Tom Burgess

Tom has advised on a wide range of disputes over arrangements for children – including those involving health issues and cases where one parent wishes to relocate, either within the UK or overseas.

Tom has experience of cases involving financial support for children through child maintenance, (often referred to as ‘child support’). He also provides advice on pre- and post-nuptial agreements and on obtaining court orders in cases involving domestic violence, harassment or threatening behaviour.

Recent Work

• Acting for parents seeking to relocate with their children within the UK, and overseas to countries such as France and Australia, , and also for parents wanting to prevent relocation.
• Successfully securing a change of residence for two children from one parent to the other, in circumstances where there were allegations of domestic abuse and coercive control, and where one parent had sadly become unable to meet the children’s emotional needs as a result of mental health issues.
• Achieved a financial settlement on the basis of voluntary disclosure and agreed arrangements for a child, in a highly contested matter, without the need for court proceedings to be issued.
• Tom secured a successful outcome in acrimonious private law children proceedings. This case involved allegation of serious violent abuse against the child by the other party, resulting in the involvement of the police and social services.
• Helped to settle a long-running and at times bitter dispute over the arrangements for a child, without the need to attend court.

Sorting out the financial consequences arising from divorce can be difficult and confusing. There have been various attempts to simplify the system and improve the quality of the service given to families through the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). However, calculating payments isn’t always straightforward.

Tom can advise on Civil Partnerships.

Tom can help cohabiting couples.

• Acting for the husband in a matter involving a substantial group of jointly owned and complex farming businesses worth over £5 million.
• Acting for the wife in a matter involving significant property assets in France and complex tax issues relating to property assets in the UK.

Tom has a particular interest in the legal issues surrounding children born through surrogacy, donor conception and fertility treatment, including ‘co-parenting’ and parental responsibility.

Tom can assist you If you have to resolve financial issues.

Tom advises on all aspects of relationship breakdown and separation, including divorce, financial disputes between divorcing spouses and unmarried couples who have been cohabiting, and arrangements for children (previously referred to as ‘residence’, ‘contact’ or ‘custody’).

He also has considerable experience of more complex matters, for example those involving businesses and substantial inherited assets, and matters involving net assets of £5 million or more. He has also worked on many cases involving properties and other assets overseas.

Recent Work

• Assisted a woman to reach a financial settlement at mediation after direct discussions between her and her husband had broken down; avoiding the need for her to issue court proceedings.
• Successfully negotiated a financial settlement in a matter where court proceedings had already reached an advanced stage, avoiding the need for a contested final hearing.

If you are in the process of getting divorced or your civil partnership dissolved, we would always recommend that you discuss whether it is appropriate for you to either update your Will or make a new Will if you do not have one.

Tom can advise on pensions and divorce.

Tom also works with couples interested in preserving wealth with the preparation of pre and post-marital agreements.

We can guide you through the process, form completion and preparation for the hearing to ensure your best possible case is presented to the tribunal.

Tom has a particular interest in the legal issues surrounding children born through surrogacy, donor conception and fertility treatment, including ‘co-parenting’ and parental responsibility.

Recent Work

• Advising on obtaining a parental order following a surrogacy arrangement, in circumstances where the court needed to be satisfied that the prospective parents were domiciled in the UK.

Tom can advise on taking a child abroad.

If you are dealing with financial issues in court, Tom can advise on what factors the court would take into account.