Background: A Complex Divorce Involving Business and Trust Assets

When James and Elizabeth, a high-net-worth couple with significant shared and inherited assets, decided to separate, they knew the legal and financial complexities could easily escalate into a drawn-out and costly court battle.

Their portfolio included:

• Multiple business interests

• Family trusts

• Joint investments and property holdings across the UK and abroad

With reputational concerns, commercial interests, and their adult children to consider, they were keen to retain control over decisions — and avoid the unpredictability and exposure of court proceedings.

After advice from their solicitors, James and Elizabeth agreed to explore family mediation as a means of resolving their separation discreetly, efficiently, and constructively.

The Approach: Mediation with Legal Support and Financial Experts

From the outset, mediation was positioned not as an alternative to legal advice, but as a collaborative space that complemented it.

Both parties were supported by:

• Independent family lawyers

• Accountants and business advisors

• A neutral family mediator trained in working with high-value and trust-based financial structures

This hybrid mediation model allowed for:

• Real-time input from legal advisors when needed

• Joint review of financial disclosure, including complex business valuations

• Tailored arrangements around trust beneficiaries and asset liquidity

The mediators created a clear structure for sessions, with agreed agendas and space for legal representatives to attend certain discussions.

Key Themes Covered in Mediation

• Division of business shares, including ongoing involvement and non-compete clauses

• Allocation of trust income and future inheritance rights

• Property division, including high-value residences and holiday homes

• Tax planning and the timing of asset transfers

• Long-term financial security and reputational risk management

The Outcome: A Private, Tailored Agreement That Preserved Control

Over four structured mediation sessions, James and Elizabeth reached a confidential, mutually agreed outcome that avoided litigation and preserved the long-term interests of both parties — and their children.

The final mediated outcome included:

• A financial settlement incorporating business continuity and fair division of value

• A framework for ongoing communication with legal and financial oversight

• A strong post-divorce financial plan that allowed both parties to protect their reputations and remain on stable terms

Why Mediation Was the Right Choice

For James and Elizabeth, mediation delivered:

• Privacy – no public court proceedings, protecting both personal and commercial interests

• Autonomy – decisions remained with them, not a judge

• Efficiency – the process moved faster and at significantly lower cost than full litigation

• Expert-led flexibility – their advisors contributed without dominating the process