Mike Horton QC

Mike Horton QC

Family Law Specialist

Michael Horton was appointed a QC in March 2021. He specialises in complex financial remedy cases and in property disputes between unmarried couples and other family members (ie ToLATA disputes). He has particular experience of appellate work and work with an international element. Mike also undertakes some court of protection work.

Mike is a qualified Arbitrator (MCI (Arb)) and accepts instructions to arbitrate financial remedy and ToLATA disputes. He is happy to accept instructions for early neutral evaluations and is a private FDR ‘judge’. He is also trained in collaborative law and able to accept instructions as a civil mediator. Mike also undertakes direct Public Access work.

He frequently lectures for a number of CPD course providers, with some of the recent topics including, recent changes to capital gains tax, and Nuptial agreements: drafting tips and traps. He also gives in-house seminars for firms of solicitors.

In addition to conducting lectures, Mike has also written extensively on family law matters. His book, 'Compromise in Family Law: Law and Practice', was published in December 2016, and has been described as a ‘handy, concise – yet comprehensive and informed – reference book’ and making ‘a highly distinctive contribution to family law literature.’ Since summer 2017, Mike has also been responsible for editing chapter 21 of Rayden & Jackson on Relationship Breakdown, Finances and Children, which is the chapter dealing with property and ToLATA disputes. He is also a contributing editor of the Jordans/ Lexis Nexis loose-leaf and online publication, Family Law Precedents Service.

His broad practice extends to Conventional financial remedies disputes, Property disputes between cohabitants or other family members who are not married or in a civil partnership, International child maintenance claims and International jurisdiction and forum disputes, including Hemain injunctions and drafting affidavit of laws for use in foreign proceedings.

His practice also covers Enforcement of financial remedy orders, including judgment summons, Avoidance of disposition orders an Advising on and acting in applications to set aside financial remedy orders for non-disclosure, mistake, or under the Barder or Thwaite principles and The enforcement of pension sharing orders (especially where the pension fund to be shared was under the control of the respondent spouse);

Mike led Alex Laing for the appellant in the case of Villiers v Villiers, which was heard in the Supreme Court in December 2019, and judgment given in July 2020. The appeal related to whether the English court should entertain an application for failure to maintain under s 27 when there are divorce proceedings before the Scottish courts. Subsequently, Mike and Alex successfully represented Mr Villiers, acting pro bono, in the first instance proceedings, instructed by Dawson Cornwell, and judgment was given on 11 March 2021 in which Mr Villiers successfully defended the s 27 maintenance application against him.

Awards

Mike was shortlisted by Chambers UK for family law junior of the year in October 2020.

Accreditations

Mike graduated from Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1991 with an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Law.

Mike was previously a member of the Family Procedure Rule Committee from 2014 to 2020.

Rankings