Divorcing your father-in-law
Discussion
From the Mirror
£700 MILLION DIVORCE: IT'S PAYBACK
Feb 15 2005
Family fury as son's wife seeks share of business fortune in divorce deal
By Paul Gallagher
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE businessman David Rowland was furious yesterday over his daughter-in-law's attempt to claim a share of his fortune as part of a divorce settlement "payback".
Mr Rowland's son Jonathan, 29, split from wife Zoe, 30, two years ago and their divorce case is expected to start next month.
After a four-year marriage, Zoe wants a chunk of her husband's assets AND a slice of dad-in-law's business wealth. He is worth £690million.
Zoe claims her influence reformed Jonathan's self-confessed lazy ways and encouraged him to build a successful career with his father. In the dotcom boom, he set up internet investment firm Jellyworks, which he sold in 2000 for £65million.
Now, like soccer star's wife Karen Parlour did recently, Zoe wants recognition of her part in her husband's success. They have no children and lived in West London.
Mr Rowland Snr intends to fight her all the way. A source close to the family said: "He can't understand why she thinks she has a right to his money as well as Jonathan's."
Zoe's father says she is "not a money-grabber at all".
She had apparently been on the point of settling out of court. "At the end of 2003," said the family source, "Jonathan offered her everything he had. That was the equity from their home and a few of his assets.
"He even offered to buy her a house worth half a million. She was about to agree, then everything changed."
Zoe has brought in two heavyweight divorce lawyers - Nicholas Mostyn QC and Kay Georgiou.
Mr Mostyn acted for Karen Parlour in the appeal in which she won a share of husband Ray's future football earnings. She had previously agreed to accept houses and cash worth at least £1.25million.
Solicitor Miss Georgiou helped net £10million for Zeta Graff, the ex-wife of diamond heir Francois Graff.
Mr Rowland Snr, 58, deals in property and investments and is Britain's 53rd richest man.
He is retired in the Channel Isles with wife Sheila and most of the family wealth is tied up offshore.
The family source said they would not take the case "lying down", adding: "They plan to fight this all the way to the High Court.
"They are furious she has dragged them into Jonathan's divorce. David Rowland is especially upset...all he has ever done is to be generous to her."
Zoe, a £40,000-a-year PR executive, has lived for 14 months in the London home of Jonathan's mum.
Jonathan left school at 16. A self-confessed slacker, he then dossed around for a while, before taking an interest in the family business.
Friends of Jonathan say it took the insistence of Zoe, then his girlfriend, for him to sort himself out.
He works for his father by investing money in attempts to turn round failing firms.
The divorce case should open next month, going until November. Zoe and her solicitor Miss Georgiou declined to talk, as did Mr Mostyn.
Jonathan Rowland was also silent. Zoe's father Ray Clarke, 60, a company director, said: "As far as we are concerned, it is a normal divorce.
"We have been advised not to say anything, but it is very hard as a father because people are only seeing one side.
"She isn't a money-grabber...the family are supporting her all the way."
The Parlour case was a one off apparently
now it seems the one off may have opened the flood gates. When will this insanity stop.
£700 MILLION DIVORCE: IT'S PAYBACK
Feb 15 2005
Family fury as son's wife seeks share of business fortune in divorce deal
By Paul Gallagher
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE businessman David Rowland was furious yesterday over his daughter-in-law's attempt to claim a share of his fortune as part of a divorce settlement "payback".
Mr Rowland's son Jonathan, 29, split from wife Zoe, 30, two years ago and their divorce case is expected to start next month.
After a four-year marriage, Zoe wants a chunk of her husband's assets AND a slice of dad-in-law's business wealth. He is worth £690million.
Zoe claims her influence reformed Jonathan's self-confessed lazy ways and encouraged him to build a successful career with his father. In the dotcom boom, he set up internet investment firm Jellyworks, which he sold in 2000 for £65million.
Now, like soccer star's wife Karen Parlour did recently, Zoe wants recognition of her part in her husband's success. They have no children and lived in West London.
Mr Rowland Snr intends to fight her all the way. A source close to the family said: "He can't understand why she thinks she has a right to his money as well as Jonathan's."
Zoe's father says she is "not a money-grabber at all".
She had apparently been on the point of settling out of court. "At the end of 2003," said the family source, "Jonathan offered her everything he had. That was the equity from their home and a few of his assets.
"He even offered to buy her a house worth half a million. She was about to agree, then everything changed."
Zoe has brought in two heavyweight divorce lawyers - Nicholas Mostyn QC and Kay Georgiou.
Mr Mostyn acted for Karen Parlour in the appeal in which she won a share of husband Ray's future football earnings. She had previously agreed to accept houses and cash worth at least £1.25million.
