Blog
Ten years on - The impact of Radmacher on UK prenups and divorces
Jane Keir
"Jane Keir is a legend. She has the best judgement which, coupled with her people skills, puts her in a league of her own. She is a class act and has the rare combination of excellence and humility.”
Legal 500 UK 2021
Jane Keir is a partner in the family and divorce team. Described as a "class act" by her peers and colleagues alike, she is "absolutely dedicated to getting the job done for her clients many of whom are high profile or international".
Jane acts for equal numbers of men and women and many of her clients come from across the country and abroad, as well as London. Much of her work involves an international element and she enjoys working with other lawyers, accountants, actuaries, financial advisers, wealth managers and investigators in order to provide a thorough and comprehensive service to her clients. In addition, she has immediate recourse to all the other leading teams at Kingsley Napley LLP, including Private Client, Immigration and Real Estate.
Jane's strengths lie in her early analysis of a case and in making the arguments that lead to an early settlement. She is highly adept at finding the right angles which can make all the difference and uncovering and using the facts to secure the best outcomes for those she represents. Jane is often consulted by senior family members for an overview as to how family wealth, often accumulated over generations, can be protected and in the use and application of pre and post nuptial agreements.
Among other reported cases, she acted for the successful wife in RC v JC, a landmark compensation case which received widespread media interest, including:
- Law Society Gazette - Wife awarded £400k for sacrificing her solicitor career
- Law Society Gazette of Ireland - Woman who gave up legal career awarded €400,000
- Family Law Week - Mother awarded £400,000 in divorce for stepping back from her career
- The Guardian - Woman wins payout for stymied career in landmark divorce case | Life and style
In 2018, Jane represented the successful party in protecting the wider family’s wealth in the reported case of Daga v Bangur .
Jane is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and in November 2019, she spoke at the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers meeting in Chicago on ‘Discovery Beyond our Borders' where she shared techniques and tips on financial discovery and asset tracing as between England and the USA. Jane will be chairing the ThoughtLeaders4's HNW Divorce Litigation conference in London on 29 September 2020.
Jane has won numerous industry awards and was shortlisted as Family Lawyer of The Year for the Spear's Wealth Management Awards 2019. She is ranked in the Top Flight in Spear's Family Law Index and as a leading individual in The Legal 500, Chambers UK, Chambers HNW and Spear's 500.
In a highly popular, albeit unusually early move, she became Kingsley Napley’s Senior Partner in 2013, being then one of only four women to lead a UK Top 100 law firm. She fulfilled the role for five years before handing on to the current Senior Partner, Stephen Parkinson in 2018.
Jane is a very keen follower of horse racing. She owns and breeds thoroughbreds in the UK. In 2016 she was appointed a Trustee of the Racing Foundation.
"You made a terrible time so much better and I owe you hugely for this. I don’t think I could’ve got through it without your advice steering me through that dark patch. Your sympathy and direct advice was invaluable"
A client of Jane's, 2020
"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."
Citywealth Leaders List
What clients and directories say
"Peers say she is "top class," "excellent," and "has an instinct about things which is really impressive""
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2019
"extensive experience in financial remedy cases involving considerable wealth. One source notes: "Jane is absolutely assured and has a fantastic way with clients," while another labels her "a class act."
Chambers UK 2019, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"Jane is absolutely assured and has a fantastic way with clients"
Chambers UK 2019, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"A superstar"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2019
"an ‘outstanding lawyer’ "
Legal 500 UK 2019
"She is robust, she is tough, easy to deal with, sensible, doesn't make bad points "
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
"Excellent client management skills – clients feel highly supported as she is very patient – looks at a situation very humanely"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
"“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”.
"You are my security blanket"
A client of Jane's
"The ‘tough, thorough and calm’ Jane Keir ‘has seen it all’"
Legal 500 UK 2017, The Clients Guide to The Law
"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
"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
"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
"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"
"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, 2016
“Jane Keir’s promotion to senior partner ‘emphasises the importance of family law at the firm’”
Legal 500 UK
"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 of Jane's
Recent cases
Jane has acted in the following reported cases among others:
- RC v JC [2020] EWHC 466 (Fam) - acted for the wife in a successful and rare compensation case
- Daga and Bangur [2018] EWFC 91 - acted for the wife in contested high value finances involving trusts and non-matrimonial assets
- 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.
- A v B & C [2012] EWCA Civ 285 - acted 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.
- Z v A [2012] EWHC 467 (Fam) - acted for a wife, following an overseas divorce and securing a substantial order for her client and the payment of her client’s costs.
Publications, press and speaking engagements
- Ten years on - The impact of Radmacher on UK prenups and divorces - eprivateclient, October 2020
- A decade on: the case that cast prenups in a new light - Jane Keir quoted in The Times, October 2020
- Jane will be chairing the ThoughtLeaders4's HNW Divorce Litigation conference in London in September 2020 alongside Jonathan Hilliard QC
- Out of court - Jane Keir shares her views on remote justice in Spear's Magazine
- Jane co-presented with Stacey Nevin and Lucy Stone QC at the ThoughtLeaders4 webinar in May 2020 on "Compensation Claims on Divorce – how exceptional do they have to be"
- Jane co-presented with speakers from the US, Israel and Spain at the International Academy of Family Lawyers webinar in May 2020 on “What is a career worth? Paying for the non-economic contributions and earning potential sacrificed by a partner or co-parent who stays home”
- Lawyer in the news: Jane Keir - The Law Society Gazette, March 2020
- Law Society Gazette, March 2020 - Wife awarded £400k for sacrificing her solicitor career
- Law Society Gazette of Ireland, March 2020 - Woman who gave up legal career awarded €400,000
- eprivateclient, March 2020 - Wife awarded £400k compensation for her law career sacrifice in landmark case
- Daily Mail, February 2020 - Female Cambridge graduate lawyer who 'sacrificed' her career to look after her children is awarded £400,000 compensation from ex-husband on top of equal share of couple's £10m assets in divorce case
- Express Digest, February 2020 - Female lawyer who 'sacrificed' career to look after her children awarded £400,000 compensation
- Family Law Week, March 2020 - Mother awarded £400,000 in divorce for stepping back from her career
- MSN, Februar 2020 - Woman wins payout for stymied career in landmark divorce case
- RT, February 2020 - Victim culture hits the courts: Woman gets paid for career she MIGHT have had but gave up for marriage and kids
- The Guardian, February 2020 - Woman wins payout for stymied career in landmark divorce case | Life and style
- The Mirror, February 2020 - Judge says mum should be compensated £400,000 for giving up career to raise kids
- The Stylist, February 2020 - This landmark divorce case could change things for working women who start a family
- The Times, February 2020 - Giving up a career is a choice not a sacrifice
- Yahoo Lifestyle, February 2020 - Woman wins payout for stymied career in landmark divorce case
- Jane spoke at the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers annual meeting in Chicago in November 2019 on "Discovery Beyond our Borders'' , where she shared techniques and tips on financial discovery and asset tracing as between England and the USA
- How a prenup can help defend you from ‘Corbygeddon’ - Spear's, July 2019
- Pre-nups and second look States - not so different after all? - Family Law, May 2019
- Courts must not rip up precedent on pre-nups - The Times, April 2019
- ‘It takes a lot to persuade a judge to send someone to jail’ – an expert opinion on the Al Zawawi divorce - Spear's, April 2019
- Divorce Day - Jane Keir comments in Mail on Sunday’s This is Money section about ways to reduce the costs of a marriage break-up - This is Money, January 2019
- Daga v Daga: a warning to all gold-digger spouses - Spear's, December 2019
- UK targets overseas territories transparency - Jane quoted in Financier Worldwide Magazine, August 2018
- New rules on property disclosure are hot topic for divorce lawyers - Property Week, June 2018
- The surprising new way to save your marriage: discuss divorce terms — while you're still together - Daily Mail, December 2017
- Your marriage on the rocks but still willing to give it one more try? ... then a post-nup is just what the Doctor ordered - The Mail on Sunday, September 2017
- Having a divorce wobble? Try a reconciliation contract - the new pre-nup - The Telegraph, August 2017
Professional memberships and awards
- Listed as Top Recommended Family Lawyer in Spear's Indices 2019
- Listed as the ‘ eminent pracitioner’ in the Chambers HNW Guide 2017 and in the current Chambers UK Family/Matrimonial Guide
- Listed in the Top 10 Family Lawyers and Top 20 Women in Wealth, 2018, by Citywealth
- Winner of the Citywealth PowerWomen Gold Award in 2017 for Company of the Year – Female Leadership ( Professional Services)
- Listed in Spear's Indices - Family Lawyers 2017 as Top Recommended
- Ranked Band 1 in the current Legal 500
- Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (formerly the IAML) and speaker at the American Chapter meeting, in Los Angeles in February 2016 and in New Delhi in September 2016
- New entry to Who’s Who in 2016
- Winner of the Editor’s Choice Awards at the 2015 City Wealth Power Women Awards
- The Times Lawyer of the Week; April 2012
- Winner in 2007 of the Women in the City Women’s Achievement Awards for the legal services category
"She has handled huge trusts cases and she's really impressive. She is so well known and exceptionally client-focused; she works really hard for clients. She's really good at pushing the legal principles and she can see where legal arguments are going to go."
Chambers UK 2021
Woman wins payout for stymied career in landmark divorce case"
Jane Keir acted for the wife in RC v JC [2020] EWHC 466 (Fam)
"Jane is right up there with the leaders of the matrimonial finance world," adding that "her judgement is pinpoint accurate and she does it with humility. She is so clearly brilliant at her job, but there is none of the showmanship that goes with it. Jane just gets on with it."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2020
"One of the best" and "a really good example of how family lawyers should be"
Chambers UK 2020, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
"She is robust, she is tough, easy to deal with, sensible, doesn't make bad points"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
"Absolutely excellent," and "She has a very high profile and she's also extremely good at client care. She's a very hard worker and she's very well respected."
Chambers UK 2018, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
