The number of families with connections to more than one country continues to grow.
International families frequently navigate employment opportunities, business interests, investments and property ownership across multiple jurisdictions. If you are facing relationship breakdown in these circumstances, obtaining specialist advice at an early stage can be crucial.
Our international family lawyers advise clients around the world on family law matters connected to Scotland and the wider UK. We are Scottish family law specialists with extensive experience in international divorce, overseas assets, child relocation and other cross-border family law matters.
Many of our clients live outside Scotland but have personal, family, financial or legal connections here that make Scottish-specific legal advice essential. Others live in Scotland but have children, property, investments or business interests overseas. Our team includes lawyers qualified in both Scotland and England, enabling us to advise confidently on matters involving Scottish and English family law. Where advice is needed on the laws of another country, we work closely with trusted advisers in the relevant jurisdiction.
If you need advice on a family law matter involving Scotland, the UK and another country, contact our international family law firm for a confidential discussion.
How our international family lawyers can help
Our lawyers regularly advise on:
International divorce
Overseas assets and property
Family wealth, trust structures and offshore assets
Business interests and company ownership
International financial settlements
Jurisdiction disputes
International child relocation
Parental child abduction
Hague Convention proceedings
Child abduction matters involving non-Hague Convention countries
Cross-border child arrangements and custody disputes
We also regularly coordinate complex international family law matters involving overseas advisers, translators, witnesses and evidence from foreign jurisdictions.
We provide practical, strategic advice tailored to your circumstances, helping you understand your options and make informed decisions for the future.
Speak to our international family lawyers about your circumstances.
International divorce lawyers
When a relationship involving more than one country breaks down, deciding where divorce proceedings should take place can have significant consequences.
The international divorce process can affect financial claims, child arrangements, property ownership, business interests and overseas assets. Different jurisdictions can produce different outcomes, making early advice particularly important.
We advise on a wide range of international divorce scenarios, including divorce while living overseas, divorce involving a spouse based abroad, the treatment of UK-based and overseas assets, and cases where more than one country may have jurisdiction. We have extensive experience advising on family wealth, trust structures, business interests and offshore assets.
Our international divorce lawyers advise clients across Scotland, the UK and overseas whose circumstances have a Scottish or wider UK connection. We regularly act for expats, internationally mobile families, business owners and individuals with significant family wealth or assets in more than one country.
Based in Glasgow and Edinburgh, our team combines extensive Scottish family law expertise with lawyers qualified in England. We are therefore well placed to advise on matters involving Scotland, England and other jurisdictions. Where required, we can represent clients in proceedings in both Scotland and England.
If you live overseas but have a connection to Scotland, speak to our family law team to understand how Scottish family law may apply to your circumstances.
Contact our international divorce lawyers for tailored advice.
International family law advice for clients with Scottish connections
You do not need to live in Scotland to require advice from a Scottish family lawyer.
We regularly advise:
Scots living abroad
Expats with Scottish or UK connections
Families with assets in Scotland and overseas
Individuals returning to Scotland after living abroad
Business owners with interests across multiple countries
Clients whose circumstances involve Scotland, England and another jurisdiction
Understanding whether Scottish family law applies to your circumstances can have a significant impact on your options, financial claims and future plans. Early advice can help clarify the most appropriate way forward.
Discuss your situation with our international family law team.
Dubai and UAE divorce advice
We regularly advise Scots, UK nationals and expats living and working in Dubai and the UAE whose family law matters have a connection to Scotland or the wider UK.
Many families based in the UAE retain property, investments, business interests or family ties in Scotland. These connections can influence where divorce proceedings take place and how financial matters are addressed.
Depending on their circumstances, Scots and UK nationals living in the UAE may retain legal connections to Scotland that can affect jurisdiction and the handling of divorce and financial claims. Understanding whether Scottish family law applies can have a significant impact on the options available.
While we do not advise on UAE or Sharia law, we frequently work alongside trusted local advisers to provide coordinated support for clients managing family law issues across more than one jurisdiction. Our team regularly coordinates international matters involving overseas lawyers, translators, witnesses and documentation across multiple countries.
If you're living in Dubai or the UAE and need advice on the Scottish or UK aspects of your family law matter, contact our team today.
Contact our international family lawyers for advice connected to Scotland and the UAE.
International child relocation and parental child abduction
International cases involving children require careful consideration and specialist advice.
If a parent wishes to relocate to another country with a child, consent from the other parent or permission from the court may be required. Where the appropriate legal steps have not been taken, disputes can quickly become parental child abduction matters.
Our international family lawyers regularly advise on:
International child relocation
Relocation to and from Scotland and the UK
Hague Convention proceedings
Child return applications
International child disputes
Parental child abduction matters
Cross-border child arrangements
Defending Hague Convention proceedings
Child abduction matters involving non-Hague Convention countries
Protective measures following the return of a child to Scotland
We can also advise where a child custody agreement in Scotland is affected by an international move or family law dispute. Our team regularly assists clients seeking the return of children to their home country, defending return applications and resolving complex cross-border child disputes.
If you're considering relocating abroad with your child, or are involved in an international child dispute, contact our family law team as early as possible.
Speak to our team about international child relocation or parental child abduction.
Why choose MFMac for International Family Law Support?
International family law matters often involve some of the most important decisions you will make for your family, finances and future.
Our role is to provide clear advice, help you understand your options and develop a practical strategy that protects your interests. We combine extensive Scottish family law expertise with experience advising expats, internationally mobile families and clients with complex international circumstances.
With lawyers qualified in both Scotland and England, and a network of trusted advisers overseas, we are well placed to support clients whose lives, assets and family arrangements span multiple countries. We have extensive experience managing complex international cases involving overseas assets, trust structures, cross-border child disputes and proceedings across multiple jurisdictions.
If your family law matter has a connection to Scotland or the wider UK, our international family lawyers can help.
Arrange a confidential discussion with one of our experienced international family lawyers.
