Spear’s, the leading wealth management publication for high-net-worth (HNW) individuals, has named Susan Apthorp and Zoë Bloom as leading lawyers in the 2020 edition of its Top 50 Family Lawyers index.
The annual Spear’s Index identifies the best providers of professional services to high-net-worth individuals in the UK. Both Susan and Zoë have been consistently listed in the index since 2017.
Susan Apthorp, who joined Keystone in February 2020, specialises in family law and is well known for her work representing clients in financial proceedings on divorce where there are substantial worldwide assets. She has an international practice with recognised expertise in international enforcement, Inheritance Act Claims, jurisdictional disputes and complex financial remedy proceedings involving offshore assets. A number of her cases have been reported as “leading cases”.
She also has an interest in and regularly represents parents who have children with complex medical needs and unmarried families with children.
Zoë Bloom, who has been a partner at Keystone since 2010, is a family solicitor who exclusively acts in handling financial negotiations relating to separation. She is accredited by Resolution for emergency procedures in financial remedies and complex financial remedies.
Spear’s praises her feisty and hardworking attitude and noted that her practice includes rich listers, tech entrepreneurs, global billionaires and financial professionals. The publication has also acknowledged her strategic approach, particularly where cases have been drifting without direction and her specialism is dealing with toxic disputes. Zoë has spent the last decade specialising in matters where one party suffers from personality disorders, including narcissism and borderline personality, so the recognition is well received.
The Spear’s Index is exclusively prepared by the Spear’s Research Unit. Once a year the indices are updated and the top 50 is expanded to form the Spears 500, the bible of HNW advisors, published in November. Spear’s also hosts The Spear’s Wealth Management Awards, where Susan and Zoe have previously been nominated for Family Lawyer of the Year.