THE SPEAR’S 500 Legal


Lewis Marks QC Queen Elizabeth Building


FOCUS Financial matters


Peter Mitchell QC 29 Bedford Row


FOCUS Financial matters


Brent Molyneux QC 29 Bedford Row


FOCUS Financial matters


Harry Oliver QC 1 King’s Bench Walk


FOCUS Children matters


Lewis Marks has been practising family law since 1995 and is now a mainstay in the top band of silks specialising in the field. With his expertise in big-money financial remedies and ‘Schedule 1’ cases, Marks is one of the greats of the family bar. His skill set, which entails advocacy, numeracy and client skills, is deployed mainly in cases surrounding the valuation and liquidation of assets in divorce proceedings – an area that has been in constant flux since White v White in 2000. Indeed, his competence and


capability are such that it would not surprise peers if he could ‘walk on water’. In less hyperbolic terms, perhaps, Marks’ judgement is renowned as ‘exceptional’.


Recommended by several senior family lawyers, Peter Mitchell QC has a busy practice of complex matrimonial cases, many of which involve substantial assets, trust structures, tax and valuation issues, and issues around injunctive relief and third-party disclosure. He is also frequently instructed in cases involving jurisdictional disputes. He prides himself on his client-


focused approach, always seeking to ensure that he’s accessible to those who instruct him. The key to supporting clients, he explains, is to ensure they are given the information and time to understand the advice he is giving them. His reported cases include the Supreme Court cases of Agbaje v Agbaje (2010) and Sharland v Sharland (2015).


Principally known for his expertise in HNW financial remedy cases, including those spanning multiple jurisdictions, Brent Molyneux QC has successfully built a name for himself at the family bar. Among his peers, he is known for his top-notch client handling skills and his firm grasp of even the most complex briefs. Awarded silk in 2017, his notable and reported cases include ABX v SBX (2018), in which, inter alia, the court looked at issues around the respondent’s reduced earning capacity due to a long-term illness, and Rothschild v Charmaine De Souza (2017), a high-value divorce involving beneficial ownership of family property. He is a member of the Family Law Bar Association.


Appointed a QC in 2020, Harry Oliver specialises in complex divorce, financial remedies and claims for provision for unmarried parents under the Children Act 1989 (Schedule 1). He frequently represents HNW and UHNW clients, and has expertise in trust, tax and business valuation issues. His practice has a distinctly


international character, with Oliver advising on numerous multi- jurisdiction divorces including in Jersey, Guernsey, Cayman, Gibraltar, Hong Kong and the Isle of Man. In addition to this, he has significant experience in arbitrations, frequently appearing as an advocate as well as conducting private FDR proceedings himself. He co-authored Trusts in Matrimonial Finance Proceedings.


Jacqueline Renton 4 Paper Buildings


FOCUS Child disputes


Tim Scott QC 29 Bedford Row


FOCUS Children matters


Richard Sear 1 Hare Court


FOCUS Complex financial affairs


Henry Setright QC 4 Paper Buildings


FOCUS Children matters


Whether representing pop stars such as Madonna – representing the superstar propelled her name into the headlines – or privacy-conscious financiers, Jacqueline Renton tells Spear’s the aim is always to enable the client to appreciate the bigger picture – and ensure they are given realistic expectations right from the beginning of the case. ‘I find that this engenders confidence and trust, and ultimately helps me to work as a team with my clients and ensure that their case is presented in the most attractive light,’ she says.


Outside of her practice, Renton


is an expert commentator on family issues, and has given evidence to the House of Lords on the potential impact of Brexit on family law.


Widely regarded as being among the very highest tier of international family silks, Tim Scott QC is frequently instructed by leading firms on cases involving finance, children and the recognition of foreign marriages and divorces, as well as on nuptial agreements and trusts. He has advocated in numerous


reported cases including in the House of Lords, the Supreme Court and the Privy Council. He has also been closely involved in assessing the impact of Brexit on family law, including giving advice in the House of Lords and to government ministers. ‘Learned, meticulous, and


exceptionally able in financial family law,’ is the verdict of one doyenne of divorce work.


Richard Sear represents clients from across the world, with a significant number coming from the US and Russia. Called to the bar in 2005, the widely- commended junior is known for his numeracy and financial acumen – skills that are crucial in defending clients’ assets in court. A case in point was his work as junior counsel in an appeal regarding the order made in respect of a complex property shareholding by the late Sir Peter Singer. ‘Meticulousness’ is a watchword


for Sear. ‘Preparation is key in every instruction,’ he says. ‘The more I know about a client and their case, the more use I can be.’ He also prides himself on the


ability to retain intellectual impartiality.


‘He is one of, if not the most, pre-eminent QCs in this field in England and Wales,’ says a colleague – a senior family lawyer – in support of Henry Setright’s inclusion amongst Spear’s top-ranked family lawyers. A silk since 2011, Setright has been considered a leader in the field of international children law for decades, in particular for his work on child abduction, enforcement of foreign orders and jurisdictional issues. He has argued in front of the UK Supreme Court, the Court of Justice of the EU, and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as lead English counsel in two Amicus briefs in the United States Supreme Court.


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