Case Study – Financial Proceedings

We represented a client who came out of a relatively short coercive and controlling marriage.  She was frightened of her husband and frightened of making an application for a divorce.  She came to see us for legal advice and with our assistance she felt confident to issue proceedings. A full and frank financial disclosure was made by both parties which involved instructing various joint experts to provide valuations of property, business, and pensions. It determined that the husband had a very high net worth, and our client argued that she had been contributing to the businesses throughout their marriage. Initially, the husband offered the wife a very low lump sum and she was thinking of accepting but realizing that it would not meet her housing needs she declined the offer, further offers were made on both sides, but the parties could not agree.  

The matter continued to Court and Kings Counsel was instructed for a final hearing. Five minutes before the final hearing was called into Court, the husband accepted the wife’s offer of over a million, which was considerably higher than the initial £100,000 offered.  Overall, this was a very satisfactory result for the wife because the marriage was relatively short with no financial contribution from the wife. However, her needs were such that the lump sum was finally deemed appropriate by the husband’s Counsel and, of course, the wife also argued that she had made significant contributions during the marriage, other than by way of financial matters.

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