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
Chambers HNW, Ranked Individual, 2017 – 2024
Legal 500, Leading Individual, 2018, 2020 – 2024
Chambers UK, Ranked Individual, 2017 – 2020, 2022 – 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
In Family Business United, Partner, William Rollin and Senior Associate, Laura Cullinane reflect on the IHT implications of last Autumn’s Budget and explore the planning opportunity to mitigate IHT and divorce risk in the context of a family business.
Read more 7 min read 10 Mar 2025 The Budget & Inheritance Tax: protecting lifetime gifts from divorce riskFollowing the October 2024 Budget, wealthy families may accelerate the gifting of assets to reduce their inheritance tax (IHT) liabilities. However, this is not without complication. One particular risk is divorce. Could gifted assets be attacked upon divorce? Careful planning can reduce the risk, as Boodle Hatfield and Cazenove Capital explore in a joint article.
Read more 5 min read 26 Feb 2025 Transparency reporting pilot: crystal clear?In the Law Society Gazette, Family Senior Associate, Alexandra Hirst details the drive for transparency in the family court, along with the unintended consequences of having qualifying legal reporters and press in attendance.
Read more 6 min read 17 Feb 2025 The Evolving Dynamics of Family Law: Challenging Traditional Stereotypes & Adapting to Modern RelationshipsFamily law has long been shaped by societal norms and traditions. However, as societal norms evolve, so too does the landscape of marriage, divorce, and parenting. In the TL4 HNW Divorce Magazine, Partner and Mediator, Katie O’Callaghan looks at how, in today’s world, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in these dynamics, one that calls into question the legal frameworks that govern family life.
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