Rae is described as ‘the grande dame of divorce’ and dealt with Princess Diana’s divorce, yet she is as grounded as they come. ‘The press is dominated by these big, hugely litigious cases. That’s the impression the public get of what we do and it’s completely wrong because most of our work is settled,’ she says, criticising the abundance of reported cases: ‘I think that is quite wrong. I’m with Mr Justice Mostyn on that.’
Discretion is her valour. She cites a ‘very, very complicated’ case from the last year between a very well-known couple, praising the law-assisted mediation process that kept it out of the news until six months after they’d separated. ‘It was delightful to have been able to have done it in a civilised way. Indeed, the client said how nice it was that they were still talking to each other.’
Rae also chairs Refuge (a charity for victims of domestic violence), lectures at the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and advises Commons select committees.
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