There was a high level of anticipation for the introduction of ‘no fault’ divorce in April 2022. Coined as ‘ending the blame game’, it was considered by many as not only an obvious and necessary reform, but also substantially overdue given the ‘no fault’ divorce landscape of other jurisdictions. For many practicing in this area, the drafting of ‘unreasonable behaviour’ particulars for the basis of a divorce petition feels like a distant memory. So, what have we seen in practice? How has the removal of assigning fault played out and what are the noticeable implications three years on? Considering statistics following […]

On 2 July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released information about the number of divorces in England and Wales. In 2023 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), there were 102,678 divorces (and dissolutions of Civil Partnerships); of those, the Ministry of Justice tell us that 40,873 financial arrangements were litigated to an outcome through the court, which means that the remainder were sorted out by the parties round the kitchen table, left unaddressed (possible but risky) or through recognised non-court dispute resolution (NCDR). NCDR is, rightly, increasingly popular as it gives the parties greater autonomy in […]

Mila had been dating her boyfriend for a year when she got pregnant. They had been keen to have a child together, but shifting into “nesting mode” gave Mila fresh eyes. Her boyfriend would constantly dodge basic tasks like grocery shopping, she said, telling her he didn’t know “how to do it,” even if she gave him an itemized list. She said she shouldered the cooking and cleaning, even as intense pregnancy symptoms left her sick and depressed. “You know everything, inside and out, about your favorite car. All the things that you truly care about, you know all the […]

If you are in this situation and are concerned about future finances, Jones Myers Partner Nicki Mitchell – a Mediator, Child Inclusive Mediator and Collaborative Family Lawyer – shares insights on the pitfalls to avoid. Be Open and Honest  Not sharing financial information during a relationship can contribute to problems during divorce proceedings. One spouse may have no idea where the budget line is – or even where it should be drawn – and may have unrealistic expectations of what they are entitled to, or what is a realistic and affordable.  One spouse may have hidden savings or income from […]

Every so often, like it or not, financial advisors are pulled into a client’s divorce proceedings. And every so often private equity assets need to be divided during those negotiations. And every so often it gets tricky, even for separating couples with clear prenuptial agreements. Private equity assets can be particularly challenging to divide in a divorce due to two key factors: illiquidity and valuation delays. These investments are typically locked up for two to 10 years, meaning the assets aren’t readily accessible or easily liquidated at the time of divorce. “Private market valuations are often delayed and can fluctuate […]

A sham trust hid significant assets a High Court ruling has found resulting in an award worth £15m being transferred from an ex husband to his wife.  Mario Michael was a prolific property investor and developer in North London who had an interest in over 200 properties. Divorce proceedings against Mr Michael were commenced by his wife, Stalo Michael, in 2022 following a 22 year marriage. The case has been running over the course of three years with a judgement published following the final hearing in May which found the true value of Mr Michael’s interests in his property investment […]

How far should the Competition Appeal Tribunal (‘CAT’) go in shaping its proceedings in a way that makes it affordable for the claimant to pursue its claim?  That was the question at the heart of the CAT’s judgment this week, deciding on case management issues in Yew Freight Trading Limited v Puro Ventures Limited [2025] CAT 46. The proceedings are a claim by a company, Yew Freight, concerning arrangements operated by the defendant, Puro Ventures, relating to the UK-wide promotion and supply of courier services under Puro Ventures’ brand, ‘Speedy Freight’.  Yew Freight is one of a number of ‘franchisees’ […]

There were more than 655m class members of actions in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) at the end of 2024 – equivalent to 10.4 class actions for every person in the country – according to new research. The cumulative value of UK class actions overall increased by 10% to over £134bn last year, although the number of new actions filed fell to 33, from 39 in 2023 and 74 in 2020. Class actions are made up of collective actions in the CAT, representative actions, group litigation orders and omnibus claims forms. For the first time the values of opt-in and […]

Lucy Theobald at The Family Law Company examines a recent high-profile divorce case which has drawn national attention, not only for its eye-watering settlement of over £230 million ($307 million), but for the legal and ethical principles it highlighted. It what appears to be the third-largest divorce award in English legal history, Lucy Theobald (pictured), director at The Family Law Company, examines the case. The editors are pleased to share these insights; the usual editorial disclaimers apply to views of guest writers. To comment, email tom.burroughes@wealthbriefing.com and amanda.cheesley@clearviewpublishing.com The couple in question had been married for 20 years before introducing a post-nuptial agreement […]