Claire Spurgeon studied law at the University of Hertfordshire and then completed her Legal Practice at the College of Law, Guildford. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2000 and joined local firm Prestons & Kerlys in 2001 before becoming a Partner in 2005 and later a Partner at Pinney Talfourd upon merger of the firms in 2011.
Claire is a Partner in the Family Team specialising in family work exclusively for in excess of 20 years. She is also a member of Resolution. She regularly acts for high net worth individuals in negotiating a settlement of more complex financial settlements within divorce proceedings. She has more recently acted for parties in the negotiation of high net worth Prenuptial Agreements. She has built a strong reputation and has been referred to in Legal 500 as being “pragmatic with a steely resolve” and “particularly good at providing clarity”.
Claire is regularly recommended for referred work due to her approachable and personal manner and her ability is clear and concise advice.
Claire has recently been responsible for the set up and development of the Chelmsford Family Department following the acquisition of a Chelmsford based firm. This has included supervision and training of more junior staff and the development of the presence of Pinney Talfourd in the town generally. Claire previously assisted in the development of the Brentwood Family Department and has sat on the Executive Committee for the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce for many years, in 2022 being made Honorary Solicitor
Areas of expertise
Noteable achievements
- Representing the wife in contested divorce proceedings where the Husband would not consent to a divorce.
- Representing clients where jurisdiction is an issue.
- Representing wife where valuation of a family business was disputed.
- Representing a Husband on the acquisition of Decree Absolute when the wife refused to apply despite it being her own application.
- Representing wife in high net worth divorce where assets exceeded £40million.
- Successfully representing father as intervener in his son’s divorce proceedings concerning disputes as to beneficial interest in properties purchased as a family. The properties were worth more than £1million (net) and the issues spread over in excess of 10 properties.
- Representing wife in divorce proceedings where there were multiple pension funds worth several million. Working with actuaries in relation to the distribution of those pensions. Advising also in relation to inheritance issues arising and advising on the issue of a behaviour conduct claim.
- Representing wife in divorce proceedings where there were multiple pension funds worth several million. Working with actuaries in relation to the distribution of those pensions. Advising also in relation to inheritance issues arising and advising on the issue of a behaviour conduct claim.
- Representing husband in contested financial remedy proceedings and providing advice in respect of the treatment of significant discretionary bonus and share incentives, including long term investment plans.
- Representing husband in contested financial remedy proceedings and providing advice in respect of the treatment of significant discretionary bonus and share incentives, including long term investment plans.
- Representing mother in child contact matters where residence and contact were disputed in light of the child’s special needs.
- Representing father in child contact proceedings where there were allegations of substance mis-use an domestic violence.
- Representing mother in an application to remove the child from the jurisdiction and also representing a father in defence of a similar application.
- Representing father in defending an application under the Hague Convention for abduction of his child. Later supervising on a similar application for a mother to return a child to its country of birth from which she had fled.
- Preparing various Prenuptial Agreements for high net worth clients and also advising on the significance of the same.
- Advising in relation to Prenuptial Agreements initially drafted abroad.
- Successfully preventing a Prenuptial Agreement attempted too near a marriage date.
- Drafting and advising on Trust Deeds to reflect each party’s interest in jointly owned property.
