Gillian focuses on all aspects of divorce and family law, in particular the financial repercussions of relationship breakdown and complex private law children matters. Her work frequently has an international perspective, often involving tax and trust implications, substantial assets or incomes. A trained mediator, arbitrator (children issues) and collaborative lawyer, Gillian offers clients a range of dispute resolution options to best meet their needs. 

The leading legal directories Legal 500 UK, Chambers HNW and Chambers UK have named Gillian as a top ranked family lawyer for many years with The Legal 500 also ranking Gillian as a leading family mediator: she is “vastly experienced“, “always able to see the bigger picture” and “she literally wrote the book on collaborative law.” Legal 500 2020 notes that she is “adept at handling international issues as well as pre- and post-nuptial agreements and relationship agreements”. Chambers HNW notes: “She’s constructive in her approach, applies the law properly, but is practical first and foremost” “What shines out about Gillian is she never fails to see the bigger picture” remarks one silk “…she is incredibly emotionally intelligent and always calm however tense the situation gets.” “She is an extremely good negotiator” observes a peer, adding “She is able to attend a round table meeting with both parties and solicitors present and manoeuvre her way thorough the process and get an agreed solution at the end of it. That’s quite a remarkable skill”….”She looks at her cases holistically and is always trying to provide solutions that are best for the family concerned. She speaks with years of experience and vast wisdom”. Chambers UK 2020 comments: “She is one of the most dynamic and pioneering family law solicitors of her generation,” and “She brings great wisdom to every case she handles”. Gillian has been described as a “the top collaborative lawyer” by Chambers HNW 2017 and “a leading light for collaborative law” by Legal 500 UK 2017. The 2020 edition of Chambers HNW ranks Gillian as both a leading family lawyer and a leading mediator noting that she is “”constructive and helpful” and  “leading the way” when it comes to collaborative law and mediation”.

Gillian has appeared in the Spear’s 500 Index of the top family lawyers for a number of years. Spears comments: “Unassuming and personable….well-known and respected by peers (and appreciated by clients) for her empathy and expertise, she is experienced in the multi-jurisdictional repercussions of HNW relationship breakdown…. also a specialist in complex private law children’s matters.”

Gillian won the Citywealth PowerWomen Career Achievement Award 2017 and was named Family Law Partner of the Year in the prestigious LexisNexis Family Law Awards 2018. She is listed in The Legal 500 2020’s “Hall of Fame” for both family law and family mediation. The Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by clients for continued excellence and who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In 2020 Gillian was shortlisted in the Law Society Excellence Awards in the Lifetime Achievement category.

Gillian is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is on the Resolution training faculty for collaborative lawyers. She is the author of “A Client’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce – Putting Your Family First” (2010).

Gillian’s recent cases have included:

• Gillian represented a client with substantial trust assets. The negotiations were complicated by a dispute about the extent of the wealth. Nevertheless a settlement was reached which kept the trust assets intact without having to make an application to the court.
• Acted for the heir of a multi-million pound estate in relation to his pre nuptial agreement. Negotiations were concluded to ensure the estate was protected from potential claims in the event of a divorce.
• Gillian acted collaboratively for the wife of an international businessman enabling the wife to retain the lion’s share of the substantial liquid capital assets. The case was complex as it involved assets in several jurisdictions with associated tax considerations and involved working closely with the parties’ personal tax advisers.
• Acted collaboratively for the CEO of a global corporation involving a multi-million pound estate enabling the case to be kept out of the public gaze for the benefit of the whole family.
• Gillian has extensive experience in acting for parents who wish to relocate (or prevent relocation) with their children to another jurisdiction. Recent cases have involved potential relocations to Sweden, Australia and New Zealand

Gillian’s reported cases include:

• YM v NM [2020] EWFC 13. The case provides the test for Maintenance Pending Suit applications made before the determination of a set aside application of a (clean break) consent order. The Judge held that the Court should be slow to grant interim relief where the ultimate entitlement to such relief remains in dispute. The Court must be satisfied that the applicant is likely to succeed in the set aside application. The case also reaffirmed the test for applying for a freezing injunction.
• Representing the wife in the reported case of JL v SL (No 1) [2014] EWCH 3658 (Fam) where Gillian successfully argued that the wife’s inheritance should be ring-fenced against claims from the husband notwithstanding a degree of intermingling of the inherited funds.