Our work covers all areas of family law, with particular expertise in the following areas:
Call: 1989
'I have been left in awe of Fiona's ability to navigate through complex hearings with an excellent, analytical approach, paving the way for negotiations and settlements to be reached. Clients and advocates listen to her. Fiona is a top choice for a Private FDR judge.'
Chambers UK Bar 2027
Fiona is an experienced family law specialist with a reputation for measured pragmatism and calm authority in her advocacy. She focuses exclusively on financial remedy cases where she applies her widely recognised financial expertise to secure practical solutions for her clients, particularly in cases featuring disputes over pension entitlements. Her approach balances empathy and support for her clients with robust and skilful advocacy.
Fiona has a strong interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution. She is an experienced Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) advocate and her calm, pragmatic approach has earned plaudits. Fiona also sits as a judge in Private FDRs – a mechanism that she strongly favours for its effectiveness in delivering workable agreements with minimal distress to the parties involved.
Since January 2013, she has been authorised to sit in the High Court, pursuant to s9 Senior Courts Act 1981 and she has been a Recorder on the Midland Circuit since 2009.
Fiona lectures for Jordan’s Family Law on issues relating to pensions and divorce and is author or co-author of several of the leading guides on this topic (see below).
She is also a panel member for Advocate, the Bar’s pro bono unit.
To instruct Fiona or for more information…
Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk
Family Finance & Financial Remedy
Fiona is an experienced matrimonial finance practitioner and has developed a particular expertise in cases featuring disputes over pension entitlements and family businesses following separation and divorce. She has a strong interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Fiona is an accomplished FDR advocate and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is also available for private financial dispute resolution appointments and early neutral evaluations. She recommends the private FDR route as an effective and time-efficient means of resolving disputes away from the potentially intimidating and adversarial formality of the courtroom.
Her practice also boasts a strong international element, particularly with regards to Part III proceedings.
Represented Appellant husband. Appeal by husband against financial remedies order which awarded 90% of the assets to Wife, on the basis of her needs. Appeal allowed, and order made awarding Wife 60% of the assets.
Cohen J. Enforcement (committal and property transfer) and variation issues following financial remedy orders made by Baker J.
Roberts J judgment in financial remedy proceedings involving beneficial ownership of properties, intervenors, a pre-existing agreement in Egypt and meta data and handwriting evidence.
Judgment involving the impact of a party’s potentially substantially reduced life expectancy in financial remedy proceedings particularly with regard to pension sharing.
Non-Court Dispute Resolution: Mediation, Arbitration & Private FDR
Fiona has a strong interest in Alternative Dispute Resolution. She is an experienced Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) advocate and her calm, pragmatic approach has earned plaudits. Fiona also sits as a judge in Private FDRs – a mechanism that she strongly favours for its effectiveness in delivering workable agreements with minimal distress to the parties involved.
“A wise and experienced private FDR judge who understood the client and how to tailor her indication to maximise the chance of a settlement. Meticulously prepared, she offered to stay late into the evening to help the clients reach settlement. Both clients and both sets of lawyers were very impressed.” – Chambers UK Bar 2024
“She’s very good both at establishing an excellent atmosphere during the FDR and explaining to the clients what can be quite tricky concepts.” – Chambers UK Bar 2024
Fiona is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public under the Direct Access Scheme in appropriate circumstances.
'Fiona Hay is a first-class barrister. She is all over the numbers, has great attention to detail and great clarity. She can be creative when needed. Clients love her empathy and honesty.' 'Fiona Hay is always the first person I ask for.' 'Fiona Hay is a meticulous and tenacious advocate.' 'If I ever need a financial barrister, Fiona Hay is who I would use!' Fiona has a lovely bedside manner and quickly puts the clients at ease. She does the hard work before the hearing, knows the case inside out and is always fully prepared. Her approach is reasonable, pragmatic and shrewd.' 'An experienced and highly skilled strategist, Fiona is commercial in her approach and calmly robust in her advice, with a keen eye for early settlement where this can be achieved.' 'Fiona specialises in complex financial matters and is able to simplify even the most complicated issues so that clients feel reassured and confident.' 'Fiona is a commercially savvy and detail-oriented counsel.'
'Fiona is incredibly numerate, solution-focused and on the detail. She never loses sight of the big picture.' 'Fiona is one of the leading experts, especially in cases involving complex pension issues.'
Chambers UK Bar 2027
'Fantastic depth of knowledge on pensions. Her warm approach belies a very forensic brain. Her extensive sitting experience as a fee-paid judge is evidenced by her interactions. She is able to give tough and carefully constructed evaluations in a way that parties can still engage with even if they don't like what she is saying. I have used her on a number of occasions, and she has an excellent success rate in achieving settlements.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2027
'Very well prepared, makes clients feel confident in court with her authoritative and easy manner. Very responsive to any matters and works very collegiately. On a recent big money case, there is no doubt an outsider would have got which party was represented by silk the wrong way round.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2027
'Fiona is just so amazing at what she does, both as counsel and as a private FDR judge.'
Chambers UK Bar 2026
'Fiona has a way of navigating through the most complex cases with a meticulous approach.'
'As brilliant an advocate as she is a private FDR judge. She has a fantastic sense of humour which really puts clients at ease.'
'Fiona is always very well prepared and ready to deal with issues that come up.'
'Fiona is brilliant and a pleasure to work with. Calm and highly skilled both in and out of court, she is fantastic with clients and at dealing with complex financial matters.'
'She's very straightforward, very sensible and very measured.'
'Fiona is brilliant, a pleasure to work with; she is calm and highly skilled both within and outside of the courtroom.'
'I did a Private FDR in front of her and she was top-notch. I acted for a highly successful businessperson and Fiona was very, very good. My client really liked her.'
'Fiona inspires confidence and has a sensitive manner about her when dealing with clients. She's very supportive of her instructing solicitor and always makes herself available to offer guidance.'
'Fiona's experience puts everyone at ease. She is calm and her knowledge is extraordinary.'
Chambers UK Bar 2026
'Fiona immediately inspires confidence from solicitors and clients alike. She approaches cases with meticulous preparation and a key strategic mind. Her ability to analyse complex legal issues with precision, cutting straight to the core issues, means that she is quickly able to come up with creative solutions. Aside from her technical expertise and keen eye for early settlement wherever this can be achieved, her ability to connect and empathise with clients is outstanding.'
The Legal 500 UK Bar 2026
Harcourt Chambers is delighted to announce its impressive achievements in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners, published today. The 2027 rankings highlight Harcourt’s reputation as one of the leading…
We are delighted to announce that Fiona Hay has been shortlisted for Family Junior of the Year for the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2026. Fiona is one of just three…
This was a decision of Recorder Fiona Hay of Harcourt Chambers sitting as a s. 9 Deputy High Court Judge.
In a wide ranging judgment on financial remedies the learned…