Hatley’s international expertise has seen her take on some of the most complex cases, recently acting for the mother in a children’s case, Re C (2015). It was a landmark, she says, as it dealt with the guidance to be applied to domestic and international relocation cases. Her cross-jurisdiction practice has also seen her take on post-nup agreements for ‘global, dynastic family businesses involving close co-operation between international advisers and tax specialists’.
Such an economical approach is apt, and no doubt appreciated by clients: ‘There is a tension in our field which is easy to identify but difficult to resolve — costs. The impact of fees is keenly felt by privately paying families as it directly depletes the precious family resources available for sharing — it’s an issue we are very alive to.’ That’s seen in her support for out-of-court arbitration, saying it is ‘the future of family law for HNW individuals as it offers efficiency, effectiveness and finality’.
One fellow lawyer credits Hatley as ‘the leading light of her generation, she knocks spots off the rest with her brilliance. The essence of what HNW clients want and need in a family lawyer.’ (Although perhaps the greater endorsement is the fact this lawyer is also a client.)