Sophie Chapman

Spear’s Review

Sophie Chapman of Stewarts focuses on complex financial issues arising from relationship breakdowns – married couples or otherwise – and disputes involving children.

Much of her practice is international and high value, and includes offshore trusts and business valuations across borders and jurisdictions. She is particularly experienced in dealing with clients with inherited wealth and diverse portfolios covering different asset classes.

Chapman brings a constructive approach to all aspects of family law, supporting her clients through the divorce or separation process and into their new co-parent status with pragmatism and sensitivity.

Adviser Profile

Sophie specialises in advising clients in complex family cases, with a particular focus on resolving the financial issues arising on divorce and the arrangements for children after parents separate. She is recognised as combining “a number of skills that make her terrific; she is exceptionally calm under pressure and really good on the detail of a case … very pragmatic, always ten steps ahead”. 

Sophie’s financial cases frequently have an international dimension, often involving trusts, inherited wealth or family businesses with complex issues of valuation. Her clients include entrepreneurs, business owners, celebrities, City professionals and their spouses/partners. 

Sophie also has a leading practice in children cases, advising clients in respect of the arrangements for children following separation, disputes in relation to key decisions affecting children (to include parentage, the exercise of parental responsibility, schooling, change of name) and applications by one parent to relocate abroad. 

Sophie brings a constructive approach to her cases, supporting clients to resolve cases outside of court, where possible, with pragmatism and sensitivity. In court proceedings, Sophie is recognised as being a “tenacious advocate” with a keen eye on the strategy and detail of every case. She “is determined to get the best outcomes for her clients”. 

Sophie has extensive experience advising vulnerable clients and their spouses/partners, for example in cases involving mental health issues and/or domestic abuse. 

Sophie qualified as a family lawyer in 2008. In addition to her legal career, Sophie spent two years working as a philanthropy advisor in the High Net Worth team at King’s College London, before joining Stewarts in 2017.