The International HNW Divorce & Children Summit

Bringing Together Leading Family Finance and Children Practitioners from Around the World

In-Person | 1st-2nd July 2025 | Lisbon, Portugal

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Agenda

Networking & Registration
9.00am

Chairs Opening Remarks
9.30am

Sital Fontenelle, Partner and Head of Family
Kingsley Napley

Morning Keynote: A Judicial View on International Family Matters
9.45am

Sir Philip Moor, Retired High Court Judge, Family Division
1 Hare Court

Navigating the Drafting and Litigation of International Prenups
10.15am

  • Key differences in enforceability of prenups across jurisdictions 
  • Drafting strategies to ensure prenups hold up under international scrutiny 
  • Cultural and legal considerations when negotiating cross–border agreements 
  • Asset protection through prenups for HNW clients with multi–jurisdictional assets 
  • Case law updates: Lessons from recent international prenup disputes 

Delphine Eskenazi, Partner
Libra Avocats (France)

Marcus Dearle, Senior Partner
Miles Preston

Networking & Refreshment Break
11am

Understanding Enforcement of Awards and and Orders in Foreign Jurisdictions
11.20am

  • Navigating the challenges of jurisdictional conflicts and reciprocity 
  • International enforcement mechanisms: The Hague Convention and beyond 
  • Strategies for locating and recovering assets hidden across borders 
  • Practical considerations for dealing with non–compliant parties in foreign jurisdictions 
  • Updates on judicial cooperation and mutual recognition treaties 

Melanie Bataillard-Samuel, Director
MBS Family Law

Madeleine Mendy, Partner, Head of Family Law
Bin Sevan Advocates (UAE)

Renato Labi, Partner
Hughes Fowler Carruthers

Navigating Modern Families, Adoption and Surrogacy
12.05pm

  • Legal recognition of surrogacy arrangements in different jurisdictions 
  • Cross–border adoption: Navigating the patchwork of international laws 
  • The impact of evolving family structures on divorce proceedings 
  • Citizenship and parental rights issues for children born through international surrogacy 
  • Ethical and legal dilemmas in modern family–building practices 

Kajal Aswani, Partner
Hugill & Ip Solicitors (Hong Kong)

Jennifer Headon, Head of International Family
Birketts

Networking & Lunch Break
12.50pm

Roundtable Discussions
1.50pm

During this session you'll have the opportunity to select your choice of topics to build an agenda that best suits your practice, from four roundtable discussion sessions on key jurisdictions.

Choose two out of the four roundtables that you’d like to take part in with your peers.

Your first 50-minute discussion will start at 1.50pm and your second 50-minute discussion will start at 2.40pm after a 10-minute break between the two sessions.

Discussion 1 - Scotland

Gillian Crandles, Managing Partner
Turcan Connell (Scotland)

Discussion 2 - Dubai

Discussion 3 - Switzerland

Discussion 4 - Channel Islands

End of Session 1
2.40pm

Roundtable Discussions (Repeated)
2.50pm

Networking & Refreshment Break
3.40pm

Exploring Privacy in International Divorce Proceedings
4pm

  • Differences in legal approaches across jurisdictions
  • The impact on HNW individuals with international ties
  • Media access and reporting restrictions in cases
  • The impact of technology, social media, leaks, digital risks etc

Katherine Cook, Barrister
1 Hare Court

Kate Clark, Partner, Head of Family
Mishcon de Reya

Analysing EU Regulations and Relations Post-Brexit
4.45pm

  • How have things moved on in the years since the referendum 
  • Spousal Maintenance in EU jurisdictions 
  • Court proceedings and the rush to get judgments 
  • The application of international law in foreign courts 

Chairs Closing Remarks & End of Day 1
5.30pm

Networking & Drinks Reception
6.30pm

Networking Dinner
7.30pm

Chairs Opening Remarks
9.40am

Understanding International NCDR Options
9.45am

  • How NCDR can work in cross-border disputes 
  • Will NCDR over litigation impact international cases 
  • How costs are impacted 
  • Ensuring best practice 

