In Guildford, full-service firm Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is noted by clients as fielding ‘one of the best regional family law departments in the country’. Its client roster features national and international high-profile and high-net-worth clients that need advisory and dispute resolution assistance with complicated matters relating to children such as relocation, child protection and adoption work, financial assets including offshore trusts and significant pensions, and unmarried family agreements. The ’commercially astute’ Shona Alexander has a broad practice with substantial experience in financial cases, pre and post-marital agreements and cohabitation issues. Co-heading the team with Alexander is the ‘unflappable’ Karen Wilsher, who specialises in high-value financial cases and child law cases in relation to families with addiction difficulties. William Rollin offers extensive experience in matrimonial finance and private law children matters including international relocation and parental alienation cases.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘One of the best regional family law departments in the country.’
‘Shona Alexander is a very impressive lawyer and leader. She has an incisive legal mind and her clients, rightly, adore her. Rebecca Arnold is also a superb associate who is a rising star.’
‘Karen Wilsher is a class act, an unflappable and great technical lawyer but also pragmatic. Claire Devine has a great manner with clients, an eye for detail and excellent judgement. Nick Bass is outstanding and a future star. He offers mastery of the facts and figures in a case and tactical and sound instinct.’
‘An extremely well-known firm that is a leader in the field of matrimonial finance. The Surrey and Sussex practice delivers top level representation but provided locally and without charging central London prices.’
‘Felicity Chapman is excellent, unflappable and pragmatic. She is sensible, measured but also friendly and approachable.’
‘Shona Alexander is a fantastic lawyer. She is commercially astute and will go the extra mile for her clients. She is incredibly collaborative which means her clients get results. She is proactive and will always try and resolve matters before resorting to litigation. She is also an excellent mediator.’
‘They have great family team who are well known for dealing with high net worth and complex financial matters. The team stand out against competitors for their expertise with high value matrimonial work whilst offering an excellent service.’
‘Karen Wilsher is utterly dedicated to her job. She has excellent client care skills and is always keen to ensure that the client has an opportunity to voice their concerns about their case. She has an innate sense of anticipating the other side's next move so is always one step ahead. Claire Devine is very much a partner in the making. She is always clear in highlighting what the client's objectives are in a case. Nick Bass is definitely one to watch. He has great care to detail and is very responsive to client's needs.’