Hannah Greene

Hannah advises on all aspects of divorce and cohabitation, including financial and children matters, and on relationship agreements, including prenuptial and cohabitation agreements. A qualified collaborative lawyer, Hannah’s focus is on providing clear, pragmatic advice whilst maintaining an empathetic approach, taking all available opportunities to minimise conflict, where possible.

Hannah settles cases outside of the Court process wherever possible – but in cases which have to go to court she has a strategic and determined approach to litigation.

Hannah’s cases have involved a wide range of issues, including advising individuals with assets within complex business structures, and international asset bases. Her cases have involved complex litigation including obtaining and defending freezing injunctions, orders for maintenance pending suit, part III (financial claims after a foreign divorce) applications and applications for interim sale. Hannah has a strategic focus when both litigating and negotiating and always aims to keep the long term security for her client and their family at the forefront. She uses her background in property, tax and estate planning to best inform her advice.

Hannah advises on all private law children matters and maintains a strong emphasis on looking at outside-of-court options to reinforce a co-parenting relationship after separation. Hannah is experienced with both domestic and cross-jurisdictional children cases. This includes leave to remove cases, where she has assisted parents in their applications to move to another country with their children. Hannah has represented clients in the High Court in respect of leave to remove applications, Hague 1996 applications and parental orders after overseas surrogacy.

Hannah is named as a Recommended Lawyer for family/matrimonial matters by Legal 500 UK 2024 with the 2023 edition noting: “Hannah Greene is whip smart , forensic and one to watch”.

Hannah’s recent matters include:

• Representing a business owner in matrimonial proceedings, with issues surrounding the valuation of the businesses belonging to both parties.
• Advising a client in relation to the dissolution of their civil partnership and providing advice on their financial settlement and dealing with their complex pensions in collaboration with their IFA and pensions experts.
• Acting for company principals in relation to their matrimonial proceedings and reaching negotiated settlements.
• Advising the beneficiary of a family trust in relation to post nuptial agreements with a focus on reaching an amicable outcome for the family and children.
• Acting for a client in a long marriage, where their spouse has accumulated wealth through a family business with assets in four jurisdictions and reaching a negotiated outcome.

• Taking a case to the Court of Appeal which involved contesting the jurisdiction of the English courts in relation to children proceedings where the children have lived in two jurisdictions.
• Negotiating a successful outcome for a client in contested court proceedings in relation to relocating within the UK with their children.
• Successfully representing parents in contested proceedings who wish to relocate abroad with their new spouse.
• Successfully defending relocation proceedings where one parent wished to relocate abroad and dealing with subsequent contested child arrangements when that parent relocated without the child.
• Enforcing an order of the Scottish Family court in relation to a child abduction, to cause the return of the child.

Hannah’s reported cases include:

• Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2024] EWCA Civ 100 – This was the former husband’s appeal against the High Court decision in Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2023] EWFC 50 in which FLiP represented the wife.  Although the husband succeeded in part, he failed to secure the very substantial provision he sought.
• Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2023] EWFC 50 –a case representing a Russian national in a long-running dispute concerning financial provision following a divorce in Russia (Part III MFPA 1984, the “Part III Application”).
• HA v WA v BV [2022] EWFC 110. This was a preliminary issue hearing to determine whether a flat in London was owned beneficially by FLiP’s client.
• Re X (Children) [2022] EWCA Civ 1167. This was an appeal from the High Court to the Court of Appeal against a judge’s refusal to set aside an order in which a Russian order concerning children was recognised and enforced in England. FLiP represented the mother on this appeal and the father’s appeal was dismissed.
• Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2022] EWFC 30, an important decision concerning privacy in family proceedings and anonymisation. The decision was made as part of a claim for financial relief after an overseas divorce. The decision was widely reported in the mainstream press.
• Re X (Children) [2022] EWCA Civ 1167, a case in the Court of Appeal involving international children law proceedings in Russia and England.
• AA and BB [2021] EWFC 17, a case concerning competing children proceedings in England and in Russia. The High Court determined that Article 13 Hague Convention 1996 applied in respect of first in time rules (as the UK and Russia are signatories). The father had argued that the European regulation (BIIa) applied as this was a mandatory provision during the UK transition period from the EU.
• 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.

Hannah has published articles on a broad range of topics, and she writes for Family Law, Lexis Nexis and the Solicitors Journal. Hannah is a member of the London YRes Committee, the network for family law professionals.

Hannah trained and qualified as a solicitor at Collyer Bristow LLP before moving to Family Law in Partnership in 2016.

Hannah has a bachelors degree in anthropology from the University of Durham and a bachelors degree in law from the University of Law, London. Hannah mentors students from the University of Durham.