Stewarts has had six lawyers listed in the Spear’s Family Law Index 2019, including more lawyers in the top flight than any other firm.
This year, 66 lawyers made the list, which included US lawyers for the first time. There were 15 lawyers listed in the ‘Top Flight’ category, three of whom are at Stewarts.
Stephen Foster is described as having put together “a remarkable rugby team”, as head of the Divorce and Family team at Stewarts. Stephen told Spear’s that the past 12 months have been the busiest in the department’s history. The department has particular expertise in dealing with international cases straddling various jurisdictions. France, Switzerland and Luxembourg have been particularly prominent, with the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine also significant. Click here to view Stephen’s full profile.
Debbie Chism is described as having a “dizzying 2018”, having acted for “European royalty, pop stars and dynastic family wealth and overnight billions in the tech sector”. Amongst her notable successes was an anonymised case in which she acted for the wife who received one of the highest recorded English divorce awards. “The case dealt with issues of special contribution, privacy and whether foreign marital contracts should be treated as prenuptial agreements”, Debbie told Spear’s. Click here to view Debbie’s full profile.
Emma Hatley, Spear’s Family Lawyer of 2017 has had a busy year, being involved in “several complex cases, involving some of the most difficult and contentious issues to come across the desk of a family lawyer”. Spear’s reports that Emma has handled all of her cases “with characteristic grace and pragmatism”. Known for her discretion, Emma is described by a former peer in the Spear’s 500 2019 directory as ‘the essence of what HNW clients want and need in a family lawyer…highly intelligent, industrious, fast, constructive…’ Click here to view Emma’s full profile.
Helen Ward is “long recognised as one of the top five individuals practicing in the field”, and this year has acted in the complex jurisdictional case of Mantegazza v Mantegazza. Indeed, Lewis Marks QC rates Helen as “not merely one of the best, but the best family lawyer in London”. Spear’s praises Helen for her “high level of intellectual rigor, expertise and emotional intelligence”. Click here to view Helen’s full profile.
Sam Longworth is described as having had an “exceptional year, with victories in court including the Court of Appeal, a variety of instructions from, clients old and new, some excellent settlements and a very high asset case worth billions”. Click here to view Sam’s full profile.
Carly Kinch is a new arrival on to the list, and has “earned the admiration of high profile family lawyer, Fiona Shackleton”. She has gone from paralegal to partner in her 12 years at Stewarts. Her clients have included a telecoms pioneer, the wife of a billionaire diamond merchant, and a family with assets in excess of $3bn. Click here to view Carly’s full profile.
Click here to view the full Spear’s Family Law Index.
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