Blog
Reconciliation Contracts – an alternative to divorce?
Jane Keir
"She is a serious, top class lawyer who flourishes in her demanding, highly impressive, role as senior partner of Kingsley Napley, whilst maintaining a respected, quality family practice and consistently demonstrating an absolute commitment to her clients’ interests."
Citywealth Leaders List
Jane is Kingsley Napley's senior partner, having succeeded Christopher Murray on 1 May 2013.
Described in the current edition of Chambers UK as an “eminent practitioner” in the field of family law, Jane trained with Oxfordshire firm, Henmans, before joining Kingsley Napley in 1989 and becoming a partner in 1992. Her early potential was recognised when she was mentioned as “one to watch” by The Times in an article entitled “All the best that money can buy” in September 1995.
Jane became Kingsley Napley’s Senior Partner in May 2013, being then one of only four women to lead a leading top 100 UK law firm. She maintains an active and busy Family Law practice and as a testament to her ability to fulfil both roles has appeared in City Wealth Leaders List, most recently in the 2017 Top 10 Family Lawyers and Top 20 Women in Private Wealth Management listings.
Dedicated to her clients’ cause, recent comments about Jane include:
"When clients are at their most vulnerable, they need to know they can rely on their solicitor. Jane has it all: fabulous client care skills, in-depth knowledge of the law, great instinct, sound relationships with her peers; all delivered with a twinkle in her eye and a steady hand."
“I often recommend her because she has all the ingredients of a fantastic lawyer - she is extremely clever, very client-friendly and takes just the right approach to negotiations”.
Jane negotiates the arrangements to be made on relationship breakdown concerning both financial and children matters. She is a practicing collaborative lawyer who also retains all her trial skills and knows all the central London Family practitioners. She is highly skilled in the drafting and negotiation of pre and postnuptial agreements and is a proponent of the use of postnuptial agreements in the form of reconciliation contracts.
Jane acts for equal numbers of men and women and is at home representing industry magnates, farmers, sportsmen and women, musicians, businessmen and women and their spouses and wider families.
One client recently said of her “you are my security blanket”. She is very aware of the impact of litigation on a family and of current trends in family law shaping the way in which cases are negotiated and settled. She is also very mindful of the costs of separation and divorce and transparent as to the content and extent of all bills rendered.
Jane and her colleagues practicing family law at Kingsley Napley have unique access to the knowledge and experience of the firm’s other teams specialising in personal tax and estate planning, trusts and their regulation, contested probates, immigration law and practice and property sales and purchases, to name but a few.
Recent cases
Jane has acted in the following recently reported cases:
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AW v Executors of the Estate of HA & Others [2015] EWHC 2233 (Fam) concerning the setting aside of a Financial Order made at the conclusion of divorce proceedings and revising the amount to be paid whilst dealing with the existence of a Prenuptial Agreement.
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A v B & C [2012] EWCA Civ 285 acting for the father in a ground-breaking case in the Court of Appeal as a result of which she was named as the “The Times Lawyer of the Week” in April 2012.
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Z v A [2012] EWHC 467 (Fam) acting for a wife, following an overseas divorce and securing a substantial order for her client and the payment of her client’s costs.
What clients and directories have said
"The "excellent" Jane Keir brings to family and matrimonial matters a "breadth of knowledge and a lightness of touch."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2016
"Jane utilises all the experience, authority and personality that marks her out as senior partner. She is a serious, top class lawyer who flourishes in her demanding, highly impressive, role as senior partner of Kingsley Napley. She is one of the industries real Powerwomen."
Citywealth Leaders List, 2016
"Absolutely dedicated to getting the job done for her clients, many of whom are high profile or international. Jane utilises all the experience, authority and personality that marks her out as Senior Partner. She is a serious, top class lawyer who flourishes in her demanding, highly impressive, role as senior partner of Kingsley Napley, whilst maintaining a respected, quality family practice and consistently demonstrating an absolute commitment to her clients’ interests."
Citywealth Leaders List, 2015
“Jane Keir’s promotion to senior partner ‘emphasises the importance of family law at the firm’”
Legal 500 UK
“You are my security blanket”
A client
"very clear on negotiations and extremely effective"
Chambers UK (ranked band 1): A client's guide the UK's legal profession
"I often recommend her because she has all the ingredients of a fantastic lawyer – she is extremely clever, very client-friendly and takes just the right approach to negotiations"
Chambers UK (ranked band 1): A client's guide the UK's legal profession
“A likeable and approachable character in an area of law that can easily become confrontational and over-wrought”
Chambers UK: A client’s guide to the UK legal profession
"[She] combines commercial awareness and acuity with extremely good client care skills”
Chambers UK: A client’s guide to the UK legal profession
“Jane Keir heads the family team at Kingsley Napley with ‘grace, style and a sharp intellect’ with strength across the department in both financial and children work”
Legal 500 UK
"…worth every penny and thanks again for every little bit of sympathy and patient advice. I maintain my sanity in no small part because of your efforts on my behalf”
A client
Professional memberships and awards
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Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (formerly the IAML) and speaker at the American Chapter meeting, in Los Angeles in February 2016.
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Winner of the Editor’s Choice Awards at the 2015 City Wealth Power Women Awards.
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New entry to Who’s Who in 2016.
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Listed in Spear's Indices - Family Lawyers 2017 as Top Recommended
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Listed as an “eminent” practitioner in London in the 2017 edition of Chambers UK.
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Listed in the Legal 500 as a leading individual in family law.
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Winner in 2007 of the Women in the City Women’s Achievement Awards for the legal services category.
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The Times Lawyer of the Week; April 2012.
Further information
Jane is a very keen follower of horse racing and breeds thoroughbreds in the UK. On 1 January 2016 she was appointed a Trustee of the Racing Foundation.
"She's excellent, knows her stuff inside out and has a brilliant manner"
Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"Her strengths are client care skills. She is efficient and businesslike [and] she's got a good eye on getting a case sorted and finished"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2016
"Hugely experienced"
Legal 500 UK
"Absolutely dedicated to getting the job done for her clients, many of whom are high profile or international."
Citywealth Leaders List
"Jane Keir's 'modest and straightforward manner is very reassuring.' She is 'pragmatic and sensible' and 'extremely knowledgeable about how to proceed and the best strategy to take'..."
Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"...Responsive, solutions orientated...a pleasure to deal with...an excellent grasp of the law and the tax consequences."
Citywealth Leaders List, "Family & Matrimonial Honours List"
