Vardags is a top London-based divorce law firm serving high net worth (HNW) and ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals based in Saudi Arabia but having links to England and Wales.
Saudi Arabia’s legal system is based on Islamic law (Shari’ah) and 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. Notable Saudis, such as oil tycoon Sheikh Walid Juffali, have chosen to finalise their divorce in the English courts.
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.
In addition to our divorce and family law expertise, our offering for clients in Saudi Arabia is strengthened by our leading reputation and privacy team, who are regularly called upon to assist high-profile clients, including politicians, royalty, celebrities, and business executives. Our Head of Reputation and Privacy, Alex McCready, is widely respected for her leading expertise, having been described as “the definitive reputation and privacy lawyer” by Spears 500. Alex notably advised a prominent Middle Eastern royal family facing harassment and defamation. As such, we are uniquely well-placed to assist clients with high-profile divorce cases and advise on related reputation and privacy issues.
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
This article will address the extent to which a parent can move their child away from the other parent without their consent. A distinction will be made between moving the child to another part of the UK, as well as moving abroad.
It should be noted from the outset that whether the parties have ever been married or in a civil partnership is immaterial for the purposes of relocation of the child. The important factor is whether the parent seeking to prevent the relocation has parental responsibility.
The best way to ensure your assets are protected is to conduct a thorough and accurate valuation.
If your partner is breaking an existing order, there are numerous ways of enforcing it. The court can divert a portion of their salary directly to you (garnishee order), give you a charge over property or shares or even transfer bank accounts over to you. If your partner willfully and deliberately refuses to satisfy an order, this can amount to contempt – the court can fine and even jail them for this.
Often people will apply for divorce proceedings in England with the aim of maximising their claim, even if this is not justified. Jurisdiction, in cases of divorce, is governed by a complex web of law, involving multiple cross-border elements. Generally, the divorce will only be heard in England if you, or your spouse, has been resident or domiciled in England.