Tom is a solicitor and a mediator in Goodman Ray’s Divorce and Matrimonial Finance Department based in London and Brighton. He specialises in any issues arising from the breakdown of a relationship between married couples, civil partners and unmarried couples. These may be discussing any division of individual or joint assets, where any children should live or how they should proceed with a divorce. He regularly deals with international issues and high-net worth clients.

Tom has been an accredited by the Family Mediation Council to undertake All Issues Mediation, and is also a child-inclusive mediator. He conducts mediation for a variety of different individuals regarding both children and financial issues and is a big proponent of the mediation process for resolving family disputes. He can conduct MIAMs as well as mediations.

He is also a member of Resolution and a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Complex Financial and Property Matters for high income households or where there are substantial assets. This is in addition to being accredited for Children Law where there are disputes between parents or relatives. He is a trained collaborative lawyer too, which involves working closely in person with both parties and their lawyers to resolve issues.

Tom advises a variety of individuals on financial matters. He often represents client with a high earning capacity and those with a high net worth, be that because of business interests, asset protection, inheritance, trusts or overseas assets. Many of his cases have an international element and he can assist in advising on Spanish assets in particular as he speaks Spanish.

Tom regularly deals with children disputes between parents or other family members, including when one parent may wish to leave England or Wales, or if a child has been abducted and taken overseas.

Tom focuses on trying to resolve matters without going to Court wherever possible and establishing a dialogue between parties. He specialises in a number of issue-resolution options to offer the best option for his clients. He finds this often results in a far more amicable settlement for a family. This is not always possible though, and Tom is also an experienced advocate, and often appears on behalf of his clients in Court.

Tom joined Goodman Ray’s Divorce and Matrimonial Finance Department in August 2015, having spent over 4 years working at a family firm in the West End. He studied Law and Spanish at the University of Sheffield and is a fluent Spanish speaker having also studied Law at The University of Granada in Spain. He qualified as a solicitor in November 2009 after training and subsequently being taken on as a solicitor at a regional firm in Yorkshire.

Accreditation:

• The Legal 500
• Chambers & Partners
• Spears
• CityWealth Leaders List
• Accredited by the Family Mediation Council for All Issues Mediation
• Accredited by the Family Mediation Council for Child-Inclusive Mediation
• Trained Resolution Collaborative Lawyer
• Resolution Accredited Specialist for: Complex Financial and Property Matters (high income households and substantial assets); Private Children Matters.

Testimonial:

• “Thank you so much for your hard work and commitment. I really appreciate your professionalism and the high quality of your service. One more time, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Tom.”
• “Thank you for all your help at the beginning of the year. It was a very difficult/stressful time for myself. You handled the whole situation with such kindness and understanding”.
• “I’d like to thank you and your team in Goodman Ray for all your advice and professional services, you made a very unpleasant episode in my life so much easier to manage and cope with.”

Reported Cases:

• W (A Child) [2011] EWCA Civ 1362

Published Articles:

• The Queen’s Speech and Brexit [2017] FAM LAW 802
• Brexit and family law [2017] 47 Fam Law 1169
• The use and evolution of mediation in child abduction cases in Europe, and England and Wales [2018] IFLG
• Innovative solutions to family issues: Co-parenting tools. Resolution Review 206
• Firms of the Future. Resolution Review 214