Kris Seed

Kris is a senior legal executive in our Wellington Office. Kris joined Risdons in November 2021 after practicing in Cornwall for the past 25 years. She qualified in March 1999.

Kris specialises in the following areas:
• Divorce & complex financial settlements involving business interests, property, inherited wealth, trusts and pension assets
• Pre/post-nuptial agreements to preserve wealth and protect family businesses in a succession planning context
• advising business/farm owners and those with significant inherited wealth on the protection of assets from the impact of relationship breakdown; and their spouses who seek their share of resources.
• Child maintenance and financial provision for children of unmarried parents.
• Disputes regarding with whom children should live and arrangements for their care following relationship breakdown (child arrangements orders)
• Relocation of children within the UK and abroad
• Dealing with issues such as which school a child should be educated
• Grandparents’ rights.
• Cases where domestic abuse has been alleged – requiring fact finding hearings and/or orders for protection
• Emergency orders for non-molestation and occupation orders where domestic violence is alleged

Her recent work in financial matters includes:
• Securing an order that a wealthy husband funds his wife’s legal fees to put her on an equal footing in the divorce process
• Representing a wife whose husband failed to provide full and accurate disclosure of his financial circumstances and eventually obtaining the relevant information to ensure a fair settlement after the husband was sent to prison for non-compliance with orders.
• Acting for the husband of a public sector worker to achieve an equal share of her valuable pension scheme in addition to half of the capital assets
• Advising many high-net-worth individuals on post nuptial agreements to protect their assets in the event of a future breakdown in their marriage
• Representing a wife challenging a pre-nuptial agreement and seeking greater provision to meet her needs
• Helping a client achieve a financial settlement 20 years after they divorced.
• Acting for a husband whose family company was part owned by him and his wife – securing the transfer of the wife’s shares to him and a clean break settlement.

Recent examples of how she has helped clients about children matters include:
• Changing the law to rebut the natural parent presumption following the death of a young mother
• Representing parents in cases where there have been allegations of sexual/physical/psychological/emotional abuse against themselves and/or their children
• Successfully representing a mother in a case where there had been allegations made by the children, which concluded with the father having no contact with the children. Applying to the Court for the children to give evidence in court proceedings against their father who was a GP.

Kris is a member of Resolution which promotes the resolving of disputes in a constructive and non-confrontational way. She is sensitive to the needs and views of clients whilst ensuring matters are dealt with skilfully and cost effectively.

In her spare time, Kris enjoys her family time, walking her dogs on the beach and snuggling up on the sofa with a good book.