A new book co-edited by Kent Reader in Law Dr Simone Wong explores the distribution of wealth and poverty in traditional and non-traditional familial relationships.
Wealth and Poverty in Close Personal Relationships (Routledge, 2017) is co-edited with Professor Susan Millns, Head of the Law School at the University of Sussex. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to explore the way in which money matters are structured and governed within close personal relationships and the extent to which they have an impact on the nature and economic dynamics of relationships.
The key areas of investigation are the extent to which participation in the labour market, unpaid caregiving, inheritance, pensions and welfare reform have an impact on familial relationships. The book also explores governmental and legal responses by investigating the privileging of certain types of domestic relationships, through fiscal and non-fiscal measures, and the differential provision on relationship breakdown. The impact of budget and welfare cuts is also examined for their effect on equality in domestic relationships.
Dr Wong has research interests in equity, trusts, banking, cohabitation and other domestic relationships. In addition to being a member of Lincoln’s Inn in the UK, she has been called to the Bar in Malaysia, Singapore and the Australian Capital Territory. Prior to her joining Kent in 1998, Simone had practised in Malaysia (1986-1989) and Singapore (1990-1994). She teaches Banking Law as well as Equity & Trusts at Kent Law School.
Wealth and Poverty in Close Personal Relationships includes a chapter authored by Dr Wong entitled: ‘Death and the distribution of property of unmarried cohabitants.’
A further book chapter authored this year by Dr Wong – ‘Tapping into trust assets for redistribution upon divorce in England and Wales’ – is published in Trusts and Modern Wealth Management (Cambridge University Press, 2017).