“The team is a wonderful combination of knowledge and pragmatism. The lawyers know what they are doing and how to do it.” – The Legal 500, 2019
Clintons has one of the top ranked family law practices in the UK. We are well known for representing high-profile and high-net-worth individuals across a wide range of family matters, including financial matters arising from divorce or separation, disputes over child contact, adoption and surrogacy. Our team regularly advises on cases with complex, international elements and is well known for taking an innovative approach and creating tailored solutions to suit each client’s individual needs. We will provide the highest standard of professional representation whilst being entirely supportive on a personal level during what we know can be a challenging time.
We are here to fight our clients’ corner and, where necessary, we do not hesitate to seek the assistance of the courts. We have a breadth and depth of experience in guiding cases through litigation at all levels and at all stages. However, we recognise that it is preferable and certainly more cost effective if cases can be resolved without litigation, so we also regularly take cases through alternative dispute resolution processes including mediation, collaborative law and arbitration. We only resort to litigation if we are sure that there is no viable alternative.
Our Team
Head of Department Liz Vernon is a hugely experienced lawyer with over 25 years in private practice. She is a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and part of the original team that acted for Diana, Princess of Wales in her divorce. She has an established reputation for dealing with high profile clients from the sports, entertainment and media fields and their spouses, notably acting for Karen Parlour in respect of the widely reported landmark case Parlour v Parlour, Slavica Ecclestone, and acting for the husband in the case of CB v KB [2019] EWFC 78.
She is “A formidable individual of the highest intellect, with great judgment” (Chambers & Partners, 2018) and has been described as “a true star” and “a first-rate strategist” (The Legal 500, 2019) who is “very hardworking and does everything that she can to further her clients’ cases. She knows the law inside and out and shows great attention to detail” (The Legal 500, 2018).
She leads an extremely experienced and highly skilled team of family lawyers including Consultant Sarah Bostock (“calm and reassuring manner … build(s) strong, trusting relationships with clients with a clear focus on their welfare” - The Legal 500, 2019), and a “number of brilliant associates” including Principal Daniel Chalmers (“very good client handling skills” - The Legal 500, 2019).
Marriage and civil partnership breakdown
Clintons has a wealth of experience in dealing with the financial consequences of marriage and civil partnership breakdowns. We regularly advise on complex cases involving businesses and trusts, both in this jurisdiction and internationally. Where appropriate we can call upon associated experts with whom we work regularly, both here and in other countries, to provide sound support and robust solutions.
Relationship breakdown – unmarried couples
The breakdown of these relationships raises important and complex legal issues in relation to children and property. We provide a specialist service in relation to these issues which is supported by a depth of experience unrivalled in our profession. We also advise on cohabitation agreements to minimise any negative impact in the event of a possible future breakdown of the relationship.
Pre and Post-nuptial agreements
As the instances of divorce rises, couples often seek to agree before they marry what might happen if the relationship were to come to an end. We are regularly involved in drafting and advising on pre-nuptial agreements to try to ensure that our clients will be properly protected for the future. We are also experienced in dealing with post-nuptial agreements for couples who wish to regulate their financial affairs after marriage.
Children
We specialise in advising on the difficult and emotive issues concerning children both during and after divorce. All of our practitioners have a great deal of experience in this area and understand the importance of dealing sensitively with these issues while at the same time acting effectively to ensure the best possible outcome. We always strive to keep the best interests of the children at the centre of the work we do.
Adoption and Surrogacy
We are also available to provide advice to clients looking to adopt, both within the UK and from overseas. Further, Clintons has particular experience in international surrogacy arrangements, having recently acted in a soon-to-be reported case that went before Mrs Justice Theis in the High Court in 2019.
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2 St Giles Square
London
WC2H 8AP
Clintons is a Partnership. Its only partners are Clintons LLP and C Legal LLP and it is Authorised and Regulated in the United Kingdom by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, under number 00045165.
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If you have strong academic ability and the strength and personality to enjoy dealing with demanding and interesting clients, then Clintons may be the place for you. You will have the desire to succeed in your chosen field, you will enjoy personal responsibility and have the ability to mix with both your colleagues and with the firm's clients. If this is the case and you are interested in joining one of the leading specialist Entertainment, Sport and Media law firms then contact one of the following:
Andrew Sharland for Qualified Lawyer positions in Litigation: asharland@clintons.co.uk;
James Nethercot for Qualified Lawyer positions in Property: jnethercot@clintons.co.uk;
Liz Vernon for Qualified Lawyer positions in Family: lvernon@clintons.co.uk;
Andrew Myers for all other Qualified Lawyer positions: amyers@clintons.co.uk;
For Training Contracts: traineerecruitment@clintons.co.uk (and see below);
and Diane Middleton for all other enquiries: dmiddleton@clintons.co.uk.
Training Contracts
We usually recruit two trainee solicitors a year, for training contracts to commence in September.
We look to recruit two years in advance. The recruitment process for 2025 is now closed. The period during which applications are invited for Training Contracts beginning in 2026 commences on 1 March 2024 and ends on 31 May 2024. Early applications during this period are encouraged.
