Lord Drummond Young issued his Opinion yesterday in the case of Jacqueline Whigham v Steven Owen. Robert Hayhow, who appeared for the pursuer, secured an award of £250,000 under s.28 of the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006. This award is more than six times the previous highest sum awarded to a cohabitant as compensation for economic disadvantage following the cessation of cohabitation. The award itself equated to approximately one-third of the parties’ total net assets and reflects the pursuer’s very substantial contributions to the life of the defender and the parties’ family.
Clerk Sheila Westwater said “Once again one of our counsel is at the cutting edge of the family law scene. Robert has secured an outstanding result for his client.”