Alastair Sinclair Senior Consultant Family Solicitor

Alastair Sinclair is a specialist family lawyer, trained family mediator and collaborative lawyer. He advises on complex financial and property disputes arising from relationship breakdown, with a particular focus on high-value divorce cases and property ownership disputes.

Based near Guildford, he divides his time between the Setfords London and Guildford offices and also represents clients nationwide on a fully remote basis. He joined Setfords in 2023, having previously been a Partner and Head of Litigation at several highly regarded firms in West Sussex, and has over 20 years’ experience in handling complex and sensitive disputes.

Practice Focus

• Divorce and financial remedy proceedings
  Advises on the division of assets on divorce, focusing on achieving fair and workable outcomes while maintaining momentum and avoiding unnecessary escalation.

• High net worth financial settlements
  Acts in cases involving substantial assets, including property portfolios, and business interests, where structure, valuation and careful handling are key.

• Property disputes between unmarried couples
  A core area of practice. Advises on disputes over beneficial ownership where the legal title does not reflect the true position between the unmarried couple.

• Schedule 1 Children Act applications (financial provision for children)
  Advises on claims for housing and financial provision for children, in particular where the parents are unmarried.

• Child arrangements (custody and contact)
  Advises on arrangements for children following separation, including applications involving wider family members such as grandparents, with a focus on achieving practical, child-focused outcomes while managing conflict constructively.

• Separation agreements
  Prepares clear and workable agreements designed to bring early certainty and reduce the scope for future dispute.

• Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements
  Advises on protecting assets in a way that is balanced, realistic and capable of being upheld if later challenged.

• Enforcement of financial orders
  Takes prompt and effective steps where obligations are not met, focusing on achieving recovery rather than prolonging process.

Alastair approaches each matter with a clear end goal and a firm, commercially focused strategy. He has extensive experience in cases involving multiple properties, complex ownership structures and overlapping family and financial issues, and is known for identifying the key pressure points early. He has a strong and consistent track record of securing favourable outcomes without contested hearings in high-value property and financial disputes, and where court proceedings are required, he progresses cases decisively and robustly and delivers results.