We are a *team of bright minds

Ben joined Lawrence Stephens as a Director in the Family department in November 2022.  Having worked for over 10 years in the field of Family Law, Ben helps people following the breakdown of a relationship, the financial impacts of the separation and issues relating to children.

He is often sought out in particularly complex cases.  He was instructed to act on behalf of the Husband in the case of KA v MA, which concerned the issue of duress and needs in matters where there is a Pre-Nuptial Agreement.  However, he is also instructed in particularly sensitive and delicate cases involving children with allegations of abuse, and Parental Alienation.

Ben understands and supports individuals going through stressful relationship issues, whilst helping them identify and achieve their desired outcomes.  Ben has a wealth of experience in dealing with high net worth individuals, and has also assisted with parents experiencing issues with difficult disputes relating to children.

Ben works with clients to help not only understand the process, but to identify their priorities and goals in a successful resolution.  Ben thinks outside of the box, coming up with creative solutions to ensure that his client’s needs are put first and foremost in the heart of any resolution.

Outside of work, Ben enjoys playing chess, reading and walking.

Experience highlights 

• Ben represented a Wife in circumstances where the parties married overseas and there was no evidence of marriage. Despite this, Ben was able to secure a financial settlement whereby the Wife retained a substantial Family Home, significant lump sum and maintenance for life.
• Ben assisted a Husband following a marital breakdown where the Wife sought to hide assets in numerous complicated structures and names of family members. Ben successfully demonstrated to the court that the Husband was entitled to those assets, and that they should be accounted for in any settlement.
• Ben acted for a Father in a matter concerning complex allegations of abuse perpetrated by the Mother against the children. Ben was able to secure an order that the children lived with the Father, spent time with the Mother at a contact centre, and secured a bar against the Mother preventing further applications.
• Ben acted for an ex-spouse in securing an order terminating maintenance which he had been ordered to pay on a joint lives basis. As part of the settlement, Ben secured a waiving of substantial arrears which had accrued, and a small lump sum payable in full and final settlement, amounting to less than to 10 month’s worth of payments.