
Rachel Horman-Brown
Head of Family & Director
Winner – Family Law Partner of the Year 2014
Rachel Horman-Brown is a Director & Solicitor and the head of the Family Department. She specialises in cases of domestic abuse and stalking with a very fast growing niche practice in cases involving coercive control. Her reputation extends beyond the firm’s North of England base across the UK and overseas. A leading family law barrister has described Rachel’s approach as having a
“protective imperative running through all her work”.
Rachel is known for her ability to recognise coercive control cases even when the victim may not fully realise it and strives to ensure that the court recognise coercive control for the high risk factor that it is – something which is still woefully lacking as Judges often ignore the non-physical abuse even though it is a far more reliable indicator of homicide than physical violence. Rachel deals with particularly complex and high-profile cases, with clients travelling from all ends of the UK to see her for advice and representation, based on her reputation in the area of coercive control and staking cases particularly in the family courts. A recent client’s testimonial on social media is typical of the feedback Rachel receives:
“Rachel Horman-Brown has changed my life. More importantly that of my child. I will never be able to thank her enough. She should indeed be recognised.”
Throughout her career she has worked at the forefront of campaigns for domestic abuse and stalking legislation, Rachel is the Chair of Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service who campaigned to create a specific criminal offence of coercive control and continues to advise the government and police in relation to these issues. Rachel has sat on All Party Parliamentary Groups for Domestic Violence and Stalking & Harassment and was invited to give evidence to the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights about Domestic Violence and Forced Marriage in the House of Lords. Rachel was also involved in the successful campaign to increase the sentence for stalking form 5 years to 10 years. She continues to regularly advise the Home Office and legislatures out of the jurisdiction in relation to legislation and guidance on coercive control and stalking Rachel’s work has been recognised with many national awards, including the 2012 Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Award and 2014 Jordan’s Family Partner of the Year Award. In 2016 Rachel was highly commended as Woman Lawyer of the Year at the National Law Society Excellence Awards. Judges said they wanted to
“recognise technical excellence and exceptional leadership and wanted to highly commend one person because of her work on stalking and coercive control and domestic violence legislation, which has had considerable impact and raised awareness despite lack of proper funding – she has changed the lives of many women across the country”.
In 2016 Rachel won the Eva Women in Business Award and in 2019 she was shortlisted for the Centre for Women’s Justice/Emma Humphries Award for her work in coercive control. Rachel is widely regarded as the go to solicitor regarding cases of coercive control and stalking, harassment and cyberstalking with a national client base of high profile clients.
Contact Details
Blackburn
25-29 Victoria Street
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB1 6DN
Email: Rachel.Horman-Brown@watsonramsbottom.com
Telephone: 01254 67 22 22
Awards and Accreditations






Specialisms
- Coercive control and children
- Stalking and cyber stalking
- Domestic abuse
- Honour based violence
- Private and public law children cases
- Actions against the police
Media
Rachel has created a number of short informative videos as part of our WR Insights series




Testimonials
A Practical Guide to Coercive Control
Rachel has also recently published a book to assist victims on the family courts dealing with issues of coercive control as these are often dealt with badly by many courts
The book has received many positive reviews, being described by one barrister as
“a brilliant guide”
A solicitor stated
“What Rachel Horman-Brown doesn’t know about coercive control isn’t worth knowing, she is a nationally recognised expert…..I cant recommend it highly enough”
and a victim commenting
Rachel’s book is available to buy here“thank you for giving me the words to describe what I’m going through”
TV Appearances
Rachel also undertakes regular TV and radio work having featured on the Today Programme on Radio 4, Radio 2 News, Radio Lancashire, Radio Manchester, BBC News Channel, BBC Breakfast, Sky News and Channel 4 News and Crimewatch as well as being quoted in the national and local press.

BBC Breakfast – Domestic Abuse
Domestic Abuse Solicitor on BBC Breakfast News 22 January 2014 discussing proposed new legislation to make domestic abuse a criminal offence

Sky News – Forced Marriage
Solicitor Rachel Horman discussing a recent report detailing that British Citizens who are victims of forced marriage are being made to pay for their own rescue and repatriation to the UK.

Sky News – Signs of Domestic Abuse
Rachel Horman discussing training for NHS staff to recognise the signs of domestic abuse Sky News.

BBC Breakfast – Stalking
Solicitor Rachel Horman speaking on BBC Breakfast News on Thursday 7th April 2016 discussing stalking legislation and the protection of stalking victims and the circumstances surrounding the case of stalking victim Mandy Dunford.

BBC Crimewatch – The Blame Game
Online dating sites are increasingly becoming the way that many of us form new relationships and as a lawyer specialising in stalking and Chair of the National Stalking Advocacy Service I was asked by BBC Crimewatch to discuss the risks for users of these sites.

