Offshore assets – the corporate veil

M v M and others [2013] EWHC 2534 (Fam), [2013] All ER (D) 133 (Aug); NLJ 11 October Robert Hines

H and W are both Russian nationals, who met in 1987 when they worked in a factory together – H was a telephone technician and W worked in the cultural department. H and W starting living together in 1989 and they were married in 1991. There are four children of the family, although the oldest two (who are both over 18 years) are from the parties’ previous relationships. H has an adult son, Yuri, who joined as a respondent to the proceedings, and W, a daughter, who sadly remains financially dependent on W as she suffers from a bipolar condition. W’s daughter was legally adopted by H.