Philip McGuirk

Practice Areas

Philip is an expert in complex high value financial remedy cases, often with an international dimension and is held in equally high regard for his expertise in pre- and post-nuptial agreements, cohabitation contracts, asset protection and private children law.

Philip advises on all aspects of family law, with his primary focus on financial remedy work. With a reputation for being commercially minded and pragmatic he is regularly instructed in complex financial litigation, more often than not with an international dimension involving HNWIs. He advises on pre/post-nuptial agreements, separation agreements and cohabitation contracts. Philip has a busy practice in pre/post-nuptial agreements, often with a foreign element working with overseas experts. Philip represented the successful husband in one of the early post Radmacher cases (V–v-V (Prenuptial Agreement) [2012] 1 FLR 1315). Philip also deals with disputes relating to children; principally schedule 1 and section 8 CA 1989 applications.

Philip acts for (and against) many clients who are household names, as well as for city professionals, entrepreneurs, family business owners, financiers, personalities in the sports/arts/media and their spouses/partners; always with an eye to avoid as much as possible the glare of publicity in what are obviously highly personal and very often distressing matters. His preference is, and has always been, to deal with the disengagement process, and the practical implications, in an environment which seeks to guarantee the parties confidentiality, speed and economy. The Court process, he believes, ought to be regarded as the ultimate default position only.

Cases of interest include:

• Rothschild-v-De Souza [2020] EWA Civ 1215;

• MB-v-EB (No.2) [2019] EWHC 3676 (Fam);

• MB-v-EB [2019] EWHC 1649 (Fam);

• SR-v-RS [2014] EWHC 4305 (Fam);

• MA-H-v-ZS [2012] EWHC 3271 (Fam);

• H-v-S (Recognition of Overseas Divorce) [2011] EWHC B23 (Fam);

• V-v-V (Prenuptial Agreement) [2011] EWHC 3230 (Fam);

• B-v-B (Ancillary Relief) [2010] 2 FLR 887;

• Judge-v-Judge [2009] 1 FLR 1287 CA;

• Corbett-v-Corbett [2003] 2 FLR 385 CA;

• Attar-v-Attar (Nos 1 & 2) [1985] FD 649 & 653.

Career

Qualified 1985; James & Sarch 1983-2000; joined Payne Hicks Beach as a Partner in 2000.