Judgement handed down in a Court of Appeal (Civil Division) case which Charlie Fikry appeared in

The Court of Appeal handed down its decision in the case of Kanabar v Kanabar on Friday, bringing to a close an extraordinarily dispute in which St Marys counsel have been instructed for years. 

The parties separated in the late 2000s but their financial remedy dispute only came to a final hearing in late 2023. Both parties were represented by St Mary’s counsel. The husband was unhappy with the outcome and appealed – his appellate documents were drafted by Stephen Williams and he was granted permission. The husband then died unexpectedly in 2024.

The appeal hearing took place in Nottingham in 2025; the wife was represented by Charlie Fikry who invited the court to strike out the appeal on the basis that there was no appellant. The court disagreed and then allowed the (deceased) husband’s appeal. The wife, through Charlie Fikry, then launched a second appeal on four grounds – primarily that the decision to proceed in the absence of the husband or a representative of his estate was wrong.  

In front of the Court of Appeal the wife was represented by Charlie Fikry led by St Mary’s door tenant Duncan Brooks KC, both acting pro bono. The Court of Appeal agreed with the wife, restoring the final hearing decision of 2023 and – hopefully – ending a dispute that began two decades ago.