Areas of Practice
Track Record
Acting with Katie Male for the wife in the case of KA v MA (prenuptial agreement: needs) [2018] EWHC 499 (Fam), [2018] All ER (D) 92 (Apr) concerning the extent to which a court should uphold the terms of a pre-nuptial agreement which the wife sought to disregard. Taking into account all of the circumstances of the case the court largely overturned the pre-nuptial agreement, on the basis that it failed to meet the wife’s reasonable needs, and provided the wife with an award of £2.73 million, well in excess of the provision in the pre-nuptial agreement
Acting for the HNW fund manager husband in his financial remedy proceedings following his divorce (B v B (2013) EWHC 1232 (Fam)in a two week trial in the High Court, which is now the lead authority on how valuable private equity funds are to be treated in HNW financial remedy proceedings following a divorce
Acting for Mr Don Gallagher, a male civil partner in the case of Lawrence v Gallagher [2012] EWCA Civ 394 which was the first civil partnership financial relief case to reach the High Court and subsequently the Court of Appeal. The case was widely reported in the media, being the first of its kind
Awards & Rankings
Legal 500, Leading Partner, 2025 & 2026
Chambers UK, Ranked Individual, 2017 – 2020, 2022 – 2026
Chambers HNW, Ranked Individual, 2017 – 2025
Legal 500, Leading Individual, 2018, 2020 – 2024
Tatler HNW Address Book 2020 – 2023, Specialist in Family Law and Founding Partner
Education & Qualification
University of Nottingham
Qualified as a solicitor in 1983
Recommended by James
With prenuptial agreements becoming increasingly popular among a wider range of couples, conversations about financial transparency and future planning are moving further into the mainstream. Property appreciation, later marriages and intergenerational wealth transfers are all contributing to growing demand, with many couples’ seeking clarity over how assets, debts and other financial matters would be treated in the event of a separation.
Read more 2 min read 04 Jun 2026 Clare Stirzaker, Emily Brand and Nicola Bushby to speak at TL4 HNW Private Client Advisory and Litigation ForumNext week in Versailles, Partners, Clare Stirzaker, Emily Brand and Nicola Bushby will be speaking at the TL4 HNW Private Client Advisory and Litigation Forum on 10–12 June. For its 3rd annual conference, Clare will join a panel discussion titled ‘The Global Race for Philanthropic Capital’ alongside Ed Powles and Joe Crome. Emily and Nicola will be joined by fellow speaker and host Rupert Ticehurst to discuss the panel ‘Stepmoms – Why do they have a bad reputation, and is conflict with children from a first marriage inevitable?’
Read more 4 min read 30 Mar 2026 How the 2026 carried interest reforms are reshaping tax, relocation, and matrimonial riskWith carried interest soon to fall fully under the trading income regime, private equity leaders face a very different strategic planning environment. In FT Adviser, Partners, Emily Brand, Rahul Thakrar and Dom Rothbarth outline how the revised rules interact with continuation vehicles, matrimonial planning, tax structuring and forward looking carry planning.
Read more 2 min read 13 Mar 2026 Advising the new generation of women leading wealth decisionsIn IFA Magazine, Partner and Head of Family, Emily Brand reflects on the shifting role of women within the HNW landscape. She outlines how women are increasingly shaping decisions around wealth transfer and protection, and considers the opportunities this creates for advisers responding to the evolving priorities of female clients.
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