International Divorce

Specialist international family lawyers

Thomas Mansfield’s team of specialist international divorce and family lawyers is experienced in advising British expats living abroad and multinational families living in the UK.

If you are living and/or working overseas it can be hard to know where to go for clear and reliable advice. Divorce and separation can be stressful and  language barriers and unfamiliar foreign laws add to the complexity of divorcing abroad.

We take the time to understand your personal circumstances and work with you to develop the best course of action. We always communicate with our clients in the way that suits them best, responding quickly at all times. Visiting an office or travelling to the UK is not necessary as all meetings can take place via video conferencing and telephone.

Our reputation lies in providing a first-class service to clients in jurisdictions throughout the world and we are regularly instructed by clients across Europe and the rest of the world, including North America, the Middle East and Australia.

Choosing where to divorce can make a big difference to your case

The divorce process, spousal maintenance and the division of assets are treated differently in different countries. Deciding which country to issue divorce proceedings can have a significant impact on your financial outcome and arrangements regarding any children.

The first party to issue proceedings is likely to determine which country the case will be heard in. Although the choice of jurisdiction may later be challenged it is very difficult to switch jurisdictions once a court in one country has issued the divorce.

If your spouse issues proceedings first, it could then be too late for you to change the jurisdiction.

London is considered the divorce capital of the world

It is widely known that London is considered the ‘divorce capital of the world’. The reason for this is because the British courts start with the presumption that assets should be divided equally between the parties with spousal maintenance payments preventing an immediate clean break. In addition, the British family courts always prioritise the children’s needs ahead of anything else.

International divorce applications are often complicated by assets in several countries. Our lawyers have specialist skills in ensuring all assets are disclosed, wherever in the world they may be. We instruct specialists in forensic accounting whenever we believe money or assets have been deliberately hidden from disclosure to the court.