BBC – News at 10
Rachel Horman-Brown speaks to special correspondent Ed Thomas as part of a documentary on stalking and the increase of such offences throughout the pandemic – 14th July 2021

LBC – Shelagh Fogarty
Rachel Horman-Brown appears on LBC, talking to Shelagh Fogarty – 16th March 2021

ITV Tonight – Tech Abuse
Rachel Horman-Brown appears on ITV Tonight 9th January 2020

Channel 4 – Stalking
Rachel Horman-Brown speaking on Channel 4 News feature 29th April 2019 discussing the case of stalking victim Justene Reece and the report of the Independent Office for Police Conduct in to the circumstances which led her to take her own life as a result of the stalking and harassment she suffered.
To view all of Rachel’s TV appearences please visit her website where you can find a comprehensive playlist.
Radio and Print
Rachel is also often asked to speak on local and national radio
You can also listen to Rachel’s radio interviews and panel discussions on her podcast feed here or via her podcast on iTunes
LISTEN: Apple PodcastsRachel is also regularly interviewed by local, regional and national press, providing expert insight into issues regarding Coercive Control and Stalking
Read ON Rachel's Blog
Additional Links
- The Independent, 6th December 2022 – Calls for domestic abuse register to stop ‘chilling’ numbers of women killed by partners
- Wigan Today, 9th November 2022 – Campaigning lawyer says victim of Wigan stalker has been ‘let down by the criminal justice system’
- Eastern Daily Press, 3rd February 2022 – Stalking and harassment now as common as theft in Norfolk
- Daily Mirror, 20th March 2021 – Victims can ban abusers from pub in memory of carer murdered by brutal husband
- iNews, 19th March 2021 – GPS tags: Kit Malthouse suggests ‘enormous potential’ for use with stalkers in bid to protect women
- 16th February 2019 – Daily Mail – Daily Mail – Caught in the Tinder trap: How rapists, blackmailers and thieves target victims on the UK’s most popular dating app with no checks to stop them
- 21st January 2019 – North Yorks Police – North Yorkshire Police – North Yorkshire Police launch ‘No matter how small’ stalking campaign
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18th January 2019 – Yorkshire Post – Yorkshire Post – This is how many reports of stalking and harassment North Yorkshire Police had in 2018
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12th January 2019 – UNLAD – UNILAD – Joe Goldberg In You Isn’t Romantic, He’s A Murderer
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8th January 2019 – The Lancaster & Morecambe Citizen – The Lancaster & Morecambe Citizen – Lawyer: ‘Victims of forced marriage held to ransom’
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8th January 2019 – The Telegraph – *Paywall* – Felicity Kendal’s acceptance of stalking is like telling actors to accept Harvey Weinstein
- 7th January 2019 – The Independent – The Independent – Felicity Kendal criticised for telling female celebrities that stalking ‘comes with the territory’
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4th January 2019 – Blackpool Gazette – Blackpool Gazette – Is it time to get tougher on the ‘Peeping Tom’?
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7th September 2017 – Buzzfeed News – Buzzfeed News – This Is What It’s Like When A Court Tells Your Abusive Ex-Partner Where You Live
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5th September 2017 – Lancashire Telegraph – Lancashire Telegraph – Man who drugged and raped woman jailed for LIFE
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19th July 2016 – Lancashire Evening Post – Lancashire Evening Post – Campaigners hit out as ‘oldest stalker’ lands in dock for second time
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16th June 2016 – Daily Mirror – Daily Mirror – Farmer caught selling fake ‘free range eggs’ gets longer prison sentence than SEX ATTACKER
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1st June 2016 – Blackpool Gazette – Blackpool Gazette – Stalking figures ‘hide true scale of problem’
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21st January 2015 – Northern Echo – Northern Echo – Campaigners enlist lawyer to pursue harassment claims
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2nd December 2014 – International Business Times – International Business Times – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: Why we need to end child marriage
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29th March 2014 – The Guardian – The Guardian – Legal aid cuts leave family courts in chaos, experts say
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5th March 2014 – Sky News – Sky News – NHS Staff Should Be Trained To Spot Abuse
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19th October 2013 – Channel 4 News – Britain’s courts ‘endanger’ domestic violence victims – Channel 4 News
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27th September 2013 – Lancashire Telegraph – Lancashire Telegraph – Criticising Domestic Violence Sentencing
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11th March 2013 – Lancashire Telegraph – Lancashire Telegraph – criticism of Vicky Pryce sexist defence
- 18th January 2013 – Manchester Evening News – Manchester Evening News – Forced marriage article
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Resolution – Resolution – legal aid lawyer of the year award
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19th December 2012 – BBC News – BBC News – domestic abuse – expert opinions
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29th November 2012 – Jewish Women International – Jewish Women International – change to definition of domestic abuse
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10th October 2012 – The Cellar – Justin Lee Collins and domestic abuse – The Cellar
- 9th October 2012 – Newssniffer – Newssniffer – Justin Lee Collins – domestic abuse case
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9th October 2012 – Live journal – Justin Lee Collins trial – Justin Lee Collins: Trial highlights ‘invisible’ abuse
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20th September 2012 – Chorley Citizen – Teenagers and Domestic Violence
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19th September 2012 – BBC News – BBC News – Today Programme – Domestic violence ‘still not taken seriously’
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19th September 2012 – The Daily Strength – The Daily Strength – Change in Definition of Domestic Violence
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The Women’s Room – The Womens Room – why it is time for a criminal offence of domestic abuse
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13th June 2012 – The Law Gazette – The Law Gazette – legal aid lawyer of the year award
- 14th June 2012 – Legal Voice – Legal Voice – the legal aid lawyer of the year award
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13th June 2012 – New Law Journal – New Law Journal – legal aid lawyer of the year award
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13th June 2012 – The Guardian – Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards
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12th November 2008 – Blackburn Citizen – Blackburn Citizen – DV Sentencing – Accrington thug is ‘danger to women’
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8th October 2008 – Chorley Citizen – Chorley Citizen – difficulties faced by female bosses
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15th April 2007 – The Mirror – The Mirror – Coronation Street – Tracy Barlow domestic violence story line
- 16th June 2003 – Lancs Live – Domestic Abuse – Victims urged to speak out