Expatriate Law

Directors: David Hallam-Peel and Alexandra Tribe

Partners: Byron James, Sonny Patel and Hero Lomas

Number of partners: 5

Number of lawyers: 12

Languages: English, French, Portuguese, German, Greek, Farsi

Expatriate Law is a leading international family law firm with a head office in Belgravia, London. The firm specialises in divorce, financial remedies on separation, forum disputes, prenuptial and marital agreements and children disputes including abduction. The firm was founded by Alexandra Tribe and her father David Hallam-Peel to focus on family law advice for international families, in particular those living as expatriates. The firm has a strong Middle East focus, with Byron James being based in the UAE where he advises British expatriates in the region. Alexandra Tribe has particular recognition for her advice on cross border matters involving the UAE, having practiced in Dubai for 9 years. The firm opened a further office in Singapore in October 2019, headed up by partner Sonny Patel. Senior consultant, David Truex, advises on Anglo-Australian matters and is based between London and Australia. Sara Lange, fluent French speaker, specialises in advising French families living in the UK. Hero Lomas, fluent Portuguese speaker, trained with MiKK to broaden the reach of international mediation, andadvises and mediates in Portuguese. Eliza Hebditch advises on all areas of family law, particularly those involving the US or Switzerland.Lauren Carmichael has worked as a family lawyer in London, South Africa and the UAE.

Financial remedies and forum disputes on divorce:

■ Successful in the Supreme Court case to determine a financial remedies claim to survive the death one (or both) parties. This is the first time that this financial remedies issue has been dealt with by the Supreme Court in England. Partner: Byron James

■ One of the first firms in the world to assist and advise a client through the process of the new Non-Muslim Family Court in Abu Dhabi, with orders for divorce, financial remedies and children being sought through this new process. Partner: Byron James

■ A case involving significant family wealth for the Wife contained in both trust and corporate structures with different questions to be determined as to the extent to which the assets should be considered within her control and/or matrimonial in nature. Assets are well in excess of £100 million. Partner: Byron James

■ Assisting the applicant wife to secure permission to proceed with a Part III application following a Singapore divorce, including successfully defending an Anti-Suit injunction. The case saw much interest by the Singapore press:https://www.singaporelawwatch.sg/Portals/0/Docs/Judgments/2022/[2022]%20SGCA%2034.pdf. Partner: Sonny Patel

■ Part III after an Italian equivalent of a consent order. The parties entered into an agreement as part of Italian proceedings. Partner: Sonny Patel

■ Drafting a multi-jurisdiction pre-nuptial agreement for a client with assets in excess of £70m, including complex business assets, and over £500,000 of gross income. Senior Associate: Oscar Smith

■ Acting for Kuwaiti national to successfully strike out Wife's petition for lack of jurisdiction. Ongoing contested proceedings under Part III MFPA 1984. Partner: Alexandra Tribe

■ Successfully defending a global freezing injunction and allegations of financial misconduct for a husband in multi-million-pound financial remedy proceedings, with assets in England, USA, France, Iran and Switzerland. Senior Associate: Oscar Smith

■ Contested choice of forum proceedings between England and Singapore. Successfully secured English jurisdiction for client based in Singapore where the spouse was based in Jakarta and key assets were based in England. Partner: Sonny Patel

■ Acting for the Wife in a Singapore / UK case where the assets are £9m and H’s income is in excess of £3m a year. Partner: Sonny Patel

International Children:

■ A successful appeal to the Court of Appeal overturning Mostyn J on a first instance decision of whether the English Court should provide assistance to British children living in a war-zone. Matter reverted to first instance for determination. Partner: Byron James

■ Securing contact for a high profile, USA-based father with his child in complex children proceedings, involving addictions, allegations of domestic abuse, parental alienation, and a temporary relocation. Senior Associate: Oscar Smith

■ Acting for the maternal grandparents to successfully defend against the father's jurisdiction claim in England concerning his child living in Kenya. Ongoing proceedings concerning international PR rights for grandparents. Partner: Alexandra Tribe

■ An ongoing case and the first of its kind seeking to use the English Court to establish same sex parental rights in the UAE. Partner: Byron James

■ Representing a senior Singapore doctor in Hague return proceedings, securing a location order and tipstaff order. Also instructed in Hague abduction proceedings involving Germany, successfully defending the return under Article 13(a). Partner: Sonny Patel

■ Representing a mother with complex addictions in her application for children to return to live in England from Abu Dhabi, resulting in a 5-day High Court trial. Partner: Byron James; Senior Associate: Oscar Smith

■ Successfully secured a temporary “reverse” relocation order for a mother and three children from Dubai to England following the ill health of a close relative using Family Law Act 1986. Partner: Byron James

London: Alexandra Tribe

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)207 846 5451

United Arab Emirates: Byron James

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)207 846 5445

Singapore: Sonny Patel

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)207 846 5470

Australia: David Truex

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)207 846 5471