Emma Hatley

Spear’s Review

When Spear’s caught up with Emma Hatley earlier this year, one word came to mind: impressive. A veteran in our rankings, she received the Spear’s Family Lawyer of the Year Award in 2017. Since then her career has continued to climb to new heights.

She has acted in several of the most complex cases pending in the High Court (often with multiple parties disputing across jurisdictions), examining invariably difficult and contentious issues in the family division.

Known for her discretion, she is described by one peer as ‘the essence of what HNW clients want and need’ in a family lawyer: ‘highly intelligent, industrious, fast, constructive … [with] no sitting on the fence or waffle’.

Notable Cases

• Re C (Older Children – Relocation) [2015] EWCA Civ 1298

Adviser Profile

Emma is top ranked in the directories as a ‘Star Individual’ and has a reputation as an excellent technical lawyer and tough negotiator, who quickly wins the confidence of her clients. Emma is described as a ‘superb, no-nonsense and efficient’ lawyer. 

Emma advises on complex and often high-profile matters for high-net-worth individuals, their families and partners. Her cases typically involve an international dimension and she often works in coordination with other cross-border trusted advisers, particularly in offshore jurisdictions and America. 

Emma has a breadth of experience in all areas of family breakdown but with particular focus on the associated financial issues. She has expertise in jurisdictional disputes, enforcement and injunctive relief. The majority of Emma’s cases involve global assets in the range of £10 million to over £100 million, and concern asset tracing, trust structures, inherited wealth and owner-controlled businesses. 

Emma advises regularly in negotiating and drafting pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, both in a domestic and international context. 

Emma has a leading practice in all private law children matters, especially international relocation. 

As a trained Mediator and Collaborative Lawyer, Emma is passionate about Non-Court Dispute Resolution where it is suitable for the case. She is proud of a proven track record for discretion and achieving a negotiated settlement in most cases. However, when required Emma fights hard for her clients and is described as ‘a tenacious litigator – calm and measured as well as a real fighter with grit if necessary’. Emma has been pivotally involved in a number of reported cases. 

Emma read Law at Cambridge University and has over 25 years’ experience in complex family work.