Felicity Chapman

Overview

I’m a Partner in Michelmores’ Family team. I advise clients including families with dynastic wealth, entrepreneurs, business owners and their spouses on a range of Family Law issues.

I frequently advise clients in relation to wealth protection and planning, working with colleagues in other teams to consider the family law implications of their situation, the structures and plans they are putting in place and providing holistic advice. This includes preparing pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and generally helping clients to understand their legal position and options.

I represent clients in divorce proceedings and the associated financial arrangements through voluntary negotiations, court proceedings and various out-of-court processes including arbitration, “private FDRs” and through the Collaborative process. My work may involve representing a spouse/civil partner or a connected third party such as a family member or trustees. I am particularly experienced in representing high net worth clients in cases involving complex business assets, pensions and trusts.

I advise unmarried individuals on cohabitation and separation.

I also represent clients in relation to arrangements for children including decisions about where and with whom children should live, the time to be spent with each parent and other important decisions such as choice of school. I am experienced in dealing with complex cases where there are parallel criminal issues, allegations of domestic abuse and the involvement of wider professionals.

I am committed to ensuring that my clients feel supported and that they receive practical, pragmatic advice on their situation in order to make informed decisions about their future and to be able to move forward with their lives. I will always look for a way to resolve matters amicably and by agreement, though I have a wealth of experience of representing clients both in and out of court where agreement is not possible.

Recent experience

Representing wider family members as interveners in financial proceedings on divorce where there was a dispute as to who owned various assets and claims were being made by a divorcing spouse

Working collaboratively with colleagues to advise families with wealth passed down many generations on their arrangements to give them greater clarity and protection from the uncertainty of any future relationship breakdown, including advising on pre-nuptial agreements alongside lawyers from other international jurisdictions

Acting for one of the parents in cases where there are serious allegations of domestic abuse and/or criminal proceedings impacting on the arrangements for children

Advising entrepreneurs’ families on the sale of a substantial business in relation to plans to share wealth with wider family and preparing post-nuptial agreements

Representing unmarried parents in relation to financial claims for their children