Jersey family law firm, Myersons, has announced that Sir Nicholas Francis, who retired as a High Court Judge in May this year, has been appointed as a consultant.
Nick (pictured) is a renowned expert in family law and was one of the pioneers of the private Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) process. He was one of the first to qualify as a Family Law finance arbitrator when the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) scheme was launched in 2012. Nick was recognised for many years as one of the leading financial remedy silks in England & Wales and served as Head of Chambers, at 29 Bedford Row, for over 14 years before being appointed a Judge of the Family Division of the High Court.
Nick was called to the Bar in 1981 and took Silk in 2002. He was appointed as an Assistant Recorder in 1999, as a Recorder in 2000 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2011. He was then appointed as a Justice of the High Court with effect from 6 October 2016, assigned to the Family Division and known as The Honourable Mr Justice Francis.
He was a co-author of the first textbook in the UK concerning international prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Additionally, as a co-chair of the Pensions Advisory Group, he played a pivotal role in developing guidelines for the treatment of pensions during divorce proceedings.
Welcoming Nick to the firm, Victoria Myerson, Managing Partner of Myersons, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Nick to the firm. He has well-established connections with the Island in that his Judgments have been cited in cases before our courts in Jersey, both at the Registrar level and in the Court of Appeal. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in family law, including non-court dispute resolution, from which our clients will benefit. As we continue to grow our firm, Nick will play a key role in our continued success.”
Nick shared his excitement about the appointment: “I am looking forward to being part of a team which has an in-depth knowledge of all areas of family law, and most importantly a focus on clients’ emotional and physical wellbeing.
“The work that Myersons undertakes has always seemed to me to be of the highest quality as well as dealing with some of the most challenging and interesting work in this professional sphere in Jersey. This is what has attracted me the most to this role and I share their approach of supporting clients holistically in what will often be the most difficult phase of their lives. I look forward to supporting current and future clients of the firm and working with the Myersons team.”
