Vardags’ team of top divorce lawyers act for affluent individuals, their families and companies in Oxford and across Oxfordshire. Our President Ayesha Vardag has been widely described as “Britain’s Top Divorce Lawyer”. Our lawyers work exclusively on matters involving considerable wealth, asset portfolios and business interests, with a team of specialists who can advise on the matters unique to these cases. Our team are selected on the basis of tenacity and excellence, meaning you can rest assured that the very best are on your side.
A free initial consultation is offered to qualifying clients, namely those with net assets exceeding £1m or with a combined income in excess of £150,000. Our experienced family lawyers will take the time to understand the details of your unique situation and talk you through the next stages of the legal process. We will then be able to give you a sense of the possible outcomes of your case and even the likely cost.
Our lawyers also serve the surrounding area, including Abingdon, Swindon and Banbury.
Vardags is one of the best family law firms offering unparalleled legal support to our clients in Oxford. Our team of lawyers understand that navigating a seperation can be a challenging and emotionally charged period for you and your family. Our goal is to guide you through this process with compassion and expertise, securing the most favourable outcome for you.
Our award-winning family lawyers for Oxford specialise in:
When you contact us a member of our client relations team will take the full details of your situation and assess whether we can assist you. If we can assist you, we will book you in for a consultation with the appropriate lawyers at a date and time most convenient for you. Watch our founder and president, Ayesha Vardag, talk through what to expect from your initial consultation.
Oxford Crown Court is situated near the heart of Oxford on St Aldate’s, close to the river. If you are arriving by rail, the journey from Oxford Station to the Crown Court is roughly 1 mile. If you are arriving by car, due to congestion it is suggested that you Park and Ride. The closest Car Park to the Crown Court is Westgate Car Park located on Thames St.
Vardags team of lawyers represent clients who are part of wealthy families. We act equally for those seeking to protect their assets and those fighting for their fair share. We specialise in large and complex divorce cases including those involving private companies, property empires, trusts, international/hidden assets and investments.
You may be initiating a disunion, responding to a petition, seeking new lawyers for an ongoing case, or considering reopening an old case. Whatever the circumstances, having a solicitor on your side can make an enormous difference to your chances of success. If you think you may need our help, don’t delay. Contact Vardags before your spouse does.
The list below is only a guide and once contacted by one of our highly trained Client Relations Specialists, the most appropriate lawyers will be allocated to you, taking into account your specific circumstances and particular needs.
We offer a free consultation to suitable clients, typically those where the family's net assets are in excess of £1m or the combined income is in excess of £150,000
Vardags is one of the UK’s leading divorce law firms. We specialise in complex, high net worth and international cases. The Legal 500 has said of Vardags: “The team is noted for its sheer intellect”
Vardags is among the leading family law firms in the UK. Our lawyers specialise in complex cases for high net worth individuals, including international child relocation, child abduction, and prenuptial agreements. The Legal 500 has said that "clients feel in totally safe hands" with Vardags' Children & Family solicitors.
Our reputation and privacy team, headed by oour media solicitors Alex McCready, works in and out of the public eye on cases involving defamation, privacy and reputation management. We provide expert advice and representation across the full range of reputation and privacy related matters, including crisis management, emergency injunctions and actions against online and new media.
Our criminal defence team is led by criminal defence solicitor Rob Conway. Vardags is a successful and rapidly-growing law firm with an outstanding reputation for winning cases.
Vardags is offers expertise in property law with complex and high-value cases. We pride ourselves on our discrete and thorough approach and premium client experience. Our team is led by the highly respected and renowned property solicitor James Bunker.
Vardags is a law firm with a trailblazing fertility and surrogacy department. We have had success with some of the most groundbreaking cases of the last decade in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court, with rulings that have changed the law. Vardags remains at the cutting edge of fertility law, pushing for further improvement of the outdated legislation in place in Britain.
Led by the vastly experienced Frank Ryan, a solicitor who “delivers results, time and again, often with devastating effect”, Vardags’ civil litigation team is renowned for its nous and its consistent ability to deliver results.
Vardags is a professional negligence law firm with expertise in complex and substantial claims. You may have seen our name in the press as our clients are often very high profile. Equally we settle many claims entirely out of the public eye. Our team is led by one of the best professional negligence lawyers, Frank Ryan, who has over 30 years of experience across a range of professional negligence cases.
Vardags’ employment team represents high net worth individuals and companies in substantial employment disputes. We are a firm with an exceptional record of representing clients in matters including unfair dismissal, workplace discrimination, and in the transfer of contracts under TUPE.
Vardags' wills and trusts team has the specific expertise to cater to the wills and trusts needs of high-net-worth and high-profile individuals. Richard Todd QC, Leading Counsel for Yasmin Prest said of Vardags: “a note to acknowledge your firm’s pivotal role in achieving such an outstanding result in the recent Supreme Court case of Petrodel v Prest”.
At Vardags, our specialist team of domestic abuse lawyers can help clients who are experiencing domestic abuse in their relationship and need our assistance and protection. Our lawyers recognise that domestic abuse can affect people from all walks of life, including incredibly successful individuals with high-flying careers, but that behind closed doors they can be suffering the most horrendous situations that are going unnoticed.
“Britain's top divorce lawyer” Ayesha Vardag rose to fame for winning the landmark Supreme Court case of Radmacher v Granatino in 2010, changing the law to make prenuptial agreements legally enforceable in England and Wales.
