Ayesha Vardag, Founder and President of Vardags and ‘Britain’s top divorce lawyer’, is known for her ground-breaking family law practice. As the go-to divorce lawyer for ultra-high net worth clients with the most challenging cases, her work often involves complex financial matters, international jurisdictions and other sensitivities surrounding high profile individuals, including managing the press. With an impressive track record of major victories in the English courts, Ayesha is well established as a leader in the field of family law. She is one of the few lawyers called upon to advise heads of state, both on English and international law, and has been involved in many of the cases that have formed the landscape of divorce law in our times.
England - London • Private client
Vardags
Led by Ayesha Vardag, Vardags ‘houses a lot of great lawyers’ and the family law team is praised as ’very commercially astute with a strong financial remedies practice’. It specialises in complex international litigation cases for its predominantly ultra-high-net-worth client base. Simon McKirgan remains a leading international divorce lawyer who regularly acts in some of the most significant cases, while Caroline Korah is the new head of the children department. Key changes to the team include the addition of David Lister from Rayden Solicitors in July 2023, and Antonia Barker‘s elevation to the partnership in January 2023. Former practice head Georgina Hamblin has set up her own practice, and Katherine Res Pritchard joined Howard Kennedy LLP at the start of 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Ayesha Vardag’s tactical skills are well-known within the field. She is supported by an excellent team, which includes Caroline Korah. Both very responsive and dedicated to their clients.'
- ‘Ayesha Vardag takes each case very seriously and considerable care is taken. Simon McKirgan is brilliant, particularly for cases with a corporate dimension.'
- ‘From the outset of the initial call, Caroline Korah gave me a supreme sense of calm and confidence regarding my case. Caroline guided my case with deep care and attention and, most importantly, detail, so that the courts had a clear picture of what actually transpired and were equipped to make a fair judgement.'
'What makes this team different is that the clients feel heard, supported, protected and valued.'
'The team’s attention to detail, superb client care and support, excellent preparatory work and drafting and determination to achieve the best outcome for their clients sets the firm very clearly apart and head and shoulders above their rivals. The lawyers at Vardags are a group of very impressive, exceptional, highly skilled, dynamic and specialist family solicitors.'
‘They are simply the best family law firm for high-net-worth clients. Nothing is left to chance, nothing goes unconsidered, and nothing is too much trouble.'
- 'Charlotte Purves has recently impressed me with her pragmatism, competence and drafting skills.'
‘Antonia Barker is highly intelligent and robust whilst also thoughtful and considered. A real powerhouse.’
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading individuals
Simon, Senior Partner at Vardags, specialises in the top end of high net worth divorce. He has particular expertise in managing ultra-high net worth cases involving very complex financial issues and cross-jurisdictional disputes. He has the expertise and command of both broad lines and forensic detail to be in complete command of his multi-billion pound cases. Simon also deals with separation and cohabitation disputes and private children law proceedings, including international relocation. Simon has great experience in representing individuals or their partners from the venture capital, hedge fund, City, banking, entertainment and sporting sectors, and leading entrepreneurs. He has particular expertise in handling the sensitivities around celebrity cases. As a trained collaborative lawyer, he is able to settle cases through conciliatory negotiation as well as through tough litigation.
Next Generation Partners
Caroline, a partner in family law at Vardags, specialises exclusively in family law and most notably on all aspects of children law. Sensitive and tenacious with trilingual capacity, Caroline is well-versed in domestic and international disputes, with particular experience in cross-border disputes. Her expertise spans widely from child arrangements and relocation matters to parental child abduction (Hague and non-Hague), foreign orders, injunctions and protection orders. Coined a ‘rising star’ in her field, Caroline is renowned for her straight-talking, empathetic and unpretentious approach as a lawyer.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Ayesha Vardag