1999 he worked in Los Angeles and from 1999 until 2005 he worked in Northern Ireland, in a specialist family law firm.
They are ably led by Joanna Pratt and supported by Kirstie Law. Desmond O’Donnell is a sensible solution-focused lawyer.
The Legal 500 2020
It was a very stressful period for me and Desmond gave me great comfort and reassurance.
Chambers and Partners 2021
I appreciate your professional support throughout the mediation process. It was tough but a much better approach than the alternatives
Client
Desmond O'Donnell is very pragmatic and is mindful of how his communication impacts the other side.
Chambers UK 2022
Desmond O’Donnell was superb. He is clearly extremely experienced and I felt he took a personal interest in my well-being.
Client
I cannot praise the work of this firm, and Desmond O’Donnell in particular, too highly.
Client
Related Team Members

-
Helen Waite
-
Partner, Family
- 01892 701213
- helen.waite@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Joanna Pratt
-
Senior Partner, Head of Family
- 01892 701297
- joanna.pratt@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Kirstie Law
-
Partner, Family
- 01892 701271
- kirstie.law@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Sarah Judd
-
Partner, Family
- 01892 510000
- sarah.judd@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Sarah Keily
-
Partner, Family
- 01892 701277
- sarah.keily@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Anna Woodhoo
-
Associate, Family
- 01892 701387
- anna.woodhoo@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Harry Golding
-
Solicitor, Family
- 01892 701180
- harry.golding@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Emma Craigie
-
Solicitor, Family
- 01892 701192
- emma.craigie@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile

-
Romi Patel
-
Trainee Solicitor, Family
- 01892 701143
- romi.patel@ts-p.co.uk
- View my profile