Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth - UK-wide
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What the Team is Known For
Dawson Cornwell is a well-respected family law boutique firm that is particularly well regarded for cross-border work.
Department profile
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth
High Net Worth Guide 2026 : UK-wide
Rankings
Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
About
Provided by Dawson Cornwell
The matrimonial team is led by 7 widely recognised partners and supported by extremely experienced associates and assistants, who all handle active domestic, cross-border and HNW caseloads and are well respected in this area of law. With Resolution accredited specialists and many professional memberships, Dawson Cornwell has the necessary expertise to deal with cases of whatever complexion and ensure their clients receive exceptionally high service at all levels.
They advise on all areas of family law, especially HNW financial cases arising out of marital and non-marital breakdown; jurisdictional disputes; pre and post nuptial agreements; financial settlements and enforcement; complex, high value financial cases involving non-disclosure, off-shore assets and a variety of financial, business and trust structures; and international trust cases.
The firm’s extensive contacts in international family law mean they have access to comparative overseas advice and equally they are regularly asked to reciprocate from an English perspective for cases with an English dimension being conducted in varied jurisdictions. They are astute at determining jurisdictional issues to give best advice to preserve their clients’ wealth and give strategic advice regarding domicile and tax residency.
They offer advice in a broad spectrum of languages, with twenty languages spoken and have developed websites in eight further languages as a result.
Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
The Dawson Cornwell team is knowledgeable about the work and able to defer to counsel when appropriate. They are responsive to emails, get back to you promptly and were attentive to my needs on the whole.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthDawson Cornwell has a depth and breadth of experience to meet their client's needs. I find them a pleasure to work with, really going the extra mile to look after the client and the legal team.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
Notable Practitioners
Provided by Chambers
Senior Statespeople 
Senior Statespeople Simon Bruce
Simon Bruce is a highly experienced partner within Dawson Cornwell's family department.
Simon Bruce is just an absolute delight to work with. He is one of the best in the business. Simon is really insightful, thoughtful and he thinks very carefully about the advice he gives and the work he does. He works in quite an intuitive way which comes from years and years of experience.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSimon is a total legend. He is very effective at getting the best out of clients, his co-workers and counsel. He's a genuine pleasure to work with and he continues to be instructed in the most difficult cases.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSimon Bruce is the champion of high net worth clients; charming and bright in equal measure.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
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Band 4 Charlotte Conner
Charlotte Conner is a partner at Dawson Cornwell who regularly acts on cross-border financial remedy proceedings.
Charlotte Conner is super organised, really strategic and always one step ahead. She can manage any sort of complexity, her client care is just incredible.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthCharlotte Conner is exceptionally proactive and efficient. She has good tactical awareness in how to run litigation and is not afraid of making difficult decisions in complicated and challenging litigation.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthCharlotte Conner's instincts are spot on.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthCharlotte Conner is brilliant. She is very tenacious, fights hard for her clients and gives solid, sound advice.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
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Band 4 Jessica Reid
Jessica Reid frequently handles financial remedy disputes and nuptial agreements for affluent clients. Jessica Reid is a truly exceptional finance solicitor who is energetic and highly skilled in communicating with clients.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthJessica is a force to be reckoned with, will fight her clients' corner and will get the best results.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthJessica is a dedicated and highly experienced solicitor. She is a pleasure to work with. She can handle the most difficult of clients with ease and works her socks off!
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
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Band 4 Russell Bywater
Russell Bywater handles financial remedy proceedings, including international matters. He is head of the firm's practice.
Russell Bywater is no-nonsense. He calls a spade a spade, and clients respect him for speaking his mind.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthRussell Bywater is a very passionate lawyer. He acts on cases he believes in and fights for the clients.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
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Band 4 Sarah-Jane Lenihan
Sarah-Jane Lenihan is a partner at Dawson Cornwell who represents high net worth clients in divorce and financial remedy proceedings.
Sarah-Jane Lenihan is brilliant to work with. She's very good on detail. She's very analytical in the way she approaches work and is very interested in numbers.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSarah-Jane is absolutely fantastic.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSarah-Jane Lenihan provided sound advice, has been responsive and supportive.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSarah-Jane Lenihan has a real quiet authority. She makes her clients feel protected and is very commercially astute.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthSarah-Jane Lenihan is tough, empowering and brilliant.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
Up and Coming 
Up and Coming Kate Brett
Kate Brett is a newly promoted partner at Dawson Cornwell. She advises on matrimonial finance issues, often with an international element.
Kate Brett is very on top of issues, forward thinking and well prepared. Clients really appreciate her manner, which is understanding, empathetic, clear and sensible. They appreciate how focused she is on achieving sensible agreements at an early stage.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthKate Brett is incredibly good with clients, keeping them calm and cutting through the details.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthKate Brett thinks outside the box very well and is really good at thinking about all the options. She has brilliant attention to detail.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthKate Brett is phenomenal. She is the next generation of family law partners.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net WorthKate Brett is absolutely on top of it. She is a brilliant legal mind and gives the right advice to clients.
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth respondentHigh Net Worth
Ranked Individuals at Dawson Cornwell (6)
UK-wide
Simon Bruce
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth
View profile Charlotte Conner
Family/Matrimonial Finance: High Net Worth
View profile Russell Bywater
Family/Matrimonial Finance: High Net Worth
View profile Sarah-Jane Lenihan
Family/Matrimonial Finance: High Net Worth
View profile Jessica Reid
Family/Matrimonial Finance: Ultra High Net Worth
View profile Kate Brett
Family/Matrimonial Finance: High Net Worth
View profile
Members
Provided by Dawson Cornwell
Anna Shadbolt
Sarah-Jane Lenihan
View profile of Sarah-Jane LenihanSimon Bruce
View profile of Simon BruceRussell Bywater
View profile of Russell BywaterJessica Reid
View profile of Jessica ReidKate Brett
View profile of Kate Brett
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