Winner of the Future Leader in Private Client Services at the 2025 Spears Awards, Luke is also ranked in The Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025 as a “Rising Star”.
The Index notes that Luke “has worked with Baroness Shackleton on a number of big-money cases, the most significant of which was the high-profile divorce between Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.”
In recent years, Luke has been consistently recommended by The Legal 500 UK as a “Key Lawyer”, commenting that he is a “very effective and well informed lawyer” and “intelligent, strategic, and hard working” – alongside being “charming and a good communicator”. Luke has acted in recent notable cases such as OO v QQ [2025], YE v ZY [2024], HO v TL [2023, and AS v CS [2021].
Luke’s work represents the full spectrum of family law work: divorce, finances, children, relocation, cohabitation issues, and nuptial agreements. There are often international elements to his caseload – particularly in relation to offshore trusts.
Luke writes widely on his work, and has been published in the New Law Journal. His articles touch on family businesses, parental alienation, the treatment of trusts on divorce, the loss of mental capacity and prenuptial agreements.
In terms of education, Luke read Theology at Durham University, before attending law school in London and training at Payne Hicks Beach in 2015. He qualified into the Family Department in 2017, and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2023.
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Spear’s Awards 2025: Luke won the Future Leader in Private Client Services Award at Spear’s Awards 2025.
The Legal 500 UK 2026: Luke is ranked as a ‘Recommended Key Lawyer’ for both Family: Children and Family: Divorce and Financial Remedy. Testimonials include: “Luke Scarratt is definitely a name to watch for the future. He is a very effective and well-informed lawyer” and “Luke Scarratt is charming and a good communicator.”
Spears Family Lawyers Index 2025: Luke is listed as a “Rising Star” with a focus on children arrangements. Spear’s writes
“For Luke Scarratt, the doors to family law were opened by the esteemed Baroness Fiona Shackleton. ‘I started at Payne Hicks Beach as a trainee and was really lucky to be asked by Fiona to have a place in her team,’ he tells Spear’s. The amiable lawyer has since worked with Baroness Shackleton on a number of big-money cases, the most significant of which was the high-profile divorce between Princess Haya and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. ‘One of the things I love about family law is that suddenly you have to become well versed on a very idiosyncratic thing,’ he recalls, referring to the complex hacking allegations that came to the fore during the case. ‘I was asked to be on the case when I was just an associate, so it was valuable having a front-row seat.’ Scarratt acknowledges that Payne Hicks Beach’s reach and capabilities have allowed him to work with a diverse set of HNWs. ‘It’s interesting to hear human stories from all sorts of people who lead slightly weird and wonderful lives.’”
The Legal 500 UK 2025: Luke is ranked as a “Recommended Key Lawyer” in the category of Family Law.
The Legal 500 UK 2024: Luke recommended as a “Key Lawyer” .
The Legal 500 UK 2023: Luke is recognised as a “Key Lawyer” and as “young and keen and one to watch“.
The Legal 500 UK 2022: Luke is ranked as a recommended lawyer with the directory writing that “Luke Scarratt is a junior well worth a mention. He is intelligent, strategic and hard working. Definitely a name for the future.”
Recent Insights
October 02, 2025
We are proud to announce that Payne Hicks Beach has once again been recognised for excellence in T...
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What is a Prenup Agreement? Why More Wealthy Couples Are Saying “I Do” to Prenups – Even Taylor Swift Might Be Considering One
August 29, 2025
Luke Scarratt, family law expert, explores the rise of prenuptial agreements – once considered...
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OO v QQ [2025] EWFC 310 (B)
YE v ZY [2024] EWFC 293 (B)
HO v TL [2023] EWFC 215 (Finances)
AS v CS (Private FDR) [2021] EWFC 34
His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum v Her Royal Highness Princess Haya:
The Legal Services Order [2021] EWHC 303;
Court of Appeal Foreign Act of State Judgment [2021] EWCA Civ 129;
Re Al M – Approved judgment [2021] EWHC 915;
The Immunities Judgment [2021] EWHC 660;
The Fact Finding Judgment – Hacking [2021] EWHC 1162;
The Court of Appeal Immunities (permission to appeal) Judgment [2021] EWCA Civ 890;
The Lives With judgment [2021] EWHC 1577;
The Court of Appeal Fact Finding (permission to appeal) Judgment [2021] EWCA Civ 900;
The Court of Appeal Fact Finding Judgment [2021] EWCA Civ 1216;
The Non-Molestation Judgment [2021] EWHC 3305;
The Foreign Act of State Judgment [2020] EWHC 2883;
Publication judgment [2020] EWHC 122;
Assurances and Waiver judgment [2020] EWHC 67;
Publication – Appeal [2020] EWCA Civ 283;
Fact finding judgment [2019] EWHC 3415.
Hammoud v Al Zawawi:
Hammoud v Al Zawawi [2019] EWHC 697 (Application for Committal to Prison); and
Hammoud v Al Zawawi [2019] EWHC 839 (Finances).
LKH v TQA AL Z [2018] EWHC 2436 (Fam) (Pound for Pound Orders).
Payne Hicks Beach secures Top Tier Rankings in The Legal 500 UK 2026
October 02, 2025
We are proud to announce that Payne Hicks Beach has once again been recognised for excellence in T...
Read more
What is a Prenup Agreement? Why More Wealthy Couples Are Saying “I Do” to Prenups – Even Taylor Swift Might Be Considering One
August 29, 2025
Luke Scarratt, family law expert, explores the rise of prenuptial agreements – once considered...
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Spear’s Family Law Survey 2025: Experts identify core trends- Luke Scarratt for Spear’s Magazine
June 27, 2025
Spear’s ‘Rising Star’ Luke Scarratt, Senior Associate from the Payne Hicks Beach F...
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Payne Hicks Beach Family Team ranked in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025
June 25, 2025
The latest edition of the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index has been published and we are delighted to ...
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Litigating Responsibly: Costs in Children Proceedings – TL4HNW Divorce Magazine
February 19, 2025
Ben Parry Smith and Luke Scarratt have had their article ‘Litigating Responsibly-Costs in Childre...
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What does a modern relationship look like and what changes may the new government bring about?
September 30, 2024
Luke Scarratt, Senior associate in the Family Department, discusses the evolving nature of modern re...
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A Trustee’s Guide to Divorce
September 18, 2024
An essential guide for trustees seeking to future-proof against or navigate through divorce.
Click h...
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Launch of the Mental Health & Family Breakdown initiative to support and protect vulnerable clients
March 20, 2024
Last night dozens of family lawyers representing a wide range of firms and chambers met at the launc...
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Prenups – the myths, the reality, and how to have that conversation
February 15, 2024
Family law expert Luke Scarratt gives an overview and insights into why they are valuable and how co...
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Your family business: the goose that lays the golden eggs
November 24, 2023
When entrepreneurs and business owners divorce, what happens to the family business? To end our cel...
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