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Heather blames 'nasty' lawyer for her divorce delay
Updated 19:53pm on 21 Mar 2007Heather Mills has launched an astonishing attack on her husband's divorce lawyer.
She claimed Fiona Shackleton was dragging out the split from Sir Paul McCartney, 64.
A smiling Heather before she launched an astonishing attack on Sir Paul's lawyer Fiona Shackleton
Ms Mills, 39, accused Ms Shackleton of making the divorce from the former Beatle as "difficult as possible".
Her comments came as she was interviewed on American TV following her appearance on a Strictly Come Dancing-style show.
Her debut attracted a huge amount of publicity in online chat rooms filled with vitriolic comments, with many fans saying she was a "gold digger".
PR aides arranged for Ms Mills to appear on the Larry King Live chat show to improve her image with the American public.
Asked directly by King about a rumoured £29 million settlement after her four-year marriage thrashed out in the High Court, Ms Mills said: "There's no settlement.
"Fiona Shackleton wants to drag things out. She's said some pretty mean-spirited things about me when I was in a wheelchair. But she is not a very nice person and she has made it as difficult as possible."
Ms Shackleton is one of the top divorce lawyers in the country and represented Prince Charles in his split with Princess Diana.
A partner in the law firm Payne Hicks Beach, she is also solicitor to Princes William and Harry.
The 50-year-old mother of two is known in the legal profession as "steel magnolia" for her negotiating skills and is considered the toughest female lawyer in London.
Fiona Shackleton: Known for her sharop negotiating skills
Ms Mills has hired Anthony Julius, 50, who represented Princess Diana and secured her a £17 million pay-off.
Ms Mills told King: "I still love Paul, he is the father of my daughter and I will never speak badly about him. We are still friends, it is only the lawyers who have made things difficult."
Heather with talk show host Larry King where she made her astonishing comments about Sir Paul's female lawyer Fiona Shackleton
Heather and partner Jonathan Roberts show Larry King the moves that earned praise from the Dancing with the Stars judges
Reader views (4)
She isn't a celebrity. She isn't interesting, funny or entertaining in any shape way or form. Can you please PLEASE stop reporting her every move?
- Marianne, SW France, 22/03/2007 10:15
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At least she isn't on our TV screens!
- Bill, Hertfordshire, 21/03/2007 16:13
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Yeah and now she thinks she has the right to attack one of your country's top divorce lawyers, real smart move Heather, what do you hope to gain by this stunt?
- Dilyn, USA, 21/03/2007 15:54
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"Dancing with the Stars", "Larry King Live" ....is this the same Heather Mills that last week declared she was not a publicity seeker?
- Steve R, London, UK, 21/03/2007 11:03
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