Miles Preston

This central London practice specialises exclusively in all aspects of family law.

The firm: Miles Preston is well established as a leading family law specialist practice, with an approach that is firm and effective while remaining fair and courteous. It concentrates on delivering a cost-efficient and high-quality service to all of its clients. The firm has two partners, Marcus Dearle and Harriet Wait, and two consultants, Julia Stanczyk and Anna Nice. Marcus Dearle became senior partner on 1 July 2023.

The firm is a leader acting in divorce and trust cases.

It has unrivalled international expertise - uniquely offering both England & Wales, and Hong Kong, law advice on the ground in London. It represents clients whether they are facing marriage or relationship breakdown, and disputes relating to children - or if there is a commercial element, and the clients are trustees of offshore or onshore trusts

The firm is highly sensitive to the emotional and other worries often experienced by clients when family relationships break down. Great care is taken to understand and respond to these, as well as to conduct the legal side with a high degree of professionalism. The firm adopts a conciliatory stance when circumstances permit; when court proceedings are necessary, however, they are pursued vigorously.

Types of work undertaken: The firm handles all types of family law work.

Fields of expertise include divorce and separation, cohabitation, pre- and post-marital agreements, the resolution of financial claims and all issues relating to children, including those involving jurisdictional considerations. A wide range of emergency procedures is handled including injunctions concerning child abduction, the removal of assets abroad and domestic violence.

All the partners are very experienced in the resolution of financial disputes, often highly complex, arising from family breakdowns.

The firm is often consulted on a preliminary basis by people with matrimonial or other family problems who are undecided on how to resolve those problems. The firm encourages these consultations, which invariably result in clarification of the issues involved and the avoidance of unnecessary proceedings.

The firm’s client base consists of UK and foreign individuals from a variety of backgrounds including businessmen and businesswomen, professionals, people in the entertainment world and the media, and landowners.

Close links have been established with other family lawyers around the world, underpinned by Miles Preston’s past presidency and current membership of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). Marcus Dearle is also a fellow of IAFL, and he is the current chair of the Family Law Committee of the International Bar Association.