High net worth individuals are increasingly opting to resolve financial claims on divorce through private out of court sessions guided by retired judges and specialist barristers acting as private judges. While this method is more private and efficient than dispute resolution in court, it is only accessible to the wealthy and is fostering a ‘two-tier’ divorce system.

Commenting in The Times, Partner Mark Harper explores why this option is becoming more popular for the ultra-wealthy.

Mark highlights that “most people with normal assets and income cannot afford the luxury of private financial dispute resolutions.”

He goes on to note that this increase in out of court process is resulting in fewer cases involving HNW and UHNW individuals going to trial “because a private financial dispute resolution can be a very effective means of resolving the case”.

Read Mark’s comments in The Times, here.