George Harley

George’s practice focuses on financial remedies and complex private children law cases.  George was a Legal 500 Rising Star earlier in his practice, for two consecutive years, and is now ranked as a Leading Junior in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for both finance and children act work.

George has been involved in numerous challenging cases that been reported, as referenced below.

With finance work, George has an interest in, and experience of, international cases:

i. Forum disputes;

ii. Overseas assets and enforcement claims;

iii. Regular work with UAE clients and ex-pats overseas;

iv. Regular drafting and reviewing of pre-nuptial agreements where there are overseas assets;

v.  Schedule 1 claims and overseas parents.

George also has a keen interest in nuanced cases, such as the recognition of customary overseas marriages: O v B-M [2019] EWFC B23 (16 February 2019).

Delayed application cases and/or cases where a party has acute mental health issues: WD v MH [2022] EWFC 162 (B) (18 November 2022)

Intricate cases concerning the effects of a nuptial agreement: NM v PM [2024] EWFC 199.

George’s finance practice also encompasses straightforward problem solving where there are fewer complex assets and a call for early resolution. He is empathic and wants clients to exit any court process as soon as is possible.

George’s children act work specifically focuses on cases where there are often the cross allegations of parental alienation and domestic abuse, namely coercive control.

George is regularly involved in complicated fact-finding hearings where these competing allegations co-exist: A Mother v A Father [2023] EWFC 105.

George has represented parents who have exited cults, abusive relationships or where a child/ren has been abducted or retained overseas. George also has a keen focus on the reunification path, when appropriate, once such difficult fact-finding hearings have concluded.

George’s children act work also includes relocation applications. Such applications to relocate can often be countered by allegations of abuse or control or parental alienation: there is valuable interplay between his experience and skill set.