Resolving financial issues in divorce can be contentious, even in straightforward scenarios.  However, that can be exacerbated for professionals where complex income arrangements, partnership structures and bonus or incentive plans may be involved.

Our Professional Practices Group has extensive experience acting for high net worth professionals with valuable assets in the legal, financial services, accountancy and medical sectors.

Through the creative use of arbitration, mediation and collaborative law and, if required, the court process, the team is able to navigate the most complex of issues in a way that is cost-effective and proportionate to your financial circumstances, frequently resulting in financial settlement through a consent order.

The Professional Practices Group has particular expertise in acting for high net worth professionals or their spouses in cases involving:

• Self-employed income structures (including profit share, capital accounts and deferred income)
• Complex partnership structures
• Bonus and incentive arrangements (including long-term incentive plans (LTIPs), share incentive plans (SIPs) and share options).
• Valuable pensions (including final salary and public sector pension arrangements)
• “Income-rich but asset-poor” scenarios
• Non-matrimonial assets and the possibility of ringfencing
• Ongoing spousal maintenance, including consideration of the quantum and duration of any periodical payments
• The use of capital to supplement income and meet “needs”
• The interplay between the Child Maintenance Service and court-based child maintenance awards
• Variation and/or enforcement of existing orders
• Financial provision for children, including school fees orders

In conjunction with our Children Team, we can also resolve arrangements for children for our professional clients.