International families
It is complicated enough to separate or divorce when you only have to think about UK family law. Add an international aspect to your divorce or family law issues and things just get that bit more complex.
International expertise
Our expert family law solicitors, led by partners Louise Halford and Robin Charrot, understand the specialist family law legal advice you need and have a wealth of international family law expertise.
Louise Halford is a specialist children law solicitor with substantial experience of parental overseas child abduction cases, international relocation applications and international surrogacy arrangements.
Robin Charrot is an expert divorce settlement solicitor with an interest in international family law through having worked at a leading offshore law firm. He regularly advises on cases with international or offshore elements, trusts and prenuptial agreements with multiple jurisdiction or international aspects. Robin is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, a leading organization of family lawyers.
Protecting you
Whether you need international family law advice over your children or the financial aspects of your relationship breakdown, our expert family law solicitors are here to protect your family and your financial interests.
International Family Law Solicitors – Your Questions answered
What is international family law?
International family law is a specific area of law that deals with cross border family law issues. There are numerous examples of cross border international family law issues, such as:
- Choice of the country in which to start divorce proceedings or dissolution of civil partnership proceedings
- Recognition of an overseas marriage or civil partnership in the UK
- Child abduction – either from the UK or moving to the UK from overseas without the necessary parental consent or Court Order, including Hague Convention cases. If you’re interested in finding out more on this issue, read our blog: ‘Child abduction: Why it pays to get legal advice before you take children to or out of the UK’
- Child relocation Orders so you can move overseas to live with your child after a separation or divorce
- International surrogacy arrangements when your surrogate is based outside the UK
- Enforcement of overseas child custody and contact orders in the UK
- Starting children law proceedings in the UK where you and the child’s other parent are not British citizens but the child is habitually resident in the UK
- Divorce settlements with overseas assets whether it is an off-shore trust, ski chalet, holiday home, yacht or difficult to trace investments
- Enforcing UK financial court Orders overseas to implement divorce settlements
- Prenuptial agreements or postnuptial agreements where due to international connections there may be a choice of jurisdictions relevant to any separation or divorce and a need for mirror agreements.
How does international family law work?
No international family law solicitor knows the law in every other potential jurisdiction. After all, it is difficult enough with keeping up with changes in UK family law, let alone professing to be an expert in family law in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Bolivia or Bulgaria, to name just a few countries. However, international family lawyers are trained to spot the international family law aspects and complexities and work with other international family lawyers in relevant countries or other relevant professionals, such as immigration lawyers or trustees of offshore trusts or the directors of Family Investment Companies.
