Nick Manners

Nick is ranked as “Top Recommended” in The Spear’s 500 2026 and the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2025 with a focus on financial remedy and child law.

‘In our world [of family law], you have to be available, empathetic and energetic,’ Nick Manners, head of the family department at Payne Hicks Beach, tells Spear’s. ‘You have to make quick decisions and think on your feet.’ Manners has spent the past decade climbing the ranks at the firm, working closely with the legendary Baroness Shackleton throughout his career. He has been involved in many of the firm’s most notable family law cases, including the Princess Haya vs Sheikh Maktoum divorce case, Appleton & Gallagher v News Group Newspaper and PA [2015], Ciccone v Ritchie [2016], Barclay v Barclay [2021] and Potanin v Potanina [2023]. On the latter, he says that it was a ‘real career highlight’ to take a case ‘from the first phone call all the way through to the Supreme Court’.

Nick is listed as “Recommended ”in Doyle’s Leading Family & Divorce Lawyers – London 2026. He is recognised as a leading London Family & Divorce Lawyer practising within the areas of family, divorce and matrimonial law matters in the London legal market and is identified by his peers for his expertise and abilities in these areas.

Nick is listed as “Recommended” in Doyle’s Leading High Net Worth Family Lawyers – London 2026. He is recognised as a top ranked London High Net Worth Family Lawyer practising within the areas of family, divorce and matrimonial law matters in the London legal market and has been identified by his peers for his expertise and abilities in matters relating to high net worth families/individuals and the financial aspects of the marriage breakdown.

Nick is ranked The Legal 500 UK 2026 as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ for both Family: Children and Family: Divorce and Financial Remedy. The directory write that “Manners handles complex financial matters, with expertise in those with an Islamic law dimension” and “Payne Hicks Beach LLP’s children practice is headed by the ‘supremely intelligent’ Nick Manners, whose work spans leave to remove, contested child arrangements, and abduction cases, often involving schooling and welfare issues.”

Testimonials include:

• “Nick Manners is excellent as a team leader, bringing real gravitas and confidence to his cases.”
• “Nick Manners is a very assured lawyer who brings a calm confidence to his advice. He immediately captures the trust of clients. He is a very careful thinker and leads his team from the front.”

Nick is ranked in Chambers UK 2026 and Chambers High Net Worth 2025 for Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth. The directory notes that he is regularly instructed by high net worth clients on complex matrimonial finance matters. Testimonials include:

• “Nick Manners is extremely good. He is a level-headed solicitor who exudes confidence, an excellent team player, and very good with counsel and clients.”
• “Nick Manners is hands-on but in a relaxed way. He really instils confidence in clients and has an unflappable, calm approach.”
• “Nick Manners is a good lawyer, a good strategist and very good at keeping control of a team on cases.”

Nick is named as one of the 2025 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential – the definitive rankings of the key players in the UK and global offshore private client practitioner sector.

Nick features as an expert family lawyer in the Tatler Address Book 2025, ‘the definitive guide for high net worth individuals’.

Nick was ranked as “Top Recommended” in The Spear’s 500 2025 with a focus on child law and financial remedy.

“Manners has spent the past decade climbing the ranks at the firm, working closely with the legendary Baroness Shackleton throughout his career. He has been involved in many of the firm’s most notable family law cases, including the Princess Haya vs Sheikh Maktoum divorce case, Appleton & Gallagher v News Group Newspaper and PA [2015], Ciccone v Ritchie [2016], Barclay v Barclay [2021] and Potanin v Potanina [2023]. On the latter, he says that it was a ‘real career highlight’ to take a case ‘from the first phone call all the way through to the Supreme Court’. Promoted to partner in December 2020, Nick Manners has spent the past decade climbing the ranks at Payne Hicks Beach, working closely with the legendary Baroness Shackleton throughout his career. He has been closely involved in many of the firm’s most notable cases, including Appleton & Gallagher v News Group Newspaper and PA, Ciccone v Ritchie, and Kerman v Akhmedova.”

Nick was ranked in Chambers UK 2025 and Chambers High Net Worth 2024 under Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth in which the directories recognise that he regularly handles complex financial matters for high net worth clients. Commentary includes: “Nick is an absolutely first-rate lawyer. He is very calm and measured, he is incisive when he needs to be, he instils great confidence in the client and he is fantastic to deal with.” “Nick is very bright and has solid judgement. He is very personable with clients.” “Nick is excellent and is a very sophisticated lawyer.”

Nick was shortlisted at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards 2024 for Family Law Partner of the Year and at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2024 for Family Lawyer of the Year – Partner.

Nick was named as one of the 2023 eprivateclient NextGen Leaders with the body commenting “His skills have been recognised within the firm as he was promoted from senior associate to partner within three years and was made an equity partner a year after that. At the age of 38 he is being considered for a senior management position ahead of many of his peers.” Quotes include: “Nick’s knowledge of the law is unrivalled and he has a great commercial head. As a partner he is very invested in the team and bringing everyone up with him. He invests time in giving constructive feedback and is trusted by his peers and those who work for him alike.”

Ranked as a Leading Individual in Chambers HNW 2023 and Chambers UK 2024, the esteemed law directories write that Nick is regularly instructed by high net worth clients for complex matrimonial finance matters and says that “Nick is excellent for financial work in particular; a combination of tenacity, tactical nous and consummate charm makes him a formidable opponent.”

Nick was ranked as a “Next Generation Partner” in The Legal 500 UK 2023, 2024, 2025 and as “Recommended” in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2021, 2022 and 2023 and ranked “Top Recommended” in the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index 2024 and The Spear’s 500 2024 and 2025.

Comments in The Legal 500 UK include:

“Nick Manners took over as head of the practice in May 2024, and is noted for his work on complicated financial remedy litigation and jurisdictional disputes.” Legal 500 UK 2025

“Nick Manners is fabulous with clients and great to work with. He has an easy but reassuring manner, such that he gets on with everyone whilst being able to give no nonsense advice. I would recommend him to anyone.” Legal 500 UK 2025

“Nick Manners is stand out. Managing hugely complicated and high profile cases with ease. He is also a pleasure to deal with which enables a conciliatory approach when possible.” Legal 500 UK 2023

“Nick Manners is careful balanced and articulate, and can be trusted to tease out the most important and helpful elements in a client’s case.” Legal 500 UK 2022

“Nick Manners is a calm voice of reason. He understands the case thoroughly.” Legal 500 UK 2022