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The ‘Rolls-Royce’ of family practices, Manches LLP operates ‘within the ‘”magic circle” of Central London matrimonial lawyers’, delivering a ‘faultless level of service, excellent knowledge, and strategic thinking’. The team includes the ‘extraordinary and brilliant’ Helen Ward; and practice heads Jane Simpson, who ‘has been at the top of her profession for many years’, and Jane Craig, who is ‘diligent and approachable’. The group regularly assists with high-value ancillary relief work, as well as private children work, and excels in collaborative law. James Stewart is ‘compassionate’; consultant Louise Spitz is ‘good for complicated child disputes’; and Magnus Mill is ‘excellent’. Debbie Chism left to join Stewarts Law LLP in 2009.

Withers LLP ‘has great ability at every level, from the most senior partners, right through to the newly qualified assistants’, and ‘is excellent in every respect’. Gill Doran, Diana Parker and Mark Harper are ‘three of the biggest hitters amongst the top echelon of matrimonial lawyers’, while practice head Julian Lipson is ‘clever, discreet, reassuring, with a quiet strength’. The practice is consistently involved in the highest-profile cases in the market, and offers ‘excellent judgement allied to incisive, innovative thinking and a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the law’. Suzanne Todd and Michael Gouriet are also recommended.

High-ranking competitors confirm Alexiou Fisher Philipps ‘more than merits its position in the ranking’. The team includes founding partners Douglas Alexiou, Jeremy Fisher and Susan Philipps, all of whom are well-known and highly respected names in the market. Emma Harte and Sara Hannell are recommended for mediation work.

Charles Russell LLP has a strong profile for ancillary relief and private children work and regularly assists with complex international work, recently seeing an increase in its work from the Middle East. Sarah Higgins and the well-respected William Longrigg co-head the team, while David Davidson, Sarah Anticoni and Erica Shelton are also recommended. Miranda Fisher, David Thompson and Sarah Whitten were promoted to partner in 2008.

Farrer & Co’s has a wealth of talented lawyers who ‘always turn in a thoroughly professional performance’. Practice head Simon Bruce is ‘the ideal family lawyer thanks to his legal expertise, warmth and integrity’. Other stars include Richard Parry (‘one of the cleverest, least egotistical, most sensitive, and most amiable family lawyers’), and Mark Fenton, who is a ‘champion of the underdog in complicated cases’, ‘brilliant’, and ‘a pleasure to work with’. The team, which includes the ‘excellent’ Jeremy Posnansky QC, regularly assists with high-value ancillary relief cases and children cases. They are ‘unassuming and extremely able’, and ‘their discretion is a significant attribute’.

Hughes Fowler Carruthers is a niche family firm which regularly assists with big-ticket ancillary relief cases, often with an international element, for clients ranging from business people to individuals with inherited wealth. Frances Hughes is rated for her ‘intelligence and balanced reasonableness blended with toughness when necessary’. Pauline Fowler is ‘excellent in her knowledge of the law’; Ann Ison is ‘excellent’; and Renato Labi is recommended for his ‘common sense and grasp of both detail and the big picture’.

Levison Meltzer Pigott is a niche, ‘highly competent’ family firm with a number of well-respected practitioners such as the ‘fantastic’ Simon Pigott, Jeremy Levison, Alison Hayes, Julian Ribet and Nicola Fletcher. The group regularly handles high-value ancillary relief work as well as children cases.

Mishcon de Reya has a strong market reputation for assertive litigation and a direct approach. It is regularly instructed on high-profile ancillary relief cases, often for individuals from the entertainment industry. Sandra Davis heads the team, and recently acted for Thierry Henry in divorce proceedings, as well as for Matt Lucas, in the first same-sex divorce to reach the courts. Barbara Reeves ‘has a clear mindset and is able to sort the wheat from the chaff’.

Payne Hicks Beach is synonymous with top-quality family work. Fiona Shackleton has handled many of the highest-profile cases, having acted for Sir Paul McCartney; ex-wife of Thierry Henry, Claire Merry; and Professor Stephen Hawking. Practice head Ian Airey is ‘a brain’, and the team includes Philip McGuirk, Simon Beccle, Fiona Brown and Harriet Wait.

Sears Tooth is highly recommended thanks to the ‘unique’ Raymond Tooth, who is well known for his high-profile, high-value ancillary relief expertise.

Many peers recommend the ‘first-class’ Bindmans LLP ‘without hesitation’. It has an enviable reputation for private and public law children work, and is ‘one of the best, if not the best firm doing care work. Its international child abduction team is rightly admired’. Practice head Katherine Gieve ‘brings keen intelligence, fierce application, acute judgement and clarity of vision to cases’. The group is increasingly taking on money cases. Julia Thackray is also highly recommended. Alison Burt left for Lynch & Co.

At Clintons, Liz Vernon is ‘building up a wonderful caseload’. The group regularly handles ancillary relief work, and also assists clients with domestic and international adoption work. It has an established base of clients in the music industry. Maggie Rae is consistently very highly rated by peers.

Collyer Bristow LLP fields some top-class practitioners, such as lead partner Michael Drake and Toby Yerburgh, who are ‘highly experienced, dedicated family lawyers’, and Eileen Graham, who ‘always goes the extra mile for clients’. The ‘excellent’ Gillian Rivers ‘is never under-prepared’, and ‘is understanding but robust with both clients and opponents alike’. Geoffrey Rutter is also recommended.

At Dawson Cornwell, Anne-Marie Hutchinson has a first-class reputation for child abduction and forced marriage cases. The money department is led by John Cornwell and features Kate Allen, who specialises in cohabitation, high-net-worth divorces and pre- and post-nuptial agreements.

Dawsons LLP’s family team is ‘understanding and attentive’, and ‘resolves issues quickly and sensibly’. Suzanne Kingston is recommended by clients and peers alike and is ‘very knowledgeable, team-driven and proactive in achieving results without aggravating often difficult matrimonial issues’. The group handles ancillary relief and children work, and includes partners Lisa Jones and Neil Graham.

Family Law in Partnership receives high praise from top-ranking competitors. ‘The whole atmosphere of the firm is in harmony with its objectives of being non-confrontational where possible’; ‘they are excellent on the holistic side’. The five-partner team includes David Allison, who is ‘a pleasure to work with’; James Pirrie, who offers ‘creative thinking, energy and drive’; and founding partner Gillian Bishop, who is recommended for her ‘common-sense approach’. Sara Robinson is also recommended.

Kingsley Napley is highly rated in the market, and the five-partner team ‘really runs with cases’. Practice head Jane Keir ‘has commercial awareness and excellent client care skills’, while Charlotte Bradley ‘offers impressive legal analysis’. The team has strength in both money and children matters, and Duncan Ranton is recommended in child abduction cases.

At Miles Preston & Co, senior partner Miles Preston has ‘focus and determination’, and runs a ‘first-class’ practice. The group, which handles both money and children work, includes Julia Stanczyk, who is ‘highly professional, no-nonsense and offers straight and unbiased advice’. Anna Nice is also recommended.

Stewarts Law LLP’s ‘out of the mould’ family practice has undergone a transformation, attracting stars Debbie