Position: Partner

Specialisation: Family

Simon is head of the family team, having qualified with the firm’s family team in 1986.  He has wide experience in money, children and pre-marital cases, many of which involve complex trusts, tax, pensions and international issues.  Having read French at University, Simon speaks the language fluently, and has many cases with an international flavour. 

Simon has been recommended as a leading family lawyer by both Legal 500 and Chambers directories for many years.  He has most recently been recommended by Chambers as being “everything you could want in a family lawyer”, and “one of the cleverest lawyers around”.  Chambers says he “always does quality work”, and “brings a level head and a nerve of cold steel to the negotiating table”.  Legal 500 recommends Simon in particular for cases with an international flavour, and as “clever and hard working”, and “diligent and skilful”.

Simon has been accredited by Resolution as an expert in substantial asset cases and in emergency procedures in financial relief.  He is an author of precedents used by the family law profession, and of family law text books.  He has frequently written articles for family law journals. 

Simon is also trained and practises many cases as a collaborative lawyer.

Career

Qualified at Farrer & Co 1986; made a partner in 1993.

Education

Eton College; Trinity College, Oxford (MA); College of Law (Chester).

Memberships

International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (IAML): Simon is Secretary of the IAML, chairs the Editorial Board of the IAML newsletter, chaired the educational session of the IAML in Rome in April 2008 and in Stockholm in May 2009; chairing sessions at the IAML meeting in Puerto Rico in February 2010; Vice-President of the Family Law Commission of the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA); sits on Resolution’s Publications Committee; past assessor for Resolution’s Specialist Accreditation Scheme; Simon sits on the Money and Property Committee of the Family Justice Council; qualified as a mediator with Resolution. Member of Liverpool Football Club Supporters Club and of The Queen's Club.

Visiting lecturer at the University of Louisville.

Visiting lecturer at the University of Kentucky.

Trained as a collaborative lawyer, and member of Central London Collaborative Forum.

Mobile: 07825 596555

Simon.Bruce@farrer.co.uk