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Our Matrimonial Finance team has some of the best known barristers operating in this field in the South West, with strength in depth from those with more than 30 years’ experience to the most junior.

The team comprises 14 members and is led by Nick Sproull.

Many members of the team are recognised for their skills year on year in the various legal directories, and the team’s entry in Chambers and Partners 2024 reads:

“A pre-eminent set for matrimonial finance…the barristers at the set are frequently called upon to act for high net worth individuals in complex financial remedy disputes often involving family businesses, pre-matrimonial and foreign assets, and TOLATA cases.”

The team handles the division of finances arising from marital and partnership breakdown in all its forms, including on divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships, applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 and applications under TOLATA 1996.

We handle cases of all sizes, but many of our cases involve high net worth individuals where the assets run into tens of millions of pounds.  These cases often involve the instruction of multiple experts, and parties who own a number of properties, have extensive investment portfolios and shares in private limited companies.  Our members are used to dealing with issues concerning valuations, tax, liquidity and minority interests.

We also deal with cases where assets have been inherited or gifted by family members; with cases where assets have been dissipated and an injunction is required; with cases involving assets which are abroad; and with cases where assets are held within a family trust.

We recognise that the court process can sometimes be cumbersome and expensive and that many cases are better resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution, whether mediation, arbitration or early neutral evaluation/Private FDR. Charles Hyde KC is a qualified arbitrator.

We are finding that a PFRD in particular is an increasingly attractive and cost-effective option, offering speed and certainty of listing, a whole day, rather than a few hours, and a specialist chosen by the parties rather than a judge selected at random.  Members often conduct PFDRs from solicitor’s offices, but Chambers is located in central Bristol and can make multiple rooms available for PFDRs if that is convenient.

Our clerks are Michael Harding, Julie Hathway and Grace Northeast who, combined, offer many years’ experience of family clerking. Michael, Julie, Grace and Joanne Banfield, our Support Clerk, are always happy to discuss and recommend the most suitable member of the team for each individual case.

Continuing education, internal and external, is important to us. We run programmes of seminars, together with in-house training sessions and are accredited CPD providers. Please contact our Chambers’ Director, Nick Jeanes for further information.

We present an annual seminar which in 2023 attracted over 140 delegates.  We also lecture regularly to Resolution and to individual firms of solicitors from as far afield as Birmingham and Truro.  Please contact our Chambers’ Director, Nick Jeanes for further information.

‘One of the strongest in the South West’ for divorce and financial remedy work. Legal 500, 2024
‘A top-class chambers.’ ‘Albion Chambers is an excellent set, offering a superb selection of highly qualified barristers.’ 'The group is well known for its excellent track record in handling high-value, complex matrimonial finance cases' Legal 500 2023
'The best team for complex high net worth financial family cases in the region' ‘The family clerks are all wonderful. They are responsive, helpful and really go out of their way to help find you the right counsel for your case‘. Legal 500 2022