Joanne Wescott

Joanne is a Partner in the Family Department, specialising in divorce and financial matters.

She is recognised in the Legal 500 as a next generation lawyer, described as a rising star and is said to be “going places”. Peers say she is a “very approachable and sensible opponent”. She regularly provides commentary on family law issues and has been interviewed on Talk Radio and Sky News.

Joanne has extensive experience advising on all aspects of family law, in particular complex financial issues relating to divorce or separation, disputes relating to children, and pre and post nuptial agreements. She has advised in cases with in excess of £220 million in assets, spread over several jurisdictions including Russia, Europe and the Middle East.

Joanne is instructed by a wide range of clients however, is known for high net worth and high profile cases, including those in the public eye. She represented Mrs Mills in the Supreme Court in June 2018 regarding a life term spousal maintenance award.

In addition to divorce, Joanne also deals with both domestic and international children disputes such as Child Arrangements. She has a reputation for her success in relocation cases representing parents wishing to move abroad with their children and parents wanting to remain. She successfully represented clients in a case involving a change of residence and a move to France as well as defending a change of residence and move to Singapore.

Joanne is a strong advocate of alternative dispute resolution in the right circumstances and effectively pursues settlements through other avenues such as a mediation and round table meetings before commencing litigation.

If Court proceedings are necessary Joanne will fight your corner and support you throughout, she is skilled at matching her clients with specialist barristers ensuring they receive the best possible advice and making the court experience less daunting and more manageable.

Joanne’s recent cases include:

• Acting for a husband in a divorce case with assets in excess of £2m but where he had earnings of £15,000 net per month and was ordered to pay a Legal Services Order and interim spousal maintenance in circumstances where the wife had lost capacity.
• Acting for a wife living in Malaysia in divorce and finance proceedings where the wife was a trailing spouse and had moved and lived in several countries to further her husband’s career, there was a property in England but pensions in several different jurisdictions.
• Acting for a mother in a leave to remove from the jurisdiction case, where the mother wanted the child who had been living with her father in England for the last 8 years to move with her to France.
• Acted for a husband in a highly contested divorce and finance case where the wife had relocated to Paris for employment. There was property in England, France and Germany and pensions worth in excess of £500,000.

Recent articles

Mills v Mills: The consequences of ill-advised financial decisions published by Family Law.

Owens v Owens: when unreasonable behaviour is not unreasonable behaviour published by Family Law.

Press and Commentary

Petnups: Asking judges to settle who gets the dog after a divorce is absolutely barking published in The Times.

Bank of Mum and Dad published in The Telegraph.

What the directories say

“She is very approachable and sensible opponent”. Legal 500 2018

“Joanne Wescott is a rising star and going places, and features as a next generation lawyer” Legal 500 2017

What clients say about Joanne

‘Joanne Wescott represented me during my divorce. I can’t praise her enough. She was incredibly diligent, helpful, careful and above professional. Joanne shielded expertly from the messy, stressful parts of the divorce process which I am eternally grateful.’

‘Quite simply Joanne was fantastic. Her careful, considering, intelligent approach ensured an outcome that I could not have been happier with.

‘I cannot thank Joanne enough for the immense effort, unfailing dedication and long hours she put into my case, as well as the kindness she showed throughout.’

Outside of work Joanne enjoys travelling and diving but closer to home she enjoys riding.