Solicitor Miss Georgiou helped net £10million for Zeta Graff, the ex-wife of diamond heir Francois Graff.
Mr Rowland Snr, 58, deals in property and investments and is Britain's 53rd richest man.
He is retired in the Channel Isles with wife Sheila and most of the family wealth is tied up offshore.
The family source said they would not take the case "lying down", adding: "They plan to fight this all the way to the High Court.
"They are furious she has dragged them into Jonathan's divorce. David Rowland is especially upset...all he has ever done is to be generous to her."
Zoe, a £40,000-a-year PR executive, has lived for 14 months in the London home of Jonathan's mum.
Jonathan left school at 16. A self-confessed slacker, he then dossed around for a while, before taking an interest in the family business.
Friends of Jonathan say it took the insistence of Zoe, then his girlfriend, for him to sort himself out.
He works for his father by investing money in attempts to turn round failing firms.
The divorce case should open next month, going until November. Zoe and her solicitor Miss Georgiou declined to talk, as did Mr Mostyn.
Jonathan Rowland was also silent. Zoe's father Ray Clarke, 60, a company director, said: "As far as we are concerned, it is a normal divorce.
"We have been advised not to say anything, but it is very hard as a father because people are only seeing one side.
"She isn't a money-grabber...the family are supporting her all the way."
The Parlour case was a one off apparently
now it seems the one off may have opened the flood gates. When will this insanity stop.
A father walks into a book store with his young son. The boy is holding a quarter. Suddenly, the boy starts choking, going blue in the face. The father realizes the boy has swallowed the quarter and starts panicking, shouting for help.
A well dressed, attractive and serious looking woman, in a blue business suit is sitting at a coffee bar reading a newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound of the commotion, she looks up, puts her coffee cup down, neatly folds the newspaper and places it on the counter, gets up from her seat and makes her way, unhurried, across the book store.
Reaching the boy, the woman carefully drops his pants; takes hold of the boy's testicles and starts to squeeze and twist, gently at first and then ever so firmly. After a few seconds the boy convulses violently and coughs up the quarter, which the woman deftly catches in her free hand.
Releasing the boy's testicles, the woman hands the coin to the father and walks back to her seat in the coffee bar without saying a word.
As soon as he is sure that his son has suffered no ill effects, the father rushes over to the woman and starts thanking her saying, "I've never seen anybody do anything like that before, it was fantastic. Are you a doctor?"
"No," the woman replied. "Divorce attorney."
A well dressed, attractive and serious looking woman, in a blue business suit is sitting at a coffee bar reading a newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee. At the sound of the commotion, she looks up, puts her coffee cup down, neatly folds the newspaper and places it on the counter, gets up from her seat and makes her way, unhurried, across the book store.
Reaching the boy, the woman carefully drops his pants; takes hold of the boy's testicles and starts to squeeze and twist, gently at first and then ever so firmly. After a few seconds the boy convulses violently and coughs up the quarter, which the woman deftly catches in her free hand.
Releasing the boy's testicles, the woman hands the coin to the father and walks back to her seat in the coffee bar without saying a word.
As soon as he is sure that his son has suffered no ill effects, the father rushes over to the woman and starts thanking her saying, "I've never seen anybody do anything like that before, it was fantastic. Are you a doctor?"
"No," the woman replied. "Divorce attorney."
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I think that hits the bullseye.
Someone ought to take these people out for causing so much grief.
Don't knock the bimbo. Opportunistic she probably was but very much an amateur compared to the two shysters who have taken over her negotiations.
They will get the money even if she loses the extended claim.
The big loser really is the Law. Every day it seems that more bits of it are being weakened by risible logic and inflated greed.
My guess Rome was like this shortly before the barbarians took over.
yeah my heart bleeds for anybody with 690 million. I would love to have been a slacker at school and then at the request of the wife take an interest in the family firm. Looks like the son is a waster and the father is a crook so I cant really see where all the sympathy is going their way. 3 in a bed get on with it.
nonegreen said:
yeah my heart bleeds for anybody with 690 million. I would love to have been a slacker at school and then at the request of the wife take an interest in the family firm. Looks like the son is a waster and the father is a crook so I cant really see where all the sympathy is going their way. 3 in a bed get on with it.
Put the shoulder pads back in they hide the chip.
thebluemonkey said:
yeah my heart bleeds for anybody with 690 million. I would love to have been a slacker at school and then at the request of the wife take an interest in the family firm. Looks like the son is a waster and the father is a crook so I cant really see where all the sympathy is going their way. 3 in a bed get on with it.
Put the shoulder pads back in they hide the chip.
Don't forget to touche your forlock you serf.
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