I am in England uk in a large city.
I am going through a messy divorce. Raw facts are, I earn 25k a year, he earns 180k through various businesses and properties. He's holding all 6 large shared assets in his name. We have 2 children. They stay with him 5 nights a week and with me 2 because our living situation is so that currently that's all I can offer them. This was agreed in our first mediation session, I have no problem with this currently.
We split over 2 years ago, I moved out the marital home (was under too much mental stress living with him) and he hasn't given me a penny since to help me.
I am racking up thousands of pounds in debt to school fees for the 1 child and my living costs (I stay with my BF 3 days a week and 4 days a week at my parents).
Court date is now set for Feb. We attempted the second mediation session to sort the asset split, but he claimed a family member now has a 75% financial interest in each of all of the 6 assets (a lie) which he cannot prove as there is nothing in writing, so mediation eventually failed (due to the mediator becoming irritated with him ducking and diving fininacial questions).
He's now requested a meeting with his lawyer and a barrister present early next year (before the court date) to offer me a "fair" deal.
My worry is, with his funds at his disposal he's picked (on the face of it) a very good barrister. He's seemly just googled "best barrister in XYZ city UK" and hired them. I am not in London for reference.
I have a list of 2 recommended barristers from my Lawyer but I'm underwhelmed with them compared to his.
Am I over thinking this in that I'm worrying over who has the best barrister or are they all much of the same? The meeting will not be present in front of a judge at this point. If we can't get a finnacial resolution between us in this meeting then it will be off to court in front of a judge.
Can anyone offer me some advice as to how I pick a good barrister or are am I worrying too much over this?
Also, in mediation he had lied on the Form E documentation (as this is a voluntary submission) and he had significantly massaged all his business earnings to make it look like he was only earning 1/4 a year of what he actually does.
If this does go to court, can the court go further back than the 12 months financial data he submitted for mediation and prove he's lying about his income, or does it not work like that?