The founder and President of Vardags, Ayesha specialises in high-net-worth divorce, often with an international or celebrity element. Ayesha, described as “The Diva of Divorce” (TIME Magazine), has a reputation for hard-hitting litigation, commercial savvy, fearlessness, and strategic intellectual vision. This, coupled with a no-nonsense style, and a passion for her cases informed by her own experience of divorce, has won her an ultra-high-net-worth, high-profile client base second to none, made up of clients who expect the very best.
Simon McKirgan is Senior Partner at Vardags and a top international divorce lawyer, with experience in representing individuals or their spouses/partners from commercial, City, banking, investment, media, entertainment and sporting sectors, and entrepreneurs.
Simon specialises in high and ultra-high-net-worth divorce and financial disputes often involving complex jurisdictional issues, and separation and cohabitation disputes and private children proceedings, including international relocation. He has a wealth of experience in handling celebrities and the sensitivities around their cases.
The "ferociously bright" (Legal 500) Emma Gill specialises in divorce and matrimonial finance.
She is known for her legal insight, dedication and tireless attitude to securing her clientele the very best possible outcome. She regularly acts for the best and brightest entrepreneurs, business men and women, professionals and sports personalities. Her clients come to her for her creative, practical, no nonsense advice.
David is a Senior Partner at Vardags. With over 35 years of experience at the forefront of the profession (Lawyer of the Week in 'The Times’ October 2024), David’s practice comprises a wide ambit of family law issues, namely high net worth and ultra-high net worth divorce and matrimonial finance issues with complex legal, financial and factual disputes and international elements. David also takes a strong interest in non-disclosure and enforcement issues as well as nuptial and cohabitation agreements.
Robert Hines is a Partner at Vardags, advising on all aspects of family law particularly cases involving contentious or strategic planning elements.
Robert has particular expertise in advising HNW and UHNW clients, often in connection with complex financial disputes, including those with significant disclosure issues and/or involving international dimensions/multiple jurisdictions and/or complex trust, business and/or other intricate structures, or with publicity issues. He has also advised on all forms of marital agreements, cohabitation disputes and private law children matters, including applications for leave to remove children from the jurisdiction.
Hannah is an Associate at Vardags. Although Hannah works on all aspects of family law, she has a particular interest in complex financial disputes, trusts, artwork, valuation disputes and pre and post-nuptial agreements. She is also a collaboratively trained lawyer, having completed the Collaborative Practice training programme with Resolution, a community of family professionals committed to helping families and individuals resolve issues constructively.
Lucy is experienced in advising on all matters arising out of divorce and separation, and is experienced in the complex issues that arise with high net worth clients, with a particular focus on private children matters. She has built a reputation as a rising star, both within the firm and from peers in her field. Lucy is also heavily involved in the development of junior lawyers at the firm and is the Deputy Training Principal for the firm nationally.
Annemarie regularly acts for business men and women, high earning self-employed consultants, professionals, sports personalities and their families.
Annemarie’s particular specialism is in the resolution of financial matters on divorce, and the resolution of financial matters between unmarried couples and parents. Her cases typically include those with high-value and complex financial issues, including the valuation of business assets, property, pensions and trusts. Her experience includes advising on cases involving nuptial agreements and those with an international element.
Maria is an Italian Avvocato qualified to practise law in Italy and a solicitor qualified to practice law in England, and Wales, having successfully passed the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS). Maria is uniquely qualified to assist clients in cross-jurisdictional disputes, or where there are complex Italian elements to the proceedings, such as custody disputes or pre-marital arrangements such as “communione separazione dei beni”.
Maria’s skills are endlessly praised by the many high net worth international Italian clients she represents. Her nurturing personality greatly complements her legal and analytical skills, making her a great asset on any case.
Natalie advises clients on a wide variety of family law issues, with a particular focus on children matters and divorce and financial matters. Natalie also has extensive experience in other areas including domestic abuse, special guardianship and care proceedings, in which she has represented both parents and children.
Nikki already has a wealth of experience as a Senior Associate, with ten years’ exclusive focus on family law. She is a well-respected family law practitioner, regularly appearing against more senior lawyers including Partners and Directors from other Tier 1 and 2 law firms.
Nikki advises clients on all aspects of the law in this area, particularly relating to the breakdown of relationships and divorce proceedings. She also has particular experience assisting international clients and has worked on cases that involve jurisdictional disputes that raise complicated and unique legal questions. Her client base is global, with clients specifically in Dubai, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Reece is a highly regarded associate in the firm, specialising in family and children law matters, with a particular focus on high value financial and complex cases.
Reece has a broad base of clients including high net worth and high-profile individuals. He has advised several sports personalities, particularly footballers.
Kate is an Associate in the family department at the Manchester office and has developed a strong reputation as an active member of the team with a varied case load and client base. Kate has experience in all aspects of family and children law matters, including high value financial cases and those involving vulnerable parties, particularly clients facing domestic abuse.
Rebecca is an Associate in the family department in the Cambridge office. Recognised as a Leading Associate by the Legal 500 2025, she is described as being ‘an exceptional lawyer with a hugely detailed knowledge of her field.’ Rebecca has built a strong reputation in the local community as a tenacious yet approachable family law practitioner. She advises on all issues arising from the breakdown of a marriage, both financial and in respect of arrangements for children, for high-net-worth individuals.
Gareth Curtis is a Partner at Vardags, advising on the full spectrum of family law issues, with particular experience in financial remedy cases as well as financial claims made on behalf of children in Schedule 1 proceedings.
A Legal 500 Leading Partner with a “fine legal brain”, Gareth specialises in HNW and UHNW cases involving complex legal and financial issues, including businesses, trust arrangements and offshore structures. Gareth also has in-depth knowledge of:
- Freezing injunctions
- Maintenance pending suit actions
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Cohabitation agreements
- Separation agreements
- Domestic abuse