Work Department

36 Family

Position

Gwynfor Evans is a member of both the Chancery Bar Association and the Family Law Bar Association. He specialises in financial remedies (MCA 1973 and CA 1989 Sch 1), trusts of land, proprietary estoppel, probate / inheritance disputes, and presumption of death claims.

He is praised by clients and peers for his strong client-care skills and his expertise across a broad range of property and private client matters, including trusts of land (TLATA), inheritance disputes, contentious probate, financial remedies (on divorce), and presumption of death claims. The first decade of his career has been heavily court-based; Gwynfor is confident and relaxed at trial, and very experienced at cross-examination.

Gwynfor acts for claimants as well as personal representatives / trustees in his contentious chancery work. He also acts for interveners in matrimonial finance disputes.

Gwynfor’s background in IT (particularly database design and programming) enables him to present complex financial matters in a simple way using modern technology. He has a pedantic eye for detail, and an ability to present complicated arguments about e.g. pension sharing or the structuring of Schedule 1 / TLATA claims, in an orderly simple fashion.

Gwynfor is down-to-earth and approachable with clients, whilst being precise, thorough and tenacious with opponents. Gwynfor has a knack for achieving excellent results whilst maintaining a good humour at trial, and finding creative solutions, where appropriate, in negotiated outcomes.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Gwynfor juggled a career as a professional actor / singer with database design and coding. Gwyn's legal training was at City University and BPP in London. He graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge with a first class degree in Social and Political Sciences in 1996, and then from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School with a distinction in acting in 2000.

Gwynfor has many years of experience in the complexities of child maintenance (CMS) disputes, and has litigated these issues in the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber).

Gwynfor is Direct Public Access qualified.

Gwynfor has been published on many occasions in the hard-copy journals Solicitors Journal / Family Law, Family Affairs as well as online for Family Law Week, and Gwynfor won the LexisNexis (Jordan Publishing) Family Law Commentator of the Year award in November 2016 for his writing. Gwyn has also contributed articles and book reviews to Graya and Graya News at Gray's Inn.

Work undertaken:

Family financial

Financial remedies (matrimonial finance / financial orders / ancillary relief) including cases involving inherited / ‘non-matrimonial’ property, trusts, non-disclosure and delay Same-sex relationship (LGBT) disputes (civil partnership and cohabitee disputes) Schedule 1 claims (financial provision for children) Financial disputes over child maintenance (CMS / CSA) (Gwynfor has litigated these in the First-Tier Tribunal) Intervener (third party) disputes in financial remedy cases.

Property

Contentious Probate (capacity, undue influence, want of knowledge and approval) Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 Trusts of land (ToLATA claims) Orders for sale Presumption of Death Act 2013 claims (Gwynfor successfully acted in the first such claim, which was before Pauffley J) Powers of attorney – Property and Financial Affairs / Personal Welfare, and other Mental Capacity Act 2005 matters Protection from Harassment Act 1997 claims

Mentions

London Bar

Family: divorce and financial remedy

LEADING JUNIORS3

Gwynfor Evans –The 36 Group ‘Gwyn is an absolute star. He is calm and pragmatic, with an excellent bedside manner. He is very persuasive when on his feet and commands the judge’s undivided attention. He is concise without compromising on quality.’