Marcus Dearle
Partner
- Education: University of East Anglia, LL.B (Hons) Law
- Admitted: England and Wales, 1990 • Hong Kong SAR, 2011
- Year joined: 1990
- Year became partner: 1995
Overview
Marcus is managing partner of the Withers' Hong Kong office. He advises on all areas of family law, in particular in complex international and cross border cases often involving international trust structures, and in cases concerning children. He advises husbands, wives, and unmarried partners, as well as representing trustees in international trust cases. He is an expert in dealing with pre- and post-nuptial agreements.
Marcus is a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial lawyers. He is also a member and international committee member of Resolution (formerly the Solicitors' Family Law Association in England) as well as a member of the Hong Kong Family Law Association. As the head of the Withers Hong Kong office, he has led the team which has been named by Asian Legal Business in January 2010 as one of the top 10 firms to watch out for in Asia in 2010 in terms of business growth: the firm has launched the world's first international family practice in 2010, providing clients with advice on pre-nups, divorce and dynastic trust planning. In 2011, the firm won the Matrimonial Law Firm of the Year in the Asian Legal Business (ALB) Hong Kong Law Awards.
Marcus is listed as an expert in Legal Business' 'Legal experts'. He also has been mentioned in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2012 as ‘the first of his kind in that he is able to blend family law expertise with wealth planning’.
Publications and speaking engagements
Marcus regularly lectures on family law issues, writes articles in the national press and legal periodicals and is a frequent commentator on national and international TV news programmes. He wrote the Freezing Injunctions/Search Orders and Divorce and Trusts chapters in the publication, 'International Aspects of family Law,' 3rd edition published in 2009. He also wrote the chapter on Divorce and Trusts in Sweet & Maxwell's 2010 publication 'Family Law and Practice in Hong Kong'.
Memberships
- Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial lawyers
- Member and International committee member of Resolution
- Member of Hong Kong Family Law Association
On a personal note
Marcus is a keen theatre and cinema goer. He enjoys travelling for business and leisure.
