3 months ago
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An oligarch's ex-wife who scooped Britain's biggest divorce settlement is suing her lawyers, hoping for up to £600million – more than she was originally awarded.
Tatiana Soroka claims Fiona Shackleton's firm, which secured her £453million victory against her Russian husband in 2016, has let her down by failing to help her seize her husband's superyacht Luna.
Built for former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, the ten-deck floating palace is the world's second-largest expedition yacht and has two helipads, a pool and mini submarine.
Papers lodged at the High Court by Ms Soroka's new lawyers claim Baroness Shackleton's firm, Payne Hicks Beach, acted 'negligently' by not alerting lawyers in Florida that Luna was moored in Miami and could be seized to help fulfil the settlement. But PHB insists Ms Soroka's claim is misconceived and says it remains proud of the deal it secured for her.
Ms Soroka's record £453million divorce payout was the latest in a string of triumphs for Baroness Shackleton, nicknamed 'Steel Magnolia' for her ruthless pursuit of her clients' interests.
Tatiana Soroka (right, then known as Tatiana Akhmedova) claims Fiona Shackleton's (left) firm let her down by failing to help her seize her husband's superyacht Luna
Farkhad Akhmedov (pictured) is the Russian billionaire at the centre of Britain's biggest divorce case
MV Luna is a 377ft superyacht that was originally built for Roman Abramovich before being bought by Farkhad Akhmedov in 2014
She represented King Charles and Sir Paul McCartney in their divorces, memorably having a jug of water poured over her by a furious Heather Mills when the former model was awarded just £24million of the £125million she had sought from the former Beatle.
But in Ms Soroka's case, matters soured after the settlement money failed to materialise from her ex-husband Farkhad Akhmedov, in spite of the oil and gas tycoon being ordered to pay up by a judge. Ms Soroka, 51, instructed PHB to chase billionaire Mr Akhmedov, 68, for the money.
Her legal claim, lodged last month, states that she spoke to Baroness Shackleton and another PHB solicitor on the phone in January 2017 and told them that her ex was in Miami and so was his 377ft yacht.
She asked them to 'explore options in Miami' for having the 'extremely valuable' Luna seized, given that its price had been put at around £200million, the court papers state.
In 2016 Ms Soroka secured an astounding £453million sum with the help of her formidable lawyer Fiona Shackleton (pictured)
The ten-deck floating palace is the world's second-largest expedition yacht and has two helipads, a pool and mini submarine
The vessel features two helipads, a huge swimming pool, and its own mini submarine, along with nine decks and space for 52 crew
But it is alleged that while PHB did contact a Florida lawyer to seek his advice, they 'wrongly and negligently' informed him 'that Farkhad had no assets in the USA, when in fact ... the Luna was docked in Miami'.
PHB ought to have informed the US lawyer that 'Farkhad therefore did have a (very valuable) asset in the USA', the claim states. In the end, the yacht was able to sail away without being impounded.
During her five-year quest to have her ex-husband's assets seized, Ms Soroka assembled teams of specialists including former members of the Royal Navy's elite Special Boat Service. Then, in July 2021, the couple announced they had come to a new private settlement, with Ms Soroka agreeing to take £100million in cash and £50million in artwork.
From that she had to pay £74.6million to her financial backers, Burford Capital, over the failed asset hunt. She is now claiming from PHB a sum 'significantly in excess of £10million'.
Ms Soroka, 51, instructed PHB to chase billionaire Mr Akhmedov, 68, for the money
Ms Soroka's record £453million divorce payout was the latest in a string of triumphs for Baroness Shackleton
Although the exact figure is not specified, her claim states that if PHB had acted differently, there was a 'very real likelihood' she would have received the 'full sum due' under the original divorce settlement, or a significant proportion of it, and 'now claims from PHB damages representing the value of that lost opportunity'.
A calculation by the Mail based on available figures suggests the maximum value of this 'lost opportunity' is £303million. Added to that the Burford £74.6million, and the interest she is claiming plus other costs, the total she is hoping to recoup appears close to £600million. Whether she would ever get that sum, or whether her claim is deemed to have merit, remains to be seen. The case is still at an early stage and has not gone to trial.
A spokesman for PHB said: 'Payne Hicks Beach remain proud of the result we achieved for Ms Soroka including the very significant award we obtained for her. A defence is being prepared which will set out the basis upon which we consider this claim to be legally and factually misconceived.'
It is understood PHB also disputes Ms Soroka's estimation of the sum she merits. Ms Soroka declined to comment.
