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.
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