Claire Yorke

Practice Areas

Claire is a Partner in the Family team, practicing in the area of family law for 16 years. She recognises that changing family dynamics require a flexible and commercial approach, with early intervention and the use of ADR being key.

Her diverse practice includes advising international and domestic HNW clients on the financial implications of relationship breakdown, in particular those involving trusts and corporate assets, crypto assets, inherited wealth, complex remuneration structures and where there are allegations of non-disclosure or dissipation. She also has a well-established wealth protection practice advising clients on pre-and post-nuptial agreements.

Claire has great experience in private law cases relating to a child's living arrangements, significant decisions regarding their care and applications by one parent to relocate within the UK or overseas with a child.

Claire has a particular interest in managing the reputational aspect of relationship breakdown and protecting the balance between personal and private life. Described as "one of the very best partners", "out performing her peers" and whose negotiating skills are "second to none", Claire is adept at ensuring that her clients feel supported in what is often a pivotal time in their lives, working with them to achieve the best possible outcome, enabling them to move forward with confidence.

Career

Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP

Legal Director, Mishcon de Reya LLP

Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP

Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP

Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya

Solicitor, Birketts LLP

Trainee, Willans Solicitors LLP

Experience

Acting as lead Associate in the highest value divorce to be litigated in the English courts. The case also involved determination of the extent to which the media should be restricted from reporting a day by day account of matrimonial financial proceedings.

Representing the wife in an application for a Hemain order stopping the husband from progressing arbitration in the USA pursuant to a pre-marital agreement, while the wife’s proceedings in England were awaiting a decision on the husband’s application for a stay.

Successfully obtaining residence for a father of two young children from their alcoholic mother. The order ensured that all contact with the mother was supervised and prevented her from revisiting matters for a year, to guarantee some stability for the children.

Wyatt v Vince [2015] UKSC 14 - Supreme Court of the United Kingdom: Assisting in the case in which the firm acted for the successful Appellant wife in financial remedy proceedings that had been brought almost 30 years following the parties' separation and 19 years since their divorce.