Renato has wide experience in dealing with financial disputes within divorce proceedings and following cohabitation, and in complex private law children cases.
He is a member of Resolution and a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Renato is featured in Spear’s Family Law Index’s ‘Top Recommended Family Lawyers’ list, which describes him as a “highly effective operator”. Renato advises trustees as well as HNW individuals and their families.
Renato is recommended in both Chambers and The Legal 500 as a leading individual. Chambers UK 2022 reconfirms Renato’s Band 1 ranking and highlights “he is respected for his expertise in matrimonial finance matters with trust and property issues”. The Guide commends him for being “an extremely proficient practitioner who is notable for his calmness” and having “particularly good bedside manner with clients”. Chambers UK 2021 noted he is highly recommended for his established practice in divorce proceedings, praising him for handling a range of complex matters, including cross-border financial remedy and enforcement cases.
A Chambers HNW 2023 source comments that Renato is “universally liked by clients,” continuing that he is “utterly charming” and “very bright on technical legal points and spots them before other people do. He takes a strong view of how the case will go early on, and can spot a case that will go all the way to court.” Another source enthuses that “he has the client down to a tee, and he’s quick, efficient, and has a good instinct for what the outcome will be.” Chambers HNW 2022 describes Renato as “a fantastic strategist…he provides really thorough, well-informed advice. He is superbly clever and also prepared to take a measured and appropriate risk where needed.” Renato is commended by a Chambers source as “a fantastic solicitor and I think he is extraordinarily well prepared, a good tactician and very intelligent. He leaves no stone unturned and he’s always thinking one step ahead of the game.”
The Legal 500 UK 2022 reconfirms Renato’s ranking as a ‘Leading Individual’ and highlights he “combines great charm with tenacity and tactical nous” and is “especially good at dealing with complex financial remedies claims”. The Guide adds Renato “is a fine tactician and careful thinker, who can take a case through to trial with relish. His advice is clear, cogent, creative and realistic”. The Legal 500 UK 2021 reconfirmed Renato’s ranking as a ‘Leading Individual’ and praised him for having a “first-rate legal mind”, describing him as “charming to his clients but tenacious with the opposition”.
Renato studied international history and politics at Leeds University, and qualified as a solicitor in 1997.
He spent a year as a commercial litigator in City law firm DLA Piper after qualification before joining the family department of Bates, Wells & Braithwaite in 1998. Renato has been a partner at Hughes Fowler Carruthers since 2005.
Renato’s interests include politics, music and the arts. For many years he was a trustee and Chair of Poet in the City, a venture philanthropy charity, and he remains on the corporate panel.
Chambers HNW 2021 commends Renato as “excellent” and as someone who “has got great judgement”. The Directory further notes “he is a very adept litigator” and “really good at explaining things in layman’s terms”.
Chambers HNW 2020 described him as a well-regarded litigator who handles matrimonial finance disputes and complex children’s cases. The guide noted that “each step is carefully judged, and tenacity is what comes across”.
Chambers UK 2020 reconfirmed Renato’s Band 1 ranking and described him as “clever, resourceful and cool under pressure”, commending his ability to “turn over every stone to find the evidence needed”.
Renato Labi retained his Band 2 ranking in Chambers HNW 2019 and was praised for being “a highly esteemed practitioner”, “loved by clients”. Chambers added that Renato is “well known for acting on behalf of affluent individuals and families”, and “a brilliant tactician” who “will turn over every stone to find the evidence needed”.
Chambers UK 2019 ranked Renato Band 1 and praised him as a “key figure for his work on very high value and complex family litigation”. Chambers also described him as “tactically astute and a pleasure to work with”.
Chambers HNW 2018 recommended Renato once again, described him as “brilliant” and “very easy to deal with”.
Chambers UK 2018 reconfirmed Renato’s Band 1 ranking and praised him for being “very effective, very clever and very good at what he does”.
Chambers HNW 2017 described Renato as “a calm, gracious individual, but that masks a really incisive mind and a tenacity that will stand any case in good stead. He stands by the client in thick and thin”.
Chambers UK 2017 ranked Renato Band 1 and identified him as “an extremely bright lawyer with really good judgement”. A client commented that “he demonstrated the highest level of knowledge and creativity in dealing with sensitive or difficult issues. He combines consummate professionalism with both the sensitivity and humour that is required in an area of law that can be quite emotionally charged”.
Chambers HNW 2016 Renato was highlighted by a source as “a star of the future”, who added: “He knows the law backwards. He can negotiate if that’s required, but he is also up for the fight. Clients love him”. “His knowledge of detail and technicalities is huge. He is very pleasant and gets on with most opponents”, said a commentator, who added: “He achieves far more by charming than most people do by shouting, but carries a big stick if necessary”. Another interviewee commented: “I rate him highly”.
Chambers UK 2016 noted Renato is rated as being “hugely respected in the profession for being astute, sharp, diligent, committed and reliable”.
Chambers UK 2015 said “he has a very smooth, assured touch where clients really benefit from his forensic ability”.
Chambers UK 2012 stated “he is absolutely fantastic and punches above his weight”.
The Legal 500 UK 2020 recognised Renato as a ‘Leading Individual’. He is considered a “key figure for his work on very high value and complex family litigation”.
The Legal 500 UK 2019 recognised Renato as a ‘Leading Individual’ and regarded him as “outstanding”.
The Legal 500 UK 2017 reconfirmed Renato’s position as a ‘Leading Individual’ and described him as “outstanding”, “knowledgeable yet sensitive”, and “an exceptionally safe pair of hands”.
The Legal 500 UK 2016 recognised Renato as a ‘Leading Individual’ and commented on his ability to “explain complex issues in a very user-friendly way”.
The Legal 500 UK 2013 described him as “the perfect choice for complex offshore trust disclosure”.
