Recommend a divorce solicitor, London?
Discussion
Morning, PH coven.
Not for me! Not getting married has advantages...
Please could someone recommend a divorce solicitor? For a friend. London based, he owns a business, rather stupidly made wife a shareholder years ago, she is asking for half of it. She does not work there, nor has she contributed financially, nor is she in the same field. I suspect he’s screwed.
She values it at £4m, it’s worth about 1m. He’s willing to hand it to her and move on (the business is him, so he’ll just start again) – she won’t accept. I think she is just stalling/drawing the process out to turn the kids against him. They have adult kids, the son works for him.
I think a woman may be a better choice as dealing with his wife is probably best left to another woman – she lies, is conniving and manipulative. They are separated, he has a new girlfriend (a good friend of mine). This is obviously not going down well. He is not worth millions, so someone who acts for oligarchs a no-no. Was hoping some PHers have advice. PM me if uncomfortable posting on this thread, please.
Virtual beers for all concerned.
Harry
Not for me! Not getting married has advantages...
Please could someone recommend a divorce solicitor? For a friend. London based, he owns a business, rather stupidly made wife a shareholder years ago, she is asking for half of it. She does not work there, nor has she contributed financially, nor is she in the same field. I suspect he’s screwed.
She values it at £4m, it’s worth about 1m. He’s willing to hand it to her and move on (the business is him, so he’ll just start again) – she won’t accept. I think she is just stalling/drawing the process out to turn the kids against him. They have adult kids, the son works for him.
I think a woman may be a better choice as dealing with his wife is probably best left to another woman – she lies, is conniving and manipulative. They are separated, he has a new girlfriend (a good friend of mine). This is obviously not going down well. He is not worth millions, so someone who acts for oligarchs a no-no. Was hoping some PHers have advice. PM me if uncomfortable posting on this thread, please.
Virtual beers for all concerned.
Harry
KFC said:
Harry Flashman said:
She values it at £4m, it’s worth about 1m. He’s willing to hand it to her and move on (the business is him, so he’ll just start again) – she won’t accept.
If the business is just him, then its not worth £1m. Its worth nothing.monthefish said:
Harry Flashman said:
Please could someone recommend a divorce solicitor?
I think this firm might fit the bill...cossy400 said:
Breadvan maybe your man, hes in the know regarding solicitors.
Only thing to add is sounds a s
tty time for your mate.
Better off poor with fk all sometimes than working your arse off.
She wants a payout, and is attempting to overvalue the business massively. He’d rather hand it to her, walk away, and start again. Which she obviously doesn’t want, as she knows that without him, the business is worthless and she couldn’t run it in any way, shape or form. In the meantime, she is playing the adult children off against him and each other. Sadly the son, who works for him, is slightly hard-of-thinking and so, when he’s not licking windows, is giving his father a tough time. Personally, I’d fire the little sod.Only thing to add is sounds a s
tty time for your mate. Better off poor with f
k all sometimes than working your arse off. All came about because the wife, a few years ago, stated that she wanted an open relationship. Husband, said (stupidly, but he loved her and did not want divorce to mess up the children during exam years) agreed – she has effectively been seeing this other chap for a while now. My friend never found anyone else. Until 2 years ago, when he met Lady Flashman’s best friend, who is beautiful, cool and 17 years his junior. Wife not pleased, and has gone a little loopy.
Anyway, thanks for moving, mods. Hopefully SP&L forum will provide some solicitor recommendations.
His all his own fault, frankly. What sane man agrees to an open relationship? The day Lady F asks for such, she’ll be under the patio with all the others before you can say “Fred West”
Breadvan72 said:
That would be a breach of fiduciary duty owed to the company, and taking that step would expose the bloke to a claim by the liquidator of the company if it goes bust, and/or a to claim by the other shareholder alleging unfairly prejudicial conduct.
If you run business through a limited company, the business belongs to the company, not to you, even if you control the company. People can come big croppers (and even be imprisoned in some cases) for failing to recognise the distinction between corporate assets and personal assets.
This. I may not be a divorce lawyer, but I am a corporate lawyer, and I advised him against such a course of action.If you run business through a limited company, the business belongs to the company, not to you, even if you control the company. People can come big croppers (and even be imprisoned in some cases) for failing to recognise the distinction between corporate assets and personal assets.
The moment he leaves the enterprise, it will collapse. His clients will follow him as she cannot meet their needs. Best case scenario: she gets the company, imposes a non-solicitation of business clause (as I had, when I moved job recently). The reality is she has to then enforce it against him, which requires knowledge, funds, money etc. They are notoriously hard to enforce.
Legally, he should play it safe. Practically, he should get the hell out of Dodge and start over, free of her; but he needs to do this after she has accepted the company as sole shareholder and director. To do it beforehand is simply to invite Breadvan's scenario. I am sure her advisor has told her this, hence her holding out for a payoff.
I think we just call in an airstrike on the troublesome wench.
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