Gavin Smith has three decades’ experience as a specialist family law barrister, dealing with all types of financial remedy proceedings following relationship breakdown.

Gavin now focusses full time on his established practice as an arbitrator and private FDR evaluator.  In DB v DLJ [2016] EWHC 324 (Fam), Mr Justice Mostyn referred to Gavin’s arbitration award as ‘a thorough, conscientious and clear piece of work. Its quality is a testament to the merit of opting for arbitration.’

Gavin is available to undertake arbitrations of all kinds, from single-issue disputes to those involving the full range of financial remedy claims, and from high value cases to ones where the parties’ resources are modest.

He is also an experienced private FDR evaluator, assisting couples on separation by giving them an assessment of the likely outcome in their case, and thus providing them with a basis for a negotiated settlement.

Gavin sits as a Deputy District Judge in the Financial Remedies Court on the Midland Circuit, where he has been authorised to hear the more complex cases.

Notable cases:

BC v BG [2019] EWFC 7: January 28, 2019 (as arbitrator) DB v DLJ (financial provision: arbitral award)  [2016] EWHC 324 (Fam), [2016] 2 FLR 1308 [2016] 1 WLR 3319: February 24, 2016 (as arbitrator) Vogel v Lothschütz [2014] EWHC 473 (QB), (QBD)(LTL 30/1/2014): January 24, 2014 S v S [2014] EWHC 7 (Fam), [2014] 1 FLR 1257 [2014] 1 WLR 2299: January 14, 2014 (as arbitrator) Gourisaria v Gourisaria [2010] EWCA Civ 1019,[2011] 1 FLR 262; August 13, 2010 NA v MA [2006] EWHC 2900 (Fam), [2007] 1 FLR 1760: November 24, 2006 TL v ML and others [2005] EWHC 2860 (Fam), [2006] 1 FLR 1263: December 09, 2005 Chorley v Chorley [2005] EWCA Civ 68, [2005] 2 FLR 38, CA: January 12, 2005 C v C (Brussels II: French conciliation and divorce proceedings) [2004] EWHC 1959 (Fam), [2005] 2 FLR 14: June 28, 2004 Mubarak v Mubarik [2004] EWHC 1158 (Fam), [2004] 2 FLR 932: May 14, 2004 Dharamshi v Dharamshi [2001] 1 FLR 736, CA: December 05, 2000 Roker International Properties Inc v Couvaras [2000] 2 FLR 976: August 17, 2000 Abdi v Jama [1996] 1 FLR 407, CA: May 25, 1995

Publications:

At A Glance: Essential Tables for Financial Remedies (annual) At A Glance Cloud Financial Remedies Practice (annual) FamilyArbitrator.com Rayden and Jackson, 18th and 19th editions Halsbury’s Laws of England, 4th edition reissue: Vol 29(3), Matrimonial Law Enforcing Financial Orders in Family Proceedings

Called 1981; Middle Temple

Family Law Bar Association Resolution Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Forum of Family Arbitrators Institute of Family Law Arbitrators

Downside School; Corpus Christi College, Oxford (MA).