Family and Matrimonial

“Vanessa is highly experienced and an excellent tactician. She is great at supporting her clients and is always strategic and on top of the details”. Chambers High Net Worth 2026.

“Vanessa is a star in her role, not only professionally but also on a human level. She is quick to seize the heart of the situation and doesn't lack resourcefulness for finding multiple solutions”. Chambers Greater China Region 2026

“Vanessa is battle-ready. She is experienced and fearless, a strong fighter for high-conflict divorce matters”. Chambers High Net Worth 2026

“Vanessa Duff is excellent. Very experienced and well attuned to client's needs. Strategic and always on top of the case.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025

“Vanessa Duff has been phenomenal this year when handling my divorce. She has always given me ample time to discuss things with her face-to-face. She is prompt in her responses, and I absolutely believe she has my best interests at heart and will work hard to ensure she gets the best outcome for me.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024

“Vanessa Duff has a good international foundation having worked in London for many years. I value her sensible and constructive approach to resolving family disputes. She will try hard to find a resolution rather than inflaming matters.” Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024

Vanessa is Head of our Family & Matrimonial team. Dual-qualified in England & Wales and Hong Kong, she brings nearly 20 years of experience advising international clients, high-net-worth individuals and professionals and their spouses/partners on all issues arising from relationship breakdown, including separation and divorce, financial arrangements, and disputes concerning children.

Vanessa’s practice centres on cases with an international dimension, complex financial issues, multi-jurisdictional proceedings, and child-related disputes. She has particular experience in international relocation cases and High Court cases of child abduction under the Hague Convention.

A qualified Mental Health First Aider, Vanessa supports clients who are experiencing emotional distress or navigating high conflict litigation. Her cases frequently involve clients with mental health difficulties, couples from mixed cultural backgrounds, same-sex couples, and cases involving domestic abuse or addiction.

Vanessa regularly drafts and advises on prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, including those with an international element. This is an area of practice which requires sensitivity and often calls for a sophisticated understanding of foreign legal frameworks, including European matrimonial property regimes and marriage contracts.

Where appropriate, Vanessa is committed to resolving disputes outside Court and is a strong advocate of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation. A significant proportion of her cases settle well before trial.

Vanessa is known for proposing creative yet pragmatic solutions, and for the compassion, efficiency, and energy she brings to every matter. As a native French speaker, Vanessa is also the lawyer of choice in Hong Kong for French-speaking clients facing divorce.

Vanessa grew up and was educated in Belgium before studying law in London and Paris.

Vanessa is recognised as a Leading Family/Matrimonial lawyer in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth. She is also a Recommended Family & Divorce Lawyer (Hong Kong) in Doyle's Guide, an Up and Coming Lawyer in Chambers Greater China, and a Next Generation Partner in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Private Client and Family.

2026 Howse Williams
2023 Charles Russell Speechlys
2019 Withers (Hong Kong)
2008 Withers (London)
2007 Linklaters (London)

2004 Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, London, England
2003 Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Masters in French Law, University of Paris I: Pantheon-Sorbonne, France
2001 Bachelor of Laws (LLB), King's College London, England

2020 Hong Kong
2007 England and Wales

Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers
Member of the Hong Kong Family Law Association
Member of the Law Society of Hong Kong
Member of the Law Society of England and Wales
Member of the Women in Business Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong