Anita Vimlati
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Anita is a trusted family law expert for Hungarian and international families.
Specializing in cross-border cases, she has been practicing family law in Budapest for over 14 years. She combines empathy, genuine attention and clarity with the highest quality legal advice.
She has particular expertise in child custody issues, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, financial settlements, Hague Convention cases and cross-border movements of children.
She represents clients at all levels of court in Hungary.
Recognised by her peers in international family law, Anita has been invited to join the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) in 2023.
Anita is registered in the National Register of Hungarian Mediators and has also completed training in cross-border family mediation.
Relevant experiences and positions
Dr Anita Vimláti graduated in 2002 from the University of Pécs in Hungary. She worked as a trainee lawyer in Hungary for three years as this is required as a pre-requisite for qualification within the Hungarian jurisdiction. Candidates then take the Hungarian Bar Exam and Anita passed this in 2005.
She has been working as a lawyer for 20 years with 17 of these years being qualified. Previously, she worked in-house for companies, and then undertook a career change in 2010. At this point, she founded her own law office and she quickly directed her work towards private international law with a specialisation in family law.
With a niche practice in the field of international family law Anita founded AV Family Law to realise her vision of offering premium and comprehensive family law services to those going through a challenging time.
Some personal questions
What do you like most about working as an international divorce lawyer?
I pride myself on the level of customer service which I provide to my clients and the fact that every client’s matter is treated with the level of importance which it deserves. I like cases where the client is open to change and we work creatively together towards their divorce goals (the divorce goal being something that means positive change for all involved) using a coaching approach.
At the same time, I enjoy writing articles and presentations educating clients, as well as attending networking events to promote the firm, in addition to my usual work as a lawyer. I greatly enjoy attending international family law events to extend and share my knowledge.
Budapest is a vibrant, international city that many expats choose to call home, and I’m passionate about international family law.
Navigating the intricacies of an international divorce makes you an excellent case strategist and a creative legal thinker, and I love that challenge.
What recent developments did you notice in this area of the law?
I see that more jurisdictions are encouraging the parties to establish their own framework for parental cooperation (parenting plan, Canadian and Dutch model), more countries are addressing domestic violence issues in the context of parental responsibility, and some countries (e.g. Australia) are very concerned about the mental wellbeing of people in court proceedings, for example: court dog programme.
It is also interesting to note that where equal shared parenting was the default assumption, the new trend is that each case is unique and needs to be assessed to see if it is absolutely certain that it is good for the child to grow up in alternative care. (Australia’s recent developments)
What are your predictions or worries for the future in this area of the law?
Worries:
Parenting alienation – is always a problem area, elusive, and causes enormous damage to the child’s mental development.
What is your advice to young lawyers who work on international divorce cases?
Travel! So that you understand people and the subtle cultural differences.
Be a creative thinker. Build your network.
What makes international divorce cases different from other divorce cases?
A firm knowledge of private international law is a prerequisite, but not enough. There are very complex cases and often teamwork is required to solve the case from a holistic perspective. Language skills, openness, mobility, travelling and good cooperation with lawyers from other countries are essential.
What makes mediation different in international divorce cases?
The advantage of reaching an agreement to resolve a complex issue quickly is enormous. Litigation in any country is expensive, especially when you have to spend money on lawyers in two countries. Whereas the solution is only a contract away.
What is your advice for international parenting plans?
The contact arrangements should not be rigid, but should be clearly defined. The parties can always deviate from the rules by mutual agreement, but if they cannot agree, all the details should be set out in the contract. To whom, where and when the child will be handed over. And there should be a fair agreement about travel costs.
What do you believe to be one of the biggest problems when dealing with international divorces?
The client’s ability to pay the lawyer’s fees. And the fact that childhood can’t be brought back – if it takes years of proceedings, that’s sad.
What is your advice to people who are entering into an international marriage?
Get proper legal advice and sign a pre-nup. Think before you relocate.
What is your advice to couples who are starting an international family?
Get proper legal advice and sign a pre-nup. Think before you relocate.
What advice do you have for same sex couples who want to formalize their international relationship or start an international family?
Get expert advice.
What would you like to say to judges who are dealing with international divorces?
Advise clients of their need to be aware that they have a child with dual nationality and what it means in practice.
