Hetty Gleave

Hetty is a recognised family law specialist with over 30 years experience of guiding clients through issues arising from the end of their relationship, whether separation or divorce, and advising on all issues relating to children. She guides clients through the practical and financial arrangements on separation, including financial settlements, pre and postnuptial agreements, and cohabitation agreements. Hetty is also specialised in the law relating to art and cultural property and therefore has specialist knowledge of the treatment of luxury assets following the breakdown of a marriage.

Hetty’s expertise is in handling high net worth and ultra-high net worth complex financial divorces, often with an international focus involving offshore trusts, business valuations, pre-acquired assets and private equity. She is known for taking a strategic and solutions-focused approach to resolving disputes for her clients in a cost-effective way. Hetty also has significant experience in helping clients with disputes relating to the children, including child arrangements, relocation whether internally or internationally, child abduction, adoption and international surrogacy.

Hetty is also qualified as both a commercial and a family mediator and has mediated on complex family matters, including international relocation as well as issues relating to the ownership of important works of art.

Art has always been a passion of Hetty’s and, in addition to her family practice, she has significant expertise in the arena of art and cultural property law, particularly disputes relating to title, authenticity and illegally trafficked goods. She was a former member of the Treasure Valuation Committee, having sat on the Committee for ten years and acting as deputy chair. This experience puts her in a unique space when it comes to issues of valuation of art and luxury assets. Hetty is a founding member of Art Resolve, the art claims dispute resolution service, which provides options for all out of Court solutions for settling disputes.

• Acting for wife in first known case where husband transitioned from male to female during the divorce and used family funds to pay for it. Reported as JY v KF EWFC 195 (B) Widely reported in the press.
• Acted for couple in International Surrogacy case reported as Re F [2024] EWHC 2849 (Fam)
• Acting for tech entrepreneur in multi jurisdictional financial remedies case.
• Acting for partner in private equity fund in divorce and financial remedy proceedings.
• Acting for mother is highly contested Children Act proceedings where allegations of Parental Alienation made against client.
• Acting for film producer/art collector in relation to ongoing maintenance dispute concerning their son with complex special needs.

Recognised in the “Women Who Will” 2024 Report.

Listed in Best Lawyers 2024 for Family Law.

Lectures on “Art and Divorce” and Valuations for the Institute of Art and Law