A UK law firm has appointed two partners from Howard Kennedy for its new family law practice.

Shoosmiths has launched a new family law team in London, with the appointment of Howard Kennedy duo Juliette Peters and Jay Patel as partners.

The pair bring experience in advising high net worth individuals. Peters joins after five years at Howard Kennedy, where she was a partner and head of family law. She previously served as head of family law at Quastel Midgen. Before that, she worked under matrimonial lawyer Raymond Tooth of Sears Tooth for seven years, specialising in the high net worth space. Peters advises clients on private children work, pre-nuptial agreements, divorce, civil partnership dissolutions and property claims between unmarried couples.

Patel was also a partner at Howard Kennedy and has been a matrimonial lawyer for over 20 years. He has also served as a partner at CKFT Solicitors and as head of family at Dean & Dean. As a high net worth specialist, he has advised on financial remedy claims, public and private children work, divorce law suits, pre-nuptial agreements and international matters such as child abduction.

“These appointments are another step toward developing our national family law practice. The skills of both Juliette and Jay, particularly with their experience of high net worth work, will help us to build our growing and enviable reputation in family law in both England and Scotland,” said Neil Hobden, who heads up the firm's national family law practice.

Shoosmiths, which has 10 offices across the UK, also provides expertise on areas including banking and finance, private client, real estate, tax and technology.