Ciara is an Associate in our Family department, with a focus on complex financial issues that arise in divorces. Her client base is predominantly high net worth, often with international connections.
Ciara joined Vardags on the Graduate Training Scheme and qualified as a solicitor in 2021. She has experience across a wide range of divorce issues, particularly in relation to complicated financial issues, including cases involving:
- Maintenance pending suit (MPS) applications
- Complex business valuations
- Jurisdictional issues
- Hidden assets and applications for third party disclosure
- Third party intervenors
- Substantial property portfolios and business assets
- Family businesses with a dynastic nature
- Cryptocurrency
Ciara can also advise and assist clients in relation to the drafting of pre- and post-nuptial agreements. She can also provide advice and assistance in relation to the enforceability of foreign agreements, such as nuptial contracts, in the courts of England and Wales.
Prior to joining Vardags, Ciara gained experience in various areas of law including commercial, art, media, copyright, family and social law. She completed over 20 weeks’ worth of full-time internships across various law firms and courts and worked part time as a paralegal in a commercial law firm during her studies in Berlin. Ciara also worked as a freelance legal researcher and translator for numerous law firms and lawyers alongside and after her studies.
As a graduate of the European Law School’s ’European Lawyer’ programme, Ciara holds qualifying law degrees from three European countries. After graduating with an LLB (Hons) in English law and German law from King’s College London, she studied at the Humbolt University and successfully passed the First German Legal State Exam in Berlin. She graduated with a Laurea Magistrale in Italian Law from the Sapienza University in Rome, achieving the highest possible mark for her final dissertation. Her research in Italy focussed on prenuptial agreements within the EU. Ciara was awarded a full DAAD scholarship for her studies in Rome.
Ciara has since completed the Legal Practice Course gaining distinction and has obtained her Higher Rights of Audience (Civil).
Having grown up in Munich as a native English speaker, Ciara is fluent in German. She also has a command of Italian and basic Spanish.
Ciara spends her free time on the lacrosse pitch, baking and dancing the Argentine tango. She also has extensive education in music theory, piano and flute.