David Truex

David Truex is an expert in family law in England and Wales as well as internationally. He is one of the foremost experts in legal jurisdictional disputes. David has practised family law for over 40 years and has been at the forefront of family law reform, acting as an advisor to governments in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

Having qualified as a lawyer in Australia (1974), he went on to qualify in England and Wales (1990). He is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in European and International Law, advocacy and complex financial disputes.

David is an expert in complex family cross-border litigation, often involving disputes over jurisdiction and forum shopping. He fights to secure the best jurisdiction for his client. Most of his litigation is conducted in the London family courts although he is frequently instructed to advise other lawyers in England and overseas on international issues. He has been involved in several of the most significant reported cases defining the limits of English family law jurisdiction.

The first family law mediation scheme in Australia was devised and implemented by David and he also helped to initiate the first lawyer specialist accreditation programmes in Australia and England. He is regularly retained as an expert witness on Australian, English and international family law.

He is a past chairman of the International Committee of Resolution and is currently an international consultant to the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights. David has presented papers at family law conferences in Australia, England, USA, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

David is a consultant for Expatriate Law and is based in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, where he advises expatriate clients from the regions.

Recent work:

• Diverting an Anglo-Australian dispute to mediation by a dual-qualified family mediator, leading to agreement on all issues
• Acting for a client with property in England and Australia, ring-fencing the Australian property against claims in the English court
• Securing appropriate jurisdiction for divorce and finances where the Australian-resident couple had assets in Australia, UK, France and Russia
• Winning a financial remedy award for more that the client had offered to accept in an Open Offer
• Panel speaker on International Association of Family Lawyers webinar, discussing the effect of Covid-19 on family law justice in seven countries

Notable Cases:

• KAC v DJC [2013] EWHC 292 (Fam)
• K v K [2009] EWHC 1876 (Fam)
• Re R (Abduction: Habitual Residence) [2004] 1 FLR 216
• Wermuth v Wermuth (No 1) [2003] 1 FLR 1022
• Wermuth v Wermuth (No 2) [2003] 1 FLR 1029
• Wehmeyer v Wehmeyer [2001] 2 FLR 84
• Re W; Re B (Child Abduction: Unmarried Father) [1998] 2 FLR 146
• Re O (Abduction: Consent and Acquiescence) [1997] 1 FLR 924
• Re B (A Minor) (Abduction) [1994] 2 FLR 249
• Re A (Minors) (Abduction: Acquiescence) [1992] 2 FLR 14
• V v B (A Minor) (Abduction) [1991] 1 FLR 266