This year’s Spear’s Family Law Index lists thirteen of our Divorce and Family lawyers in London and Leeds as leading practitioners. Spear’s has consistently recommended more family lawyers from Stewarts than any other firm.

Head of Department Stephen Foster and fellow partners Debbie Chism and Emma Hatley are again included in the Top Flight. A record seven of our partners are Top Recommended in 2025: Head of Divorce Leeds Adrian Clossick, Richard Hogwood, Carly Kinch, Sophie Chapman, Sam Longworth, Matthew Humphries and Lucy Stewart-Gould (Spear’s also lists Lucy among the ‘best names to know’ in the market). Toby Atkinson, Lisette Dupré and Ellie Hampson-Jones are also Recommended lawyers.

Spear’s says: “The best family lawyers provide close support to their clients at every stage of a separation or divorce and combine legal knowhow with an emotional understanding of a client’s situation… Whatever road a client chooses to take, the Spear’s index is an indispensable guide for HNWs and UHNWs in search of legal advice in the UK and beyond.”

This year’s guide also recognises the significance of Standish v Standish, where Stewarts acts for the husband in “the first major Supreme Court consideration of marital asset allocation in nearly two decades.” In the Court of Appeal, Sam Longworth and Lucy Stewart-Gould along with associate Fiona Porter “successfully argued that the majority of the couple’s shared wealth had been generated by Mr Standish prior to marriage”.

“The high-profile divorce case could have a major impact on how pre-marital wealth and intra-spousal transfers are treated in divorce settlements,” Spear’s acknowledges based on conversations with its network of family lawyers “who await the outcome with bated breath.” Lucy wrote on the significance of Standish v Standish for Spear’s in June 2024.

The Supreme Court heard the latest instance in Standish v Standish in May 2025, with judgment now pending. You can read more about the case here.

Top Flight Family Lawyers

“Described by industry observers as commercially brilliant and tactically astute”, Head of Divorce and Family Stephen Foster is recognised for his work on HNW international and complex finance proceedings. Spear’s highlights his role in shaping the Stewarts team into a market leader on disputes “ranging from up-and-coming City professionals to some of the largest cases before the English Court”.

Debbie Chism is “known not only for winning fierce court battles, but also for devising creative out-of-court methods to settle complex disputes.” Credited with a “formidable reputation for working on complex issues that arise from divorce”, she also has an active role in organisations including Resolution, the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Emma Hatley is acknowledged as a specialist in complex High Court cases, and Spear’s reports her career has “continued to climb to new heights” following her Spear’s Family Lawyer of the Year Award win. A fellow practitioner says Emma is “the essence of what HNW clients want and need in a family lawyer: highly intelligent, industrious, fast, constructive … [with] no sitting on the fence or waffle”.

Top Recommended Family Lawyers

Head of Divorce and Family Leeds Adrian Clossick has a reputation “developed in the Northern market” and regularly advises HNWs based in the North, but also acts on cases involving international jurisdictions and overseas trusts assets. Spear’s notes that he is head of the firm’s professional practices group, “a recognition of his expertise in acting for divorcing HNW couples in the legal, financial services, accountancy and medical sectors.”

Sam Longworth “knows the importance of moving quickly on complex divorce cases”. His work on Standish v Standish, which Spear’s notes “could shape up to be the biggest marital test for two decades”, is cited in his listing along with his expertise in pre- and postnuptial agreements.

Also acting on Standish v Standish, Lucy Stewart-Gould rises to the Top Recommended section this year. Her cases “typically involve multi-jurisdictional elements” and she “regularly acts for well-known figures in entertainment and sport”. Lucy is highlighted in particular for working on media interest cases.

Richard Hogwood “is always sensitive to the human aspect” of family law proceedings and Spear’s says he “gets tangible results, both financially and personally, for his clients”. He is recognised in particular for international matters acting for “clients of all backgrounds and from all around the world”.

Financial and children specialist Sophie Chapman “specialises in the complex financial issues that often arise from relationship breakdowns; much of her practice is international and high value”. The 2025 Family Law Index acknowledges her work for a varied client base on the “full scope of family law matters”.

Carly Kinch likewise “has a diverse HNW client base”, tackling her cases “many of which involve high-value assets, with a detail-oriented, ‘no stone unturned’ attitude and a ‘results-focused’ mindset.”

Matthew Humphries is Top Recommended in the 2025 Index. “I am known for my attention to detail, which ensures that nothing – no matter how small – is overlooked,” he tells Spear’s. “‘Combined with my strategic approach to litigation, this ensures I obtain the best possible results.”

Recommended Family Lawyers

Lisette Dupré is also an expert in international matters, Recommended by Spear’s in particular for cross-border cases. She is credited as a “highly competent and knowledgeable specialist” who “regularly advises on prenuptial agreements and complex disputes involving international families”.

Fellow partner Toby Atkinson “describes his current practice as reliably international”. He recognises that “most clients want the same thing – to reach settlement quickly, efficiently and without acrimony.”

Senior Associate Ellie-Hampson Jones is again listed, in part for her work on multi-jurisdictional family law proceedings. In the midst of the “varied and high-tempo cases that Stewarts is known for,” she says that “the aim is to always help clients look forward to a brighter future.”

The full list of lawyers within the Family Law Index can be accessed on the Spear’s website.

You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Divorce and Family page.

If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.

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