‘Spadework’ entitles divorcee to £250,000 a year

JULIA McFARLANE’S QC told the Law Lords earlier this year that she was entitled to £250,000 (€366,000) a year for life because she had put the “spadework” into her 16-year marriage to her husband Kenneth.

She could have had a shot at a high-flying career herself, but instead gave up the chance of earning big money to look after her children, Barry Singleton QC said.

In making their judgement yesterday, the Law Lords appear to have agreed with this assessment, setting an important precedent for other women who choose family life over a career.

The couple met as students at Durham University and started living together in their 20s as their respective careers took off.

Ms McFarlane worked for a series of major London firms while Mr McFarlane worked his way up the corporate accounting ladder.

In the early stages of the marriage, she earned as much if not more than her husband, the House of Lords heard. She continued to work after the birth of the couple’s first child but when their second child was born in 1991 they agreed that she should stop work.

Over the next few years Mr McFarlane’s career continued on an upward trajectory and he eventually became a senior tax partner at Deloittes earning in excess of £750,000 (€1.1m) a year.

But in 2001 divorce proceedings began after the couple’s marriage broke down.

She received the £1.5m (€2.2m) family home in London as one half of the family’s capital assets while a district judge awarded her maintenance of £250,000-a-year for life.

However, Mr McFarlane appealed and that figure was reduced to £180,000 (€264,000) for life.

Ms McFarlane took the case to the Court of Appeal, which reinstated the £250,000 figure but imposed a five-year time limit, during which she was expected to save money to provide a lump sum to support a clean break.

But Mr Singleton argued before the Law Lords earlier this year that she had been left “significantly economically disadvantaged” since their divorce.

The Lords agreed and ruled yesterday that Ms McFarlane was entitled to the £250,000 a year from her husband for life rather than just for five years.