Ann Thomas

Ann is a Partner and co-founder of The International Family Law Group LLP.

Ann became a Senior Partner on 1 August 2021 having been Managing Partner since the firm's inception in 2007.

Ann is a solicitor, civil and family mediator, and a trained collaborative lawyer. She specialises in all aspects of family law but especially in international child relocation. She is recognised as a leading international children lawyer and is Head of iFLG's International Children Team.

Although Ann predominantly handles children cases (both international and domestic) she also handles complex financial issues arising from the breakdown of a relationship including high net worth asset cases, often involving partnerships, companies and trusts. She regularly advises on pre-nuptial agreements and cohabitation issues. Many of Ann’s family cases have an international element. 

In December 2011, Ann was one of the first mediators in the country to qualify as a Direct Consultant with Children. She can therefore meet directly with children so they may express their views in respect of the separation process of their parents and issues concerning contact and residence. Ann can bring this into her own mediations or otherwise feed back to the parents and the mediator during the mediation process itself. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Ann was a teacher and pastoral Head of children aged between 8 and 18 years. She has enhanced CRB clearance.

She has written a number of articles on the recent developments in family law and has also presented seminars on international aspects of family law in this country and in other European countries. Ann also regularly lectures to the legal profession both in this country and abroad. She has been involved in training family Judges in Serbia in the Hague Convention and international family law.

Ann spoke on international relocation at the Australian family lawyers conference in Brisbane in July 2012, in Singapore in August 2012, in Tasmania in October 2012 and in Sydney at the World Congress in March 2013.

Ann is often asked to comment on topical issues in family law by the media and has been in a number of high profile reported cases.

• Children

  Adoption and Surrogacy

  Arrangements for Children

  Child Relocation: Moving Abroad with a Child

  Cross Border Enforcement

  Parental Responsibilities

• Testimonials
  1. 'Brilliant client skills and a delight to work with'

  The Legal 500 UK 2023

  1. 'Ann Thomas is a leading international children lawyer and one of the top such specialists in London. She also brings intelligence, thought and planning to her cases and does all in her power to achieve the result her client seeks.'

  The Legal 500 UK 2022

  1. 'iFLG was established by David Hodson and Ann Thomas, who have both remained among the very best family law solicitors for many years. They have built up a formidable team'.

  The Legal 500 UK 2021

  1. 'I find this team highly professional. Ann Thomas is a lawyer, smart and compassionate'.

  The Legal 500 UK 2020

  1. 'Highly recommended for her work in children and relocation cases'.

  The Legal 500 UK 2019

• Appointments
  1. The Law Society’s Family Law Panel (Advanced Accreditation) in international law and children
  2. Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  3. The International Bar Association
  4. The Solicitors Family Law Association (SFLA)
  5. Former Chair of the Resolution (formerly known as the SFLA) International Committee
  6. Former member of Resolution (formerly known as the SFLA) London Regional Committee
  7. Family law all issues Mediator
  8. Specialist Mediator qualified in Direct Access to children
  9. Former Chair of LawNet Family Lawyers Group
  10. Former Chair and founder of the Eurojuris International Family Lawyers Group (Brussels)
  11. The Scottish Family Law Association
  12. The Institute of Directors
  13. International Academy of Collaborative Lawyers
  14. Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
  15. Listed as a leading family lawyer in Citywealth
  16. Member of The International Society of Family Law
• Publications
  1. The International Family Law Practice' 2012 -2013 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (second edition) - chapters on: International Child Relocation and International Children
  2. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2013 - 2014 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (third edition) - chapters on: International Child Relocation and International Children
  3. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2015 - 2016 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fourth edition) - chapters on: International Child Relocation 
  4. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2016 - 2017 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (fifth edition) - chapters on: International Child Relocation
  5. 'The International Family Law Practice' 2021 - 2022 published by Family Law, LexisNexis (sixth edition) - chapters on: International Child Relocation
  6. Co-author of 'When Cupid’s Arrow Crosses National Boundaries: A Guide for International Families' 2022 published by iFLG (fifth edition) 
• Memberships
  1. Ann is an advanced accredited solicitor (The Law Society’s Family Law Panel).
  2. She is a member of the lawyers network of Reunite, the leading UK charity specialising in international parental child abduction and which provides advice, information and support to parents, family members and guardians who have had a child abducted or who fear child abduction.
  3. She is a Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the world’s leading organisation of peer elected top family lawyers dealing with international work.
• Reported Decisions
  1. Marinos v Marinos [2007] EWHC 2047 (Fam)
     https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2007/2047.html

   

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