Vardags is a top London-based divorce law firm serving high net worth (HNW) and ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals based in Germany but having links to England and Wales. Our Founder and President, Ayesha Vardag, is recognized for her leading expertise in international divorces. She has been profiled and quoted by various German newspapers, including Stern, Suddeutsche Zeitung, and Schwäbische Zeitung. Previous UHNW clients include German heiress Katrin Radmacher, who was represented by Ayesha in the landmark case Radmacher v Granatino, which transformed how the English and Welsh courts regard pre-nuptial agreements. To learn more, read our summary here.
As a civil law jurisdiction, the German legal system is quite different to that of England and Wales. Therefore, for those who can choose where to get a divorce, one or the other jurisdiction may be more financially favorable based on various factors, such as whether they are the financially weaker or stronger party.
Whether you can claim English jurisdiction is complex and depends on factors such as where you and your spouse currently live, where you have previously lived, and your respective domiciles. Very often, a British person living abroad (or someone married to such a person) can access the English justice system without necessarily having ever resided in England.
Vardags is one of the UK’s leading divorce law firms, specializing in ultra-high net worth, complex international divorce cases. Our Founder and President Ayesha Vardag, billed “Britain’s top divorce lawyer”, is noted for her ground-breaking work in divorce law and impressive track record of achieving major victories for her clients.
Our specialist divorce lawyers have extensive experience advising on jurisdiction disputes, providing clients with outstanding legal strategies that identify the best possible route, and in turn outcome, for their case. For the financially weaker party, our in-house forensic financial and valuation team also has unparalleled expertise dealing with international, offshore and onshore assets and structures, including the tracing of, and enforcement against complex financial structures and trusts. For the financially stronger party, the team has extensive experience in securing favourable valuations of corporate and trust structures and defending them from attack. To learn more about divorce in Germany, read our guide on German divorce law.
Vardags frequently feature in the German press. Founder and President, Ayesha Vardag, has been quoted and profiled by various German newspapers:
- Suddeutsche Zeitung | "Ich bin die teuerste Anwältin Londons"
- Stern | Wären May und Kollegen Anwälte in meiner Kanzlei, würde ich sie feuern
- Schwäbische Zeitung | Ehevertrag: Faire Abmachungen in friedlichen Zeiten
London, as the ‘divorce capital of the world’, is known for making generous awards to the financially weaker parties, and the court has wide discretionary powers. In these circumstances, it is imperative to act fast and instruct a lawyer as soon as possible. At Vardags, we will help ensure that your case proceeds in the most advantageous jurisdiction and secure the best possible financial outcome for you.
If you are considering or going through a divorce, contact us before your spouse does.
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
During the process of divorce, one of the elements is the exchange of information relating to finances, known as disclosure. This is done in order to determine what a fair division of the assets will be. However, there are instances where one or both of the parties conceal or misrepresent deliberately the value of their assets. Should it be the case that certain assets are not included during disclosure, it cannot be divided, even if it’s the case that it is later discovered it is likely already be disposed of. These kinds of assets are known as hidden assets and should either party be discovered to be hiding assets, the court will take serious action against them.
In many countries, a couple can divorce with little or no financial support being given to the poorer party. Sometimes, you might not even know about the divorce until it has already been finalised. That does not prevent you from seeking the support of the English courts.
If your ex opposes your plan to move abroad with your children, there are numerous strategies that can be deployed to overcome their opposition.
While the court will be unable to stop you from relocating, it’s primary concern will be whether it is in your children’s best interests to do so, and whether there is an appropriate strategy in place for the children to maintain regular contact with the other parent.