Robert is a Managing Associate in the Family team. He specialises in all aspects of family law, and particularly cases involving contentious or strategic planning elements.
He is a trusted advisor to his clients and he represents a variety of domestic and international clients, including homemakers, sportspersons, family offices, trust corporations, entrepreneurs, City professionals and their partners. He has particular expertise in advising HNW and UHNW clients, often in connection with complex financial disputes, including those with significant disclosure issues or involving international dimensions and complex trust, business and other intricate structures.
Robert also advises on cohabitation disputes and private law children matters, including applications for leave to remove children from the jurisdiction.
Robert is a founder member of the Family Law Agreements Group (FLAG), a group set up by solicitors from a range of family law practices to provide a client focussed approach to the drafting and negotiation of nuptial, separation and cohabitation agreements. Both via this group, and otherwise, Robert frequently negotiates marital or cohabitation agreements for domestic and international couples with assets in the UK and overseas.
In November 2017, Robert won the Gold Award in the Family Lawyer of the Year - Associate category at the Citywealth Future Leader Awards. He also features in the Citywealth Leader's List.
Robert is a founder member of the Private Client Advisors Network (PCAN), a networking group for professionals working in the HNW and UHNW private client space, and a member of Resolution, an organisation which believes in a constructive, non-confrontational approach to family law matters and campaigns for improvements to the family justice system.
Robert regularly supports the Social Mobility Business Partnership, a charitable organisation which is dedicated to broadening access to the legal and accountancy professions for secondary state school students from low income backgrounds.
Key Experience
- Drafting and advising on the enforcement of pre/post nuptial, cohabitation and civil-partnership agreements, including agreements where assets are located in England and other jurisdictions, such as Brazil, China, France, Hong Kong, Ireland and the USA;
- Advising on jurisdiction disputes, including disputes between England and India / the US / Sweden;
- Assisting with disclosure issues and obtaining disclosure orders against third parties, including trustees and registered agents in offshore jurisdictions, and joining third parties to proceedings within the context of financial remedy proceedings;
- Defending financial claims in England following an overseas divorce (and advising upon resultant confidentiality and publicity issues);
- Recovering chattels and belongings following the breakdown of relationships;
- Advising on issues arising out of the administration of a trust established under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989;
- Representing clients in complex disputes regarding children, including disputes about paternity, change of schools, internal and external relocations and child care arrangements;
- Obtaining a declaration of parentage in circumstances where the father was deceased.
Career History
Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya
Associate, Manches LLP
Associate, Penningtons Manches LLP
University of Exeter, History
College of Law, Law