When family relationships encounter challenges, navigating through these situations demands both empathy and practical guidance to achieve resolution. At Spencer West, our team of leading family lawyers offers pragmatic, commercial, supportive, and caring advice. As experts in family law with substantial technical proficiency, we strive to provide decisive counsel at every stage, taking into account the complexities of family finances and strategic goals. From high-net-worth cases with international and offshore assets to disputes over the jurisdiction of English Courts, we handle cases of all sizes and complexities. 

Driven by a commitment to cost-effective solutions, our team explores alternative dispute resolution methods whenever possible. We are equally adept in court processes, prepared to litigate when necessary to secure the right result for you. Our expertise extends to pre-and post-nuptial agreements, living together agreements, and disputes between cohabitees, all handled with sensitivity and discretion. 

We aim to offer realistic and clear advice, enabling informed decisions early in your case to avoid pursuing unrealistic goals and unnecessary litigation. 

What we advise on
  • Arbitration  
  • Child abduction and relocation  
  • Child arrangements  
  • Cohabitation and living agreements  
  • Collaborative law  
  • Divorce & Finances  
  • Enforcement  
  • Financial settlement  
  • High net worth cases  
  • International cases  
  • Jurisdictional determination  
  • Mediation & Alternative Dispute Resolution  
  • Non-married couples  
  • Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements  
  • Surrogacy  
Who we work with
  • Individuals facing divorce or separation  
  • Parents and other family members seeking child arrangements  
  • Individuals involved in cohabitation disputes  
  • Mediators  
  • Family consultants and therapists  
  • Expats and multi-national couples  
  • High asset individuals  
  • Specialist advisors such as in cases involving addiction or abuse 
Specialist Expertise

Our team specialises in cases involving children, enforcement proceedings, financial applications, and international, expat, and multinational clients. Collaborating with experts in real estate, immigration, tax, and private client services, we offer a comprehensive service tailored to your unique needs. 

– CHILDREN ARRANGEMENTS  

Our family law team provides discreet, child-focused advice, tailored to the unique needs of each family. We work collaboratively with mediators, family consultants, therapists, and lawyers, promoting an amicable approach to reaching agreements between parents. Whether through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or court processes, we aim to help separated couples find the best outcomes for their children. 

We handle complex situations involving drug or alcohol addiction, mental health issues, and allegations of domestic abuse, recommending specialists when needed. Our team also assists in emergencies, such as situations where a parent fears for their safety or child abduction. 

The Spencer West family team focuses on private law cases and does not handle public law children work. 

We offer expert advice for: 

  • Drafting parenting plans 
  • Child arrangements, including contact and living arrangements 
  • Cases involving mental health difficulties or addiction 
  • Domestic and international relocation, including child abduction 
  • Disputes between parents or carers regarding schooling, medical treatment, etc. 
  • Care of a child by grandparents or other individuals 
  • Enforcement of orders 
  • Alternative dispute resolution methods 

– ENFORCEMENT  

Our team assists when a party fails to comply with a Court Order, providing guidance on enforcement proceedings related to money, children, or specific actions. 

– FINANCIAL  

We are highly experienced in handling various financial applications, including high asset cases with an international element. 

– INTERNATIONAL/EXPAT INTERNATIONAL/MULTI-NATIONAL  

Our respected team advises couples and parents with a connection to England and Wales who reside overseas or plan to move abroad. Collaborating with family lawyers worldwide, we offer comprehensive advice on a range of family law matters involving expats and multi-national couples, from living together to separating and divorcing. 

Meet our team

Golnar Bokaei
Partner - Real Estate & Dispute Resolution
Valerie Cooper
Partner - Family Law
Ursula Danagher
Partner - International Family
Richard Gilbert
Partner - Family, Contested Trust & Probate
Hanne Mällinen-Scott
Partner – Family Law
Angela Kwokori
Partner - Family
Diane Liston
Partner - Family, Private Client and Litigation
Katherine Muldoon FCIArb
Partner - Private Client
Georgia Neblett
Associate Solicitor – Family Law
Jeetesh Patel
Partner - Family Law
David Rose
Partner – Family, Commercial Dispute Resolution
Venisha Shah
Partner – Family Law
Andrew Smith
Partner - Family Law