| Marilyn Stowe | |
|---|---|
Marilyn Stowe |
|
| Born | 1957 |
| Residence | Leeds, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Leeds Girls High School, University of Leeds; Chester College of Law |
| Occupation | Family Lawyer |
| Employer | Stowe Family Law LLP |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Partner | Grahame C Stowe |
| Website | |
| www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk [1] www.marilynstowe.co.uk [2] | |
Marilyn Stowe (born 1957) is an English solicitor. She has been described by The Times as "one of the most formidable and sought-after divorce lawyers in the UK"[1], and described as "one of the country's leading divorce lawyers"[2]. She is also known for unearthing the medical evidence that freed Sally Clark, the victim of a famous British miscarriage of justice. She was educated at Leeds Girls' High School and the University of Leeds, and is a senior partner in Harrogate law firm Stowe Family Law.[3] Marilyn Stowe is a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers ("IAML"), a worldwide association of family lawyers who are recognised by their peers as the most experienced and expert family law specialists in their respective countries.
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In November 1999, Sally Clark was convicted of the murder of two of her sons. Her first son had died suddenly within a few weeks of his birth in 1996. After her second son died in a similar manner, she was arrested in 1998 and tried for the murder of both infants. The convictions were upheld at appeal in October 2000.[4]
Marilyn Stowe volunteered her involvement in the case, providing her services free of charge because she felt that "something was not right".[5] She obtained key medical reports, which showed that one of the babies could have died from natural causes. This evidence had been known to the prosecution's pathologist, Alan Williams, since February 1998, but had not been shared with other medical witnesses, police or lawyers.[6] The Clark family's solicitor described Marilyn Stowe as "the woman who's going to get Sally out of prison".[7]
Sally Clark's convictions were overturned in a second appeal on 29 January 2003.[8] The prosecution's pathologist, Alan Williams, was found guilty of "serious professional misconduct" by the General Medical Council.[9]
Stowe is the author of two books about life after divorce:
She contributes a monthly family law column to legal trade magazine Solicitors Journal, entitled Family Business. Stowe is also family law columnist for The Times website's 'The Experts' panel, which forms part of the newspaper's online Law section.