Alison Schmidt
Solicitor
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Alison is an experienced family lawyer advising on all areas of private family law, having practised over a 20-year period at leading niche family law practices in London and Yorkshire, with particular expertise in complex financial matters and private law children matters including cases with an international element.
Her early legal experience of training at and qualifying into the corporate department of one of London’s “Magic Circle” law firms makes Alison well-placed to act in cases involving complicated asset structures and remuneration packages.
Alison is consistently commended for her constructive approach and unwavering commitment to her clients. She endorses the non-court dispute resolution of family law matters wherever possible but has a wealth of litigation experience should contested court proceedings become necessary, for which she prepares her cases meticulously. Underlining Alison’s approach, in 2025 she trained as a Family Law Mediator and is currently working towards accreditation with the Family Mediation Council.
A bit more about Alison…
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2003 Trainee, Linklaters
2005 Solicitor, Linklaters
2006 Solicitor, Levison Meltzer Pigott
2012 Solicitor, Jarvis Family Law LLP
2015 Solicitor, Lake Legal
2021 Solicitor, Ribet Myles
2021 Solicitor, Ribet Myles
2025 inter alia Family Mediation Training
2026 Solicitor, Ribet Myles
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Resolution
Family Mediators Association
Family Mediation Council
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Reported cases
Williams v Williams
[2024] EWHC 733 (Fam)
Julian and Alison acted for the husband in this significant case concerning the finality of divorce orders. A final divorce order was mistakenly obtained by the wife's solicitors through the online divorce portal without their client's authority, and they then made an application to set it aside. President of the Family Division held that, despite the mistake, the divorce remained valid. The Court emphasised the importance of certainty and finality in matters affecting marital status and confirmed that a final divorce order will only be overturned in very limited circumstances. The decision is an important reminder of the potentially significant consequences of obtaining a final divorce order before financial matters have been resolved and highlights the court's reluctance to disturb a final order once it has been made.
Z v Z (Divorce: Jurisdiction)
[2009] EWHC 2626 (Fam)
Alison was part of the team who acted in this important international family law case concerning whether divorce proceedings should be determined in England or another jurisdiction. The case involved a dispute over which country's courts were best placed to deal with the parties' divorce and financial claims. The Court considered the parties' connections to different countries, including their residence, family life and financial affairs, before determining the appropriate forum for the proceedings. The decision provides valuable guidance on jurisdiction disputes in international divorce cases and highlights the importance of obtaining specialist advice at an early stage. Where spouses have connections to more than one country, the choice of jurisdiction can have a significant impact on both the conduct of the proceedings and the eventual financial outcome.