Izzy Walsh, Partner, Head of London
Hall Brown

Michael Allum, Partner
iFLG

Managing Matters of International Child Abduction and Relocation in Proceedings
10.30am

  • Key provisions and practical application of the Hague Convention on Child Abduction 
  • Litigating relocation disputes involving international jurisdictions 
  • Balancing parental rights and the best interests of the child 
  • Trends in judicial approaches to habitual residence and wrongful retention 
  • Remedies and strategies for preventing abduction 

Laura Briggs KC, Barrister
1 Garden Court

Forum Shah, Partner
Dawson Cornwell

Networking & Refreshment Break
11.15am

Exploring Foreign Trusts, Trustees and Assets
11.35am

  • Foreign asset tracing 
  • The interplay between divorce law and offshore trusts 
  • Piercing the corporate veil: Accessing hidden trust assets 
  • Trustee duties and liabilities in divorce proceedings 
  • Jurisdictional challenges in disputes involving international trusts 
  • Case studies: Success stories in tracing and recovering trust assets 

Simon Blain, Partner
Forsters

Marcus Parker, Partner
Stewarts

Examining HNW Mobility and Immigration
12.20pm

  • Factors and consequences to consider when clients move jurisdictions 
  • Immigration considerations and how they intersect with family law 
  • Navigating cross–border tax implications in divorce settlements 
  • Planning for the impact of residency and domicile changes on family law matters 
  • Managing citizenship issues for international families during divorce 
  • The influence of wealth migration trends on family law 
  • Advising clients moving to the UK – schools, visas, tax matters etc 

Sacha Wooldridge, Partner
Birketts

Chairs Closing Remarks
1.05pm

Farewell Luncheon
1.15pm

9.00am
Networking & Registration
9.30am
Chairs Opening Remarks
Sital Fontenelle - Partner and Head of Family - Kingsley Napley
9.45am
Morning Keynote: A Judicial View on International Family Matters
Sir Philip Moor - Retired High Court Judge, Family Division - 1 Hare Court
10.15am
Navigating the Drafting and Litigation of International Prenups
  • Key differences in enforceability of prenups across jurisdictions 
  • Drafting strategies to ensure prenups hold up under international scrutiny 
  • Cultural and legal considerations when negotiating cross–border agreements 
  • Asset protection through prenups for HNW clients with multi–jurisdictional assets 
  • Case law updates: Lessons from recent international prenup disputes 
Delphine Eskenazi - Partner - Libra Avocats (France)
Marcus Dearle - Senior Partner - Miles Preston
11am
Networking & Refreshment Break
11.20am
Understanding Enforcement of Awards and and Orders in Foreign Jurisdictions
  • Navigating the challenges of jurisdictional conflicts and reciprocity 
  • International enforcement mechanisms: The Hague Convention and beyond 
  • Strategies for locating and recovering assets hidden across borders 
  • Practical considerations for dealing with non–compliant parties in foreign jurisdictions 
  • Updates on judicial cooperation and mutual recognition treaties 
Melanie Bataillard-Samuel - Director - MBS Family Law
Madeleine Mendy - Partner, Head of Family Law - Bin Sevan Advocates (UAE)
Renato Labi - Partner - Hughes Fowler Carruthers
12.05pm
Navigating Modern Families, Adoption and Surrogacy
  • Legal recognition of surrogacy arrangements in different jurisdictions 
  • Cross–border adoption: Navigating the patchwork of international laws 
  • The impact of evolving family structures on divorce proceedings 
  • Citizenship and parental rights issues for children born through international surrogacy 
  • Ethical and legal dilemmas in modern family–building practices 
Kajal Aswani - Partner - Hugill & Ip Solicitors (Hong Kong)
Jennifer Headon - Head of International Family - Birketts
12.50pm
Networking & Lunch Break
1.50pm
Roundtable Discussions

During this session you'll have the opportunity to select your choice of topics to build an agenda that best suits your practice, from four roundtable discussion sessions on key jurisdictions.

