Debbie Chism

Practice Areas

Debbie’s practice encompasses all aspects of family law (complex asset valuation, business interests, trusts and wealth protection structures). She advises regularly on international pre-nuptial agreements.

One of Debbie’s particular areas of expertise is collaborative law, having co-founded England’s first multi-disciplinary group of collaborative professionals (Creative Divorce).

Debbie acted for HRH Prince Louis of Luxembourg in the successful application for a reporting restrictions order relating to family proceedings – [2017] EWHC 3095 (Fam).

Debbie also recently acted for the wife in XW v XH 2017 EWFC 76 (and XW v XH (No.2) (Reporting Restrictions Order) [2018] EWFC 44) in which the wife was awarded one of the highest recorded English divorce settlements. In addition the case dealt with issues of special contribution, privacy and whether foreign marital contracts should be treated as pre-nuptial agreements. Debbie recently represented the wife in her successful application for the continuation of the reporting restrictions order, exceptionally, in the Court of Appeal (XW v XH [2019] EWCA Civ 549).

Career

Debbie graduated from Oxford University (Jurisprudence) in 1990.

Debbie was crowed Spear's Family Lawyer of the Year in 2019.

Professional Memberships

Debbie is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.