Richard Handel Partner

Richard specialises in advising high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals on divorce. His focus is on complex financial settlements and asset protection, including pre- and post-marital agreements. His cases often involve international elements and where clients have assets held in corporate or trust structures.

Richard also advises on arrangements for children following the breakdown of a relationship.

He is a member of Resolution. He previously co-chaired the London region YRes Committee and also sat on the National YRes Committee.

Richard is ranked in the Chambers HNW guide. A client noted: 'His background has clearly given him the breadth of experience on big money cases and the profile to take Burges Salmon's family team to the next level and to really build a London presence.'

• Acting for a well-known television personality in contested divorce and financial proceedings. Due to the high profile nature of the case Richard advised in relation to applications for anonymisation, reporting restrictions and permission for the proceedings to be held in private.
• Acting for a husband in English defended divorce proceedings where there were concurrent proceedings in Switzerland. 
• Acting for the wife of a high net worth individual where the assets were approximately €100 million. The case involved assets held in trusts and company structures in multiple jurisdictions, non-disclosure by the husband and actions brought by the companies. The case required numerous applications including for occupation and non-molestation orders, a freezing injunction, possession proceedings and financial provision after an overseas divorce.
• Acting for corporate trustees of Caribbean based trusts with assets in excess of £100 million where the wife of the principal beneficiary was seeking to enforce a financial award of the English Court against the trust assets, some of which were located in England.
• Acting on behalf of a former City professional whose assets were approximately £12 million. Richard successfully negotiated a settlement for the client avoiding the need to issue court proceedings.
• Acting for the wife in a successful application for financial relief after an overseas divorce, reported as Johnson v Takieddine & Anor [2016] EWHC 1895 (Fam).
• Advising a member of a well-known international family on asset protection through the use of a pre-marital agreement. The client’s assets were in excess of £50 million and he had a potential inheritance of several hundred million. By entering into the agreement the client was able to reduce the potential claims on divorce and protected the family wealth for future generations. 
• Advising on a pre-marital agreement for a client whose assets were c£2 million, but who was likely to inherit shares in a family company worth in excess of £20 million. The final agreement negotiated by Richard meant that the company assets would be protected in the event of divorce.
• Acting on behalf of the father of an 18 month old child who was seeking to increase his time with his son and introduce longer overnight staying contact. Following a hearing, the court ordered significantly increased contact for the father.
• Acting for the father in a relocation case where he was seeking to return to his home country with his two children. Following a three day hearing the court gave permission for the children to return with their father.