Francesca Fothergill
Call: 1994
Francesca Fothergill
Somerville College, Oxford MA (Oxon) Modern History
City University Diploma in Law
Inns of Court School of Law
Middle Temple Harmsworth Scholar
FLBA
Agricultural Lawyers Association
Associate Member at 29 Bedford Row.
Trustee of Lord Crewe’s Charity, which provides community, clergy and educational support primarily in Northumberland and County Durham.
Contact
T: 01274 722 560 or 0113 246 2600
Francesca is a highly experienced matrimonial finance specialist, with an emphasis on high net worth cases, which often involve contested business valuations, complex tax and trust structures, inherited wealth, nuptial agreements and third party intervention.
Renowned nationally for her particular expertise in relation to cases concerning farms and landed estates.
Francesca has experience representing individuals with cross-border financial arrangements and is frequently instructed in cases involving foreign assets and cross jurisdictional disputes.
Reputation
Chambers and Partners (2023) - Family, Matrimonial Finance (Band 2) "Francesca is excellent at building rapport with the clients and commands much respect from them for this, as well as for her honest, pragmatic advice." "Her advice is robust and firm, Francesca has an excellent manner with clients and is a completely safe pair of capable hands."
Legal 500 (2023) - Divorce and Financial Remedy (Tier 2) - "Francesca is a polished performer with a forthright approach. She is able to build excellent rapport with a wide variety of clients."
Legal 500 (2022) - "She is an extremely bright and able junior."
Legal 500 (2021) - "A fearsome opponent and a superb advocate who has the ability to think on her feet like no other."
Chambers and Partners (2020) - "Extremely competent matrimonial finance advocate. Very clear in her advice and meticulous in her preparation."
Chambers and Partners (2019) - "She is really good at building a rapport with clients, she’s really bright, she has a great brain."
Chambers and Partners (2018)- "A formidable advocate, very good with agricultural cases and very approachable. Her practical knowledge is great and she is also very bright. She is good at grasping the intricacies of a case."
Legal 500 (2018) (Tier 1) - "Francesca is good at dealing with complex cases, and particularly good with difficult clients and opponents."
Expertise
Francesca lectures at Resolution and FLBA events, and also provides ‘in-house’ bespoke training to solicitors.
Francesca welcomes instructions to sit as a private FDR Evaluator.
Notable Cases
A v A: (2023) Arbitration with assets of £8m, mainly a dispute as to the value of car dealerships, with contested specialist forensic accountancy evidence, and issues as to pre-marital wealth and the nature of contributions
J v J: (2023) Arable farming case, assets ca. £24 million, with farming operation across limited companies, partnerships, and sole trader entities. Disputed accountancy evidence as to future maintainable income, and a dispute as to the relevance of inherited/gifted assets after a very long marriage.
L v L (2022): Assets of £124m arising upon the sale of a private company. Preliminary issue as to the enforceability of a previous agreement, and thereafter arguments as to special contribution, post separation accrual and enforcement.
W v W: (2022) H had significant business assets in UK, Europe and SE Asia (ca. £10 million). Complicated issues in relation to offshore trusts and taxation, and focus upon the relevance of pre-marital wealth and post -separation accrual.
M v M: (2021) Enforcement of separation agreement. Assets £42 million. Analysis of autonomy and the effect of the agreement, liquidity/Wells v Wells sharing, respective earning capacities and post-separation accrual.
C v F: (2020) Couple with extensive family companies in the travel industry, based in the UK and the Caribbean. Issues of illiquidity, projected profitability and taxation. Relevance of pre-marital wealth.
T v T: (2020)Application for declaration of nullity based on lack of capacity and non-consummation. H had died, instructed by his executors. Expert medical evidence contested. Successful at final hearing.
Clerks
