Expertise

Francesca has experience of resolving matters both by agreement and through litigation. She often works on international cases involving assets and trusts located overseas, foreign jurisdictional issues or with international families.

Francesca specialises in private children law, regularly representing parents within a wide range of acrimonious disputes including complex child contact arrangements, parental alienation cases and allegations of domestic abuse.

Experience

• Acted as part of a team that acted for a wife in a highly contested dispute where the family wealth exceeded £500m. Issues arose in respect of the enforceability of a foreign pre-nuptial agreement and the husband’s assertion that his wealth should be regarded as a “stellar contribution”.
• Assisted on a complex case involving arguments regarding the valuation and liquidity of the husband’s international business worth c. £700m. The case dealt with whether there should be a departure from equality to reflect risk and liquidity, post-separation endeavour and whether his wealth should be regarded as a “stellar contribution”.
• Worked on a complex multi-jurisdictional dispute with assets of $5bn held through complex offshore corporate entities and trust structures.

Career

Francesca graduated from the University of Kent before completing a six-month accelerated LPC at University of Law. Francesca joined Stewarts as a paralegal in February 2014, started her training contract in September 2016 and qualified as a solicitor in September 2018.

Accreditations and Memberships

Francesca is a member of Resolution.

Publications and Media

Recent articles include:

• Variation of joint lives’ maintenance order – Court of Apepal stands firm in Mills v Mills

Personal

Francesca is a keen traveller and enjoys exploring new destinations with her young family. She is an avid skier and enjoys daily walks with her Miniature Dachshund, Derek. Francesca has also recently taken up baking and is happiest in the kitchen trying new cookie or brownie recipes.