Who? Natalie Gamble, 30-year-old private client associate at Lester Aldridge in Bournemouth.


Why is she in the news? She has advised Andy Bathie, the sperm donor who helped a lesbian couple have two children and is being pursued by the Child Support Agency (CSA) for maintenance. Mr Bathie made a private arrangement five years ago to help Sharon and Terri Arnold to have a family, but after the couple split up the CSA contacted him to request payments for the children and ordered him to take a paternity test.



Currently, only men who donate sperm through licensed fertility clinics do not become the legal father of any children conceived; private sperm donors remain financially responsible for their offspring. Proposed legislation would give equal parenting rights and financial responsibilities to both members of same-sex couples in civil partnerships. Mr Bathie is seeking a retrospective change in the law that would transfer parental responsibility to Sharon Arnold, the non-biological mother in the lesbian relationship, and stop him being recognised as the children's legal father.



Background: Modern history and politics degree at Southampton University, followed by law school at Bourne-mouth University. She trained at Lester Aldridge and qualified in 2003.



Route to the case: 'Having built up a specialism in fertility work and advising same-sex couples, I have been on the radio recently commenting on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, and so Mr Bathie contacted me for advice.'



Thoughts on the case: 'This is a classic example of how the law has struggled to keep up with modern family situations that are completely unprecedented... At the moment, the non-biological parent in a same-sex relationship has no legal responsibility for the children's upbringing. The proposed new legislation... would mean that Mr Bathie's right and responsibilities as a father would pass to the non-biological mother.'



Dealing with the media: 'Dealing with the media has been a new experience for me. I've been interviewed on the radio about the Bill and quoted in national papers on this case. It has been very exciting. I've been building this area of practice over the last few years and it's nice to be recognised as a specialist in this area. Media reaction has been mixed on these issues, but I think society recognises that times are changing, the law needs to keep up, and debate is essential.'



Catherine Baksi