Paula Piquer Ruz

Paula is a Senior Associate at IMD Family Department, bringing extensive experience in international family law. As a dual–qualified Spanish Abogado and English solicitor, she has been practicing in London since 2009, specialising in cross-border family law matters in all aspects of family law. Paula advises clients on a broad range of financial issues arising from marriage, civil partnerships and cohabitation, particularly those involving HNW individuals and foreign assets. Her expertise includes financial claims for children (Schedule 1 of the Children Act), financial claims after a foreign divorce (Part III of MFP Act 1984), resolving cohabitation-related property disputes (under TOLATA 1996), enforcement of financial orders (domestic and foreign), and applications for interim financial provision. She provides strategic guidance to clients on jurisdiction choices for initiating divorce proceedings when multiple jurisdictions are involved, and she also represents clients in jurisdictional disputes when cases are pursued in England & Wales and other jurisdictions. With a strong interest in preventive legal strategies, Paula helps clients anticipate and mitigate possible future disputes over assets and financial responsibilities. She provides tailored advice to HNW individuals on complex pre and post-nuptial agreements involving multiple jurisdictions, as well as cohabitation agreements, to minimise potential future conflicts. Paula has extensive experience handling private children law matters, including Child Arrangements Orders, Prohibited Steps Orders and international relocation cases. She also represents clients in child abduction cases and the enforcement of foreign court orders. With her deep understanding of both common and civil law systems, Paula is uniquely positioned to provide expert guidance on complex cross-border matters. She frequently collaborates with lawyers from other jurisdictions to ensure protection of her clients’ interests across multiple legal systems. Her expertise extends to preparing export reports and affidavits in both English and Spanish for domestic and foreign legal proceedings. Paula regularly lectures at seminars and conferences and she is fluent in English, Spanish and Catalan and speaks basic French. Paula also provides pro – bono family law advice with the Temple Legal Centre.