Choose two out of the four roundtables that you’d like to take part in with your peers.

Your first 50-minute discussion will start at 1.50pm and your second 50-minute discussion will start at 2.40pm after a 10-minute break between the two sessions.

Discussion 1 - Scotland
Gillian Crandles - Managing Partner - Turcan Connell (Scotland)
Discussion 2 - Dubai
Discussion 3 - Switzerland
Discussion 4 - Channel Islands
2.40pm
End of Session 1
2.50pm
Roundtable Discussions (Repeated)
3.40pm
Networking & Refreshment Break
4pm
Exploring Privacy in International Divorce Proceedings
  • Differences in legal approaches across jurisdictions
  • The impact on HNW individuals with international ties
  • Media access and reporting restrictions in cases
  • The impact of technology, social media, leaks, digital risks etc
Katherine Cook - Barrister - 1 Hare Court
Kate Clark - Partner, Head of Family - Mishcon de Reya
4.45pm
Analysing EU Regulations and Relations Post-Brexit
  • How have things moved on in the years since the referendum 
  • Spousal Maintenance in EU jurisdictions 
  • Court proceedings and the rush to get judgments 
  • The application of international law in foreign courts 
5.30pm
Chairs Closing Remarks & End of Day 1
6.30pm
Networking & Drinks Reception
7.30pm
Networking Dinner
9.40am
Chairs Opening Remarks
9.45am
Understanding International NCDR Options
  • How NCDR can work in cross-border disputes 
  • Will NCDR over litigation impact international cases 
  • How costs are impacted 
  • Ensuring best practice 
Izzy Walsh - Partner, Head of London - Hall Brown
Michael Allum - Partner - iFLG
10.30am
Managing Matters of International Child Abduction and Relocation in Proceedings
  • Key provisions and practical application of the Hague Convention on Child Abduction 
  • Litigating relocation disputes involving international jurisdictions 
  • Balancing parental rights and the best interests of the child 
  • Trends in judicial approaches to habitual residence and wrongful retention 
  • Remedies and strategies for preventing abduction 
Laura Briggs KC - Barrister - 1 Garden Court
Forum Shah - Partner - Dawson Cornwell
11.15am
Networking & Refreshment Break
11.35am
Exploring Foreign Trusts, Trustees and Assets
  • Foreign asset tracing 
  • The interplay between divorce law and offshore trusts 
  • Piercing the corporate veil: Accessing hidden trust assets 
  • Trustee duties and liabilities in divorce proceedings 
  • Jurisdictional challenges in disputes involving international trusts 
  • Case studies: Success stories in tracing and recovering trust assets 
Simon Blain - Partner - Forsters
Marcus Parker - Partner - Stewarts
12.20pm
Examining HNW Mobility and Immigration
  • Factors and consequences to consider when clients move jurisdictions 
  • Immigration considerations and how they intersect with family law 
  • Navigating cross–border tax implications in divorce settlements 
  • Planning for the impact of residency and domicile changes on family law matters 
  • Managing citizenship issues for international families during divorce 
  • The influence of wealth migration trends on family law 
  • Advising clients moving to the UK – schools, visas, tax matters etc 
Sacha Wooldridge - Partner - Birketts
1.05pm
Chairs Closing Remarks
1.15pm
Farewell Luncheon

Event Partners

Contact Us

Speaker

For Speaker enquiries please contact Seth on +44 (0)20 3433 2282 or email seth@thoughtleaders4.com

Partnership

For Partnership enquiries please contact Dan on +44 (0)20 3059 9524 or email dan@thoughtleaders4.com

Booking & General

For Booking & General enquiries please contact Amy on +44 (0)203 059 9796 or email info@thoughtleaders4.com