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Guy Ritchie takes on top lawyer to keep children in UK
Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter04.11.08
GUY Ritchie has hired Britain's top children's lawyer in a battle with Madonna over where their children should live, the Evening Standard can reveal today.
Ritchie is consulting Stephen Cobb QC, who specialises in international divorce cases in which the country of residence of the children is in dispute.
Madonna is understood to want to move back to the US after eight years of marriage to Ritchie, during which they made London their base.
But with their relationship in tatters, the couple are locked in an increasingly bitter legal dispute over their children and the divorce payout Madonna, 50, will have to make to Ritchie, who is 10 years younger.
The issue of where the children live is particularly complicated. Ritchie and Madonna have one natural son together, eight-year-old Rocco who was born in the US, and jointly adopted three-year-old David. Madonna also has a daughter, Lourdes, from a previous relationship, whose father lives in New York.
Madonna cannot take the children to live with her permanently in the US unless she either gets permission from Ritchie or an English court grants her leave to remove the children.
Mr Cobb, head of chambers at 1 Garden Court, is the leading expert in Britain on leave-to-remove cases. He is ranked by Chambers and Partners, the legal directory, as the best barrister in the country in children's law.
One source told the Standard: "Stephen Cobb is acting for Guy Ritchie. There are only a handful of barristers who specialise in leave-to-remove applications and he is the best in that area."
Julian Ribet, a leading divorce lawyer who has used Mr Cobb on several cases, said: "This is the sort of case you would expect to see Stephen Cobb involved in. There are complicated issues and he is extremely highly regarded in resolving these kind of disputes. He is just the kind of person you would want on board."
It is understood Mr Cobb was brought on to the case by Lady Ward, a divorce solicitor at Manches law firm who acted for Beverley Charman in the biggest divorce payout awarded by a British court. Madonna is being represented by Fiona Shackleton, who acted for Prince Charles and Sir Paul McCartney in their divorces. It is thought Ms Shackleton has brought in Nicholas Mostyn QC, the barrister who demolished Heather Mills in court during her divorce from Sir Paul.
Sources suggest Ritchie and Madonna will settle their dispute at a mediation hearing and before it reaches court, not least because they will be reluctant to endure the public scrutiny that McCartney and Mills underwent.
But one source told the Standard that the two sides were "miles apart" and that a settlement is some way off.
Madonna, who is worth an estimated £300million, risks losing as much as half her fortune to film director Ritchie, whose career earnings are reckoned to be no more than £30million.
Mr Cobb today refused to comment on his involvement in the case.
Reader views (5)
I feel sorry for Ritchie he is a nice guy and a good father and there is nothing wrong in owning a pub.I think this poor man as put up with a lot from Madonna control freak behaviour someone should give him a medal. Madonna is being selfish she is rich enough to be where she likes. She could let the kids stay in the Uk especially Rocco so he could see his father more often and his English Grandparents. My advice to man out there don't marry Madonna. In the end the one who will suffer are the children. Think about the children. Rocco should see his father. It must be heart breaking for him not to be able to see his son.
- Mike, London, Uk
How can you like pubs "too much"?
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
That is not so. Madonna will probably not get permission because they have lived in the UK with the children during the past 8 years. The UK is considered their home and where they have had a stable home life. The courts will be reluctant to disrupt this and request Madonna remain in the UK to raise her children and give Guy his rights to visit his children on a regular basis. Should she move to USA, the father will not have regular visitation due to obvious distance and therefore not be in the best interest of the child.
Madonna would have to prove to the courts that Guy has been an unfit father to move the children. My guess is that she will have to continue to make her main home in the UK.
- Marie, London, UK
This is a sad battle. Mr Ritchie has to be realist! Madonna is a wonderful mother and apparently he like pubs too much.I do not think that the best lawyer in the world can change that. Money cannot buy love.
- Alex, brugge
Madonna will be given permission for "leave to remove". It's very rarely denied... It's a shame for Richie.
- Daizy, N England
