Sean McNally
Partner, Solicitor & Joint Head of Family
Family Law
My Approach
I have a constructive and realistic approach. I strive to avoid litigation/Court proceedings if at all possible. However I will not hesitate in proceeding with Court if it is in my client’s interests to do so. As a mediator and collaborative solicitor I utilise these skills to the benefit of my clients.
Areas of Expertise
- All aspects of family law and divorce.
- Complex disputes involving children, including leave to remove cases, Special Guardianship and International Child Abduction matters.
- Medium to very high net worth financial cases to include work on pensions and trusts.
- Schedule 1 Children Act cases (finances).
- Co-habitation disputes.
- Civil partnership.
Recent Work Includes
- Acting for a client in achieving a very unusual outcome by using a pension to preserve property.
- An extremely protracted children dispute based on serious allegations against my client which were unfounded.
- Acting on an internal relocation case.
- Mediating on financial disputes and arrangements for children.
- Defending an application where domestic violence alleged.
Experience, Professional Associations and Qualifications
- Recognised in The Times Top 200 Law Firms 2020
- Recognised in the Chambers & Partners Guide UK 2022 as a collaborative lawyer and trained mediator with long experience in handling a wide range of family law matters.
- Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2022) for Family Law, described as “extremely knowledgeable with a robust yet pragmatic approach to cases.”
- Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 (UK 2020) for Family Law.
- Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 (UK 2019) – praised for being ‘charming and charismatic’ and a ‘collaborative lawyer, who tries to cut through matters and avoid litigation’
- Ranked as a Notable Practitioner by Chambers & Partners UK Guide 2020 for being ‘ a very experienced, specialised practitioner who has an easy and patient manner with clients’ alongside being ranked Band 2.
- Ranked as a leading practitioner by Chambers UK (2018) and ‘Interviewees note that Sean McNally has a ‘fantastic manner with clients’ and add that he is ‘absolutely unflappable’. He has a broad family practice and specialises in complex children cases.’
- Recommended Lawyer by The Legal 500 (UK 2017) being described as ‘eminently experienced’ and ‘a firm and knowledgeable litigator’.
- Admitted as a solicitor in March 1991.
- Qualified as a mediator in 1997.
- Became Partner of the firm in 2001
- Member of Resolution and twice Chairman of Dorset Resolution.
- Trained and qualified as a collaborative family lawyer in 2007.
- Member of Phoenix Mediation.
Reviews
Sean McNally is a ‘lead on international child abduction matters’
Legal 500 (UK 2016)