Catherine Thomas

Consultant

cthomas@bortoftbell.com

020 3405 0060

Catherine is “…widely regarded as one of the top divorce lawyers in the country” (Sunday Times and Management Today).  She is also described as “extremely intelligent and very calm”; she is praised for her “formidable intellect and knowledge of the law. Her approach and advice is always right”; and as “very detailed, thinks ahead and pre-empts everything. She is brilliantly tactical. Nothing escapes her”” (Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500).

Catherine deals with all aspects of private family law with a particular expertise in international litigation, having secured the jurisdiction of preference for numerous clients all over the world. She is experienced at dealing with complex financial arrangements including trust structures and corporate valuations. Catherine also advises on children disputes, including international relocation, and on a variety of agreements including prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation.

Having been a partner for over a decade since the age of just 26, Catherine is an experienced strategist and leader on high-profile cases. Notable victories include Al Baker v Al Baker, in which she secured a lump sum of £63 million, believed to be the largest lump sum ever awarded against a spouse after a foreign divorce; and Chai v Peng, reported in the press as one of the largest divorce awards in English legal history at £64 million. She also acted for Michelle Young in her high-profile trial Young v Young, achieving what is thought to be the largest costs order made by the family courts.

“Catherine Thomas has considerable experience of handling complex financial disputes in relation to divorce and separation. She has particular experience in disputes involving issues of jurisdiction, as well as financial remedy matters with harassment and non-disclosure allegations.
"She is enormously experienced and is very focused on what the case is really about. She is very good at spotting the key issues and letting go of unnecessary distractions."
”

Chambers & Partners

“Catherine Thomas brings with her a wealth of experience on high-value financial proceedings with a cross-border dimension. Thomas also deals with children arrangements and marital agreements. An interviewee says Thomas “picks up on the accounting or forensic points and is very commercial in her thinking about business issues,” adding that she is “at her best in complex high net worth cases.” A client says that “she has very strong interpersonal skills and made me feel at ease with her from the get-go”

Chambers High Net Worth

“Catherine Thomas has considerable experience of handling complex financial disputes in relation to divorce and separation. She has particular experience in disputes involving issues of jurisdiction. “Catherine is brilliant - I have seen her with clients and she is calm, clear and decisive. She is very smart and picks up quickly on the forensic points. She’s at her best in complex, high net worth cases and she’s very professional and a delight to work with”

Chambers & Partners

“Catherine is brilliant - I have seen her with clients and she is calm, clear and decisive. She is very smart and picks up quickly on the forensic points. She’s at her best in complex, high net worth cases and she’s very professional and a delight to work with.”

Chambers & Partners

“Catherine is outstanding. She has very strong interpersonal skills, and her judgement and advice demonstrate that she is hugely experienced.”

Chambers & Partners

“Catherine has a gravitas and reputation far beyond her years. A real heavyweight in complex financial disputes. She is an intellectual powerhouse. She has a great head for strategic decisions, and provides advice which is always sound. Her client care skills are excellent and she inspires confidence.”

Legal 500

“Catherine Thomas, who is praised for her ‘remarkable intellect, formidable legal prowess and client care that is out of the movies’”

Legal 500

Although she is an experienced litigator, Catherine prides herself on securing highly-favourable out of court settlements for her clients where possible, particularly if this alternative route to resolution reduces costs and stress for her clients.

Catherine was previously featured in Management Today prestigious “35 under 35” list of the country’s highest achieving young business women. She has been shortlisted for “Inspirational Individual of the Year” and for “Family Lawyer of the Year, Partner” at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards. She is “Top Recommended” in the Spear’s 500 2021 Edition’s list of elite family lawyers.

Her opinion and commentary is regularly sought by the leading national and international media outlets.

Away from work, Catherine enjoys chasing her toddler around, boring people about her beloved whippets and trying to stay fit on her Peloton bike.

Reported Cases