We do not offer sponsorship for law school fees or for visa applications.
Given the volume of applications received, we are unable to enter into individual communication prior to any offer of an interview. To apply please send your CV with a covering letter or email to: traineerecruitment@clintons.co.uk.
1. This Privacy Policy sets out how we handle the personal information which you (as our client) provide to us within the context of using our legal services (“Services”). You are deemed to accept the terms of this Privacy Policy when you first instruct this firm. We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time and such changes shall be effective from the date and time the revised Privacy Policy is posted on this website (the “Site”). The Site and the Privacy Policy are the property of Clintons Solicitors, 2 St Giles Square, London WC2H 8AP.
2. To provide the Services, it is necessary for us to collect and process certain personal information from you, including without limitation some or all of: name, address, date of birth, gender, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses and/or financial information or credit card details and copies of identity verification documents (such as passports, driving licences and electronic database searches). This information will be stored together with any additional information you may provide to us from time to time, and will be used to provide you with the Services and any other services associated with them. We may also use your personal information to keep you up-to-date with relevant legal issues which we think may be of interest to you. We take reasonable care in keeping this information secure and preventing any unauthorised access or unlawful use of it. All personal information is processed by us in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
3. We may, from time to time, expand or reduce our business which may involve the transfer of certain divisions or assets of our company to other parties, and your data, where relevant, may be transferred to such third parties. Additionally, from time to time we may transfer such data to locations outside the European Economic Area, some of which may have different data protection laws to the UK or the EU, or no data protection laws. In all such cases, we transmit such information only to entities that comply with this policy and applicable law.
4. We may use 'cookies' while you access the Site to avoid the need to re-enter details on different occasions. This information is used to review and improve the Site and to tailor the Site to suit your interests.
5. If you wish to withdraw your consent in relation to storage and processing of your personal data, (i.e. “opt out”), please contact us at info@clintons.co.uk. Please note that, following any such withdrawal, we may not be able to provide the Services to the full extent or at all.
6. Please note you have the right to request access to and rectification or erasure of your data or to object to or request the restriction of processing of your data. If you do not want us to retain or use your data in any way or at any time, you may withdraw your consent (i.e. “opt out”), by contacting us at info@clintons.co.uk.
7. Information about concerns or complaints may be made to the Information Commissioners Office in the UK via https://ico.org.uk/concerns. If you have any queries about this Privacy Policy or wish to resume receiving information which you may have previously opted-out of receiving, please contact us at info@clintons.co.uk.
1. Clintons is a Partnership. Its only partners are Clintons LLP and C Legal LLP.
2. Clintons is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority whose regulations can be found at www.rules.sra.org.uk. Solicitors Regulation Authority number 00045165.
3. Professional Indemnity Insurance: click here to view certificate.
4. Equality and Diversity: we are committed to promoting equality and diversity in all our dealings with clients, third parties and employees. Please contact us if you would like a copy of our equality and diversity policy.
Under SRA rules, we are required to publish on our website price and service information in respect of the following practice areas for individuals:
We are committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client care. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you receive or about any bill we have submitted to you, please contact Karim Bouzidi on kbouzidi@clintons.co.uk or by post to Clintons, 2 St Giles Square, London WC2H 8AP. We have a written procedure that sets out how we handle complaints. To view that procedure, please click here.
We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. The Legal Ombudsman's contact details are:
PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
telephone 0300 555 0333
enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint, or within six years of the occurrence of the act or omission about which you are complaining (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it). Generally, the Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints relating to acts or omissions that happened after 5 October 2010.
The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints by consumers and very small businesses. This means some clients may not have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, eg charities or clubs with an annual income of more than £1m, trustees of trusts with asset value of more than £1m and most businesses (unless they are defined as micro-enterprises). This does not prevent you from making a complaint directly to us about the service you have received or about any bill you have recived.
If we are unable to resolve your complaint, and it relates to a contract we entered into online or by other electronic means, you may also be able to submit your complaint to a certified alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider in the UK via the EU ODR platform. The ODR platform is an interactive website offering a single point of entry for disputes between consumers and traders relating to online contracts. The ODR platform is available to consumer clients only, ie where you have instructed us in your personal capacity and for purposes outside your trade, business, craft or profession.
Information about reporting an individual or firm to the SRA is available on the SRA website. If you have any concerns about our behaviour or professional conduct you can raise these with the SRA. Please note that the SRA does not deal with complaints about poor service.
1. This Privacy Policy sets out how we handle the personal information which you (as our client) provide to us within the context of using our legal services (“Services”). You are deemed to accept the terms of this Privacy Policy when you first instruct this firm. We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time and such changes shall be effective from the date and time the revised Privacy Policy is posted on this website (the “Site”). The Site and the Privacy Policy are the property of Clintons Solicitors, 2 St Giles Square, London WC2H 8AP.
2. To provide the Services, it is necessary for us to collect and process certain personal information from you, including without limitation some or all of: name, address, date of birth, gender, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses and/or financial information or credit card details and copies of identity verification documents (such as passports, driving licences and electronic database searches). This information will be stored together with any additional information you may provide to us from time to time, and will be used to provide you with the Services and any other services associated with them. We may also use your personal information to keep you up-to-date with relevant legal issues which we think may be of interest to you. We take reasonable care in keeping this information secure and preventing any unauthorised access or unlawful use of it. All personal information is processed by us in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
3. We may, from time to time, expand or reduce our business which may involve the transfer of certain divisions or assets of our company to other parties, and your data, where relevant, may be transferred to such third parties. Additionally, from time to time we may transfer such data to locations outside the European Economic Area, some of which may have different data protection laws to the UK or the EU, or no data protection laws. In all such cases, we transmit such information only to entities that comply with this policy and applicable law.
4. We may use 'cookies' while you access the Site to avoid the need to re-enter details on different occasions. This information is used to review and improve the Site and to tailor the Site to suit your interests.
5. If you wish to withdraw your consent in relation to storage and processing of your personal data, (i.e. “opt out”), please contact us at info@clintons.co.uk.
6. Please note that, following any such withdrawal, we may not be able to provide the Services to the full extent or at all.Please note you have the right to request access to and rectification or erasure of your data or to object to or request the restriction of processing of your data. If you do not want us to retain or use your data in any way or at any time, you may withdraw your consent (i.e. “opt out”), by contacting us at info@clintons.co.uk.
7. Information about concerns or complaints may be made to the Information Commissioners Office in the UK via https://ico.org.uk/concerns. If you have any queries about this Privacy Policy or wish to resume receiving information which you may have previously opted-out of receiving, please contact us at info@clintons.co.uk.
If you have strong academic ability and the strength and personality to enjoy dealing with demanding and interesting clients, then Clintons may be the place for you. You will have the desire to succeed in your chosen field, you will enjoy personal responsibility and have the ability to mix with both your colleagues and with the firm's clients. If this is the case and you are interested in joining one of the leading specialist Entertainment, Sport and Media law firms then contact one of the following:
Andrew Sharland for Qualified Lawyer positions in Litigation: asharland@clintons.co.uk;
James Nethercot for Qualified Lawyer positions in Property: jnethercot@clintons.co.uk;
Liz Vernon for Qualified Lawyer positions in Family: lvernon@clintons.co.uk;
Andrew Myers for all other Qualified Lawyer positions: amyers@clintons.co.uk;
For Training Contracts: recruitment@clintons.co.uk (and see below);
and Diane Middleton for all other enquiries: dmiddleton@clintons.co.uk.
Training Contracts
Applications for Training Contracts commencing in 2024 are now closed.
We usually recruit two trainee solicitors a year, for training contracts to commence in September.
We look to recruit two years in advance. The period during which applications are invited for Training Contracts beginning in 2025 commences on 1st March 2023 and ends on 30th June 2023. Early applications during this period are encouraged.
We do not offer sponsorship for law school fees or for visa applications.
Given the volume of applications received, we are unable to enter into individual communication prior to any offer of an interview.To apply please send your CV with a covering letter or email to: recruitment@clintons.co.uk.
1. Clintons is a Partnership. Its only partners are Clintons LLP and C Legal LLP.
2. Clintons is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority whose regulations can be found at www.rules.sra.org.uk. Solicitors Regulation Authority number 00045165.
3. Professional Indemnity Insurance: click here to view certificate.
4. Equality and Diversity: we are committed to promoting equality and diversity in all our dealings with clients, third parties and employees. Please contact us if you would like a copy of our equality and diversity policy.
Under SRA rules, we are required to publish on our website price and service information in respect of the following practice areas for individuals:
We are committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client care. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you receive or about any bill we have submitted to you, please contact Karim Bouzidi on kbouzidi@clintons.co.uk or by post to Clintons, 2 St Giles Square, London WC2H 8AP. We have a written procedure that sets out how we handle complaints. To view that procedure, please click here.
We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are:
PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
telephone 0300 555 0333
enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint, or within six years of the occurrence of the act or omission about which you are complaining (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it). Generally, the Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints relating to acts or omissions that happened after 5 October 2010.
The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints by consumers and very small businesses. This means some clients may not have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, eg charities or clubs with an annual income of more than £1m, trustees of trusts with asset value of more than £1m and most businesses (unless they are defined as micro-enterprises). This does not prevent you from making a complaint directly to us about the service you have received or about any bill you have received.
If we are unable to resolve your complaint, and it relates to a contract we entered into online or by other electronic means, you may also be able to submit your complaint to a certified alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider in the UK via the EU ODR platform. The ODR platform is an interactive website offering a single point of entry for disputes between consumers and traders relating to online contracts. The ODR platform is available to consumer clients only, ie where you have instructed us in your personal capacity and for purposes outside your trade, business, craft or profession.
Information about reporting an individual or firm to the SRA is available on the SRA website. If you have any concerns about our behaviour or professional conduct you can raise these with the SRA. Please note that the SRA does not deal with complaints about poor service.
