Private Equity Divorce Solicitors London

With top ratings in Chambers UK, Chambers HNW and The Legal 500 UK guides, the department is recognised as frequently advising in some of the most high-value and high-profile matrimonial finance cases in the market, including cases involving private equity interests, complex business assets and international elements. We are trusted by entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and families with significant assets across multiple jurisdictions.

In 2024, Payne Hicks Beach won Family Law Team of the Year at the Chambers HNW Awards. We are also recognised by ePrivateclient (Tier 1), Doyle’s Guide (First Tier) and the Spear’s Family Lawyers Index.

Disentangling a couple’s financial affairs on divorce or separation requires careful analysis and forensic skill, and cases with a private equity element demand this in particular depth. Carried interest is typically structured as a right to a share of fund profits, often subject to vesting schedules, hurdle rates, clawback provisions, and performance conditions that mean its value at any given point is contingent and illiquid. The court must determine whether carried interest constitutes a matrimonial asset, when it falls to be valued, and how it should be divided.

We advise on how courts approach unvested and vested carry, how to instruct the right forensic accountants to value fund interests, and how to structure settlements that reflect the illiquid and contingent nature of private equity wealth. Where a matter requires input from our tax or corporate colleagues, we are able to deliver that advice in a coordinated way. We have excellent working relationships with a number of experienced forensic accountants who are able to assist us with detailed analysis and understanding of the assets under scrutiny.

High net worth family law cases often require input from other disciplines, including tax planning, wealth protection, business succession, reorganisation or creation of trust structures and property arrangements. As a multi-service law firm, we offer comprehensive support across wealth, tax, business and private client matters, enabling us to deliver a coordinated strategy.

Case example: When advising the spouse of a private equity partner on the division of carried interest and deferred compensation, our family team worked alongside our tax and corporate specialists to structure a settlement that minimised the tax exposure for both parties. This outcome would not have been possible without integrated advice.

We understand that privacy and discretion are of critical importance to our clients. We are experienced litigators but we are also well versed in all aspects of non-court dispute resolution, including arbitration, mediation, and private hearings. We are committed to ensuring your family’s privacy and reputation are protected throughout the process.

Case example: We acted for a client whose divorce, had it proceeded through the courts, would have attracted substantial media attention given the public nature of their business interests. By resolving the matter through private arbitration, we achieved a fair financial outcome while keeping the settlement terms and the client’s identity entirely confidential and avoiding unwanted media exposure.

A significant number of the cases that we handle involve business assets, complex structures, or international holdings. We frequently act in cases where one party alleges that the other has not been fully transparent with their disclosure and believes that there are unidentified assets. In such cases, we are able to instruct expert forensic accountants to trace concealed assets and analyse financial transactions; business valuation experts to assess shareholdings, partnerships, and corporate interests; pension specialists; and international counsel to recover overseas assets and enforce orders globally.

Case example: In one matter, we instructed forensic accountants to analyse a series of transactions through which one spouse had transferred significant assets into offshore structures in the period immediately preceding divorce proceedings. The forensic analysis enabled us to recover the full value of the concealed assets and secure adverse cost orders against the non-disclosing party.

Increasingly, family law matters involve multiple jurisdictions, complex international assets and require input from lawyers in other jurisdictions. We have significant experience handling multi-jurisdictional matters and can recommend a network of international contacts to assist.

Case example: We advised a client with dual nationality whose spouse had initiated divorce proceedings in two jurisdictions simultaneously. By successfully arguing that England and Wales was the appropriate forum, we secured a substantially more favourable outcome than would have been available under the alternative jurisdiction’s legal framework.