Spear’s Review

As a long-standing member of Stewarts’ family team, partner Sam Longworth knows the importance of moving quickly on complex divorce cases. ‘My goal is to put clients in a position to make fully informed decisions as to their next steps – and do so from the very first meeting,’ he tells Spear’s.

New cases always begin with a realistic assessment of the factors driving the dispute – whether they are emotional, financial or something else entirely. ‘We need to work out whether these issues will act as a potential barrier to a negotiated settlement,’ he explains. ‘If a settlement is unlikely to be reached without going to court or launching arbitration, then those processes should begin as soon as possible.’

In 2024 and 2025, Longworth, alongside his colleague Lucy Stewart-Gould, acted in Standish v Standish, the landmark divorce case. 

Adviser Profile

Sam is a leading lawyer in international, complex and high-value divorce and family law cases. Recognised across the private wealth industries, he is regarded as one of the top lawyers of his generation.

His clients span the sports, entertainment, City and international sectors, with clients based in Monaco, Switzerland, the US, South America, Asia and the Middle East.

Known for his discretion and commercial advice, Sam delivers swift, best-outcome solutions for clients. He has extensive experience in private arbitration and holds reported decisions at all court levels. In Standish v Standish [2024], he led the team that secured a £20 million reduction to the wife’s award – believed to be the largest reduction awarded by the English courts.