Cate Maguire is a Legal Director in the family team in London, advising clients on divorce, financial settlements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and children disputes.
Cate specialises in complex family law matters involving substantial assets, international issues and jurisdiction disputes. Clients value her forensic eye for detail, meticulous preparation and unwavering commitment to their cases, as well as her understanding of the emotional toll that family court processes can take. Known for her proactive approach, clients comment that Cate often anticipates issues before they arise, enabling her to develop clear strategies from an early stage and guide clients through complex proceedings with confidence and clarity.
Cate has extensive experience in international family law matters, including multi-jurisdiction financial disputes and cross-border prenuptial agreements involving the USA, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. She spent six years acting in the widely reported Chai v Peng jurisdiction dispute between England and Malaysia and has advised on numerous other international financial proceedings. Her international perspective is further informed by time spent living and working in South Korea before beginning her legal career, and she maintains a strong network of professional contacts across multiple jurisdictions.
Cate acts for both financially stronger and financially weaker parties in complex financial remedy proceedings, including cases involving business interests, shareholdings, property portfolios, trust structures, liquidity issues, non-disclosure and difficulties arising during the implementation of financial orders. This includes her time acting for the hedge fund owner in CG v DL [2023] EWFC 82 and CG v DL [No 2] [2023] EWFC 238. Cate also frequently acts in child arrangements disputes, including those with international aspects, and has particular experience in dealing with drug and alcohol dependency and substance testing. She is often instructed in cases involving parallel criminal proceedings or regulatory investigations and regularly advises on applications for disclosure of family court documents for use within those processes. Her practice also includes obtaining parental orders for clients who have become parents through international surrogacy.
Cate understands the sensitivities involved in negotiating prenuptial agreements and helping couples navigate these discussions without creating unnecessary tension in the lead-up to marriage. She has experience supporting neurodiverse clients and those with physical or mental disabilities, adapting her approach to ensure advice remains accessible, practical and effective throughout proceedings. She also regularly advises members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Recent work highlights
Representing the beneficiary of multiple family trusts with assets exceeding £40 million in high-value financial remedy proceedings arising from divorce, including developing a strategy to resist their spouse’s claims that trust assets should be redistributed between the parties.
Acting for an overseas citizen with connections to multiple jurisdictions in the negotiation and drafting of an English prenuptial agreement to protect their assets upon divorce, including taking advice on their behalf in the EU and Africa to ensure maximum cross-border protection.
Representing a high net worth business owner in financial proceedings upon divorce with assets of over £20m, including advising in relation to disputed expert valuations of their business and lodging evidence as to their business’s complex and evolving financial position.
Experience and education
2026 Legal Director, Birketts
2019 Family Team, Kingsley Napley
2015 Qualified as a Solicitor at a boutique London Family Law firm
2013 Began working at boutique London Family Law Firm
2012 Lived and worked in Ulsan, South Korea
2010 Graduated from Downing College, University of Cambridge with a BA in Law
Areas of Expertise
Accreditations
Higher Rights of Audience
Qualification
eprivateclient
Next Generation Leader, 2024
Resolution
Member