Top lawyer Fiona Shackleton tipped for ministerial job

Britain's best-known divorce lawyer, Fiona Shackleton, 54, is being tipped as a new government minister to advise on family law.

Named last week as a Tory peer, she advised the party pre-election on family law reform.

The Government is exploring how to deal with family disputes outside of court, a course favoured by Mrs Shackleton, whose clients have included Prince Charles.

She was once drenched with water by Heather Mills after convincing the High Court that Sir Paul McCartney should give his ex-wife £23.4 million, instead of the £125 million she wanted.

A Downing Street source told The Times: "We were very keen to get strong women in at the top of Government."