David Allison
Director
David specialises in financial claims on divorce, especially cases with an international element. He has extensive experience in the legal issues relating to cohabitants, same sex couples, and civil partners.
“My priority is to listen to clients and to understand their goals and objectives. I recognise that every client is an individual with their own beliefs and objectives. Understanding those beliefs and objectives helps me guide clients through selection of the best process to help them to achieve their goals”
Expertise →
David is a director at Family Law in Partnership. He acts for a wide range of individuals including business owners, entrepreneurs, bankers, other lawyers and their partners. The focus of his practice is financial claims on divorce, particularly those with an international element, but he is also well known for his expertise in the legal issues affecting cohabitants, same sex couples and civil partners. David was named Family Law Partner of the Year at the Family Law Awards 2019.
David settles the vast majority of his cases outside the Court process but where cases have to go to court he is a determined and effective litigator. His goal is to achieve the best outcome for his clients and to do so in a way that produces an efficient, fair and positive result.
The legal directories Chambers UK, Chambers HNW and Legal 500 have all ranked David as a leading family lawyer for many years. He is ranked as a leading individual for both family law and family mediation in The Legal 500 UK 2022, 2021 and 2020. In relation to his work as a mediator, Legal 500 UK comments: “David Allison is superb – he grasps the issues quickly, is no nonsense, genuinely cares about the clients and is excellent value for money” and “David Allison is very experienced in mediation. He is extremely calm and very skillful at diffusing potentially inflamed situations”. In relation to work as a family lawyer, Legal 500 UK 2021 notes “He understands the gravity and complexity of complicated financial arrangements which he is able to unravel without fuss or fanfare” with Legal 500 UK 2022 commenting that he is a is a “stellar individual” and “stands out as one of the best negotiators in the business. He is trusted by his peers and respected. David is the antidote to the toxic world of family breakdown. He is always completely on top of his brief, calm and collected; the most difficult cases appear simple and straight forward in his capable hands.”
Chambers HNW 2021 notes: “He is a consummate professional. He makes the most difficult cases seem simple. He gives straightforward advice and guides his clients seamlessly to the result they want.” Chambers HNW 2020 notes that David is “everything you would want as a client,” he is “strategically and tactically a force to be reckoned with …. he delivers excellence in family law. He is all about client service delivery.” Chambers UK 2020 remarks that “David is smart, calm and charming. He exudes a quiet confidence and achieves impressive results without a lot of noise or fanfare”. Chambers UK 2018 and 2017 remark: “He is technically strong and always tries to resolve matters amicably” “He has significant expertise in cases involving alternative family structures and cohabitees.” David has also appeared in the Citywealth Leaders List with comments including: “He sets expectations very squarely in terms of timing, cost and potential outcomes. He is diligent at following through on issues and is aware that his clients are busy and works to accommodate diaries.”
David is committed to a constructive approach to resolving issues. He is a trained mediator and has FMA senior mediator status. He trained as a collaborative lawyer in 2003 with the first group of lawyers to be trained in the UK and is a Resolution collaborative specialist.
David is a member of both the International Academy of Family Lawyers, where he is chair of the LGBT committee, and the UK & Ireland LGBT Family Law Institute. He is a former chair of the International Family Law Committee of the American Bar Association, International Section and is a past chair of Resolution, the family lawyers association.
Representative Matters →
- David acted collaboratively for the wife of an entrepreneur who had established a household name company. The family wealth was structured through a Jersey trust, which held property in the UK and the USA. David successfully negotiated a deal which gave his client 50% of the assets.
- David acted for a banker on the dissolution of his civil partnership where a significant financial claim was made by a non-working civil partner. David secured a clean break for his client after a two year term without giving an increased share of the capital.
Reported Cases →
David’s reported cases include:
- Re AA [2021] EWFC 17, a children case issued before the end of the Brexit transition period where a lis pendens situation arose between the UK and a 1996 Hague Convention country that is not a signatory to Brussels II Revised. The Court decided that the 1996 Hague Convention, not Brussels II Revised should apply.
- Dobson v Griffey [2018] EWHC 1117 (Ch) in which David represented the defendant in his successful defence against a claim by his former partner for a share of the proceeds of sale of the property in which they had previously lived together.
- Divall v Divall [2014] EWHC 95 FAM regarding a jurisdiction dispute.
- Golubovich v Golubovich [2010] 2 FLR 1614 CA, an important case regarding the recognition of foreign divorce decrees by the English Courts.
David’s Clients Say…
“I am forever grateful for the wonderful work you did in order to help me through a very difficult time. You showed great care and compassion along with the expert legal advice that I received”
Former client
“From beginning to end you impressed me with your compassion, flexibility, integrity, professionalism and resilience”
Former client
“David Allison acted for me throughout my divorce and I cannot recommend him highly enough. We all know that divorce is a time of immense emotional pressure and David was always sensitive to the situation yet firm when required”
Former client
“I would like to take this opportunity to recommend David Allison to anyone seeking help with divorce or similar. David is calm and collected and has the ability to handle the most difficult of opposing solicitors and barristers with an assuredness that can only put you at your ease”
Former client
“David Allison has a beguiling gentle manner which shields a steely and focused determination to get the best possible outcome for his clients. He is clever and astute. He immediately sees the right result and gets there without any fuss. He makes the biggest problem seem manageable and his clients feel reassured. They should do. They are in capable hands”
Legal 500 UK 2020
“I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it has been to have someone on my side and to receive calm guidance through the maelstrom”
Former client
“Thank you David for your wise and balanced guidance at a time of need in my life”
Former client
“David Allison has an exceptional knowledge and ability to see the wood for the trees. He always has his client’s interests at heart”
Legal 500 UK 2021
“He makes the most difficult cases seem simple. He gives straightforward advice and guides his clients seamlessly to the result they want.”
Chambers UK 2022
“He is unflappable, incredibly constructive and takes a calm, conciliatory approach towards matters.”
Chambers UK 2022
“David Allison is experienced, calm in a crisis and knows how to run big cases properly.”
Chambers UK 2022

10th August 2021
Foreign Divorce Proceedings – How Do They Affect Me?
David Allison
FLiP Director David Allison discusses foreign divorce proceedings and what impact they may have for divorce proceedings in…
9th February 2021
Director David Allison Featured in Forbes
Director David Allison comments on the impact of Covid-19 on the family court system in Forbes

2nd February 2021
Same-Sex Couples – Parenting Options
David Allison
Here we outline the legal challenges and consequences surrounding parenting options for same sex couples
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