Vardags’ Qatar desk delivers a bespoke legal service to British expatriates, HNW and UHNW individuals, their families, businesses and assets, based in Qatar. Founder and President Ayesha Vardag, “Britain’s top divorce lawyer”, has instructed a number of prominent Qataris and individuals with strong connections to, and/or assets based within, the jurisdiction. Previous UHNW clients of note include Meshkah Tawfik, ex-wife of Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim Al Thani of the Qatari Royal family, and another Middle Eastern Royal family, who Vardags instructed regarding a social media campaign of harassment and defamation. We also work in close partnership with a network of Qatari contacts, including banks, family offices, tax advisors and wealth managers.
If you are in an international relationship, the jurisdiction in which your divorce proceeds could make a huge difference to the final outcome. London, as the divorce capital of the world, is known for making generous awards to the financially weaker parties, and the court has a wide discretion in what it awards. In these circumstances, it is imperative to act fast and instruct a lawyer as soon as possible. At Vardags, we will help you ensure that your case proceeds in the most advantageous jurisdiction, as well as providing our expertise on international asset tracing.
Whether you can claim English jurisdiction is complex and depends on where you currently live, where you have previously lived and your domicile. Very often, a British person living abroad is able to access the English justice system, without necessarily being in the country at the time.
Proceedings can also be initiated if one party wants to move to another country with the children, given that the permission of the other parent, or the court, is required. If you are caught in this situation, then you may need to seek legal advice.
Vardags’ services extend well beyond divorce and family law, and encompass reputation and privacy, property, corporate, criminal defence, commercial and civil litigation, employment, and professional negligence.
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