Francesca Skakel
Francesca Skakel is a Senior Associate at Birketts, working principally across the London and Cambridge offices in ultra-high net worth and high-value family matters on cases involving complex legal, procedural, and evidential issues. Her expertise lies in providing detailed technical analysis, strategic input and practical solutions on matters involving complex financial and children issues, as well as novel or developing areas of family law.
Latest
Selling the Goose: Orders for Sale of the Family Company
[2026] 3 FRJ 194. This article considers recent authorities which suggest that forcing a sale of the family company may increasingly be contemplated by the court.
Tech Corner: Only 11%. What Technology Can Do About the Pensions Gap on Divorce
[2026] 3 FRJ 266. Only 11% of divorcees with a pension not yet in payment made any arrangement to share it, according to the Fair Shares study, which also found that over a third of divorcees did not know the value of their own pension. Ignoring the pensions is not an option.
Costs in Financial Remedy Proceedings: Time for Greater Discipline?
[2026] 3 FRJ 206. If costs discipline is to be meaningful, parties must understand from the outset that disproportionate litigation expenditure will ultimately remain their own responsibility even in a needs case. Money spent on costs is money removed from the resources available to the family.