Bethan Thomas

Bethan is a Partner and head of the Family & Matrimonial team who advises on all aspects of relationship breakdown, including divorce and separation, financial settlements, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes and private law children matters.

Bethan has considerable experience in advising clients in cases involving complex financial disputes, including trusts, inherited wealth, complex pension arrangements and international cases. Bethan also has particular expertise in representing clients where there are complex disputes regarding the arrangements for children, to include those where there are allegations of abuse and parental alienation, and where one parent wishes to relocate with a child, both internally within the UK and overseas.

Bethan is a member of Resolution, the leading membership organisation for specialist family lawyers and is Chair of the Thames Valley Family Lawyers Society.

Bethan has been ranked for many years by both Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a leading individual in her field. She is currently ranked as a ‘rising star” by The Legal 500 and has been described as “assertive and fearless”.  Bethan is also listed as an ‘associate to watch’ by Chambers UK and has been praised for her ‘steely determination to achieve the best result for her client’.

Bethan recently acted on behalf of the Appellant father in the Court of Appeal in Re A (A Child) (Habitual Residence: 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention)[2023] EWCA Civ 659, successfully appealing a decision of the High Court concerning the jurisdiction of the courts in relation to a child wrongfully retained in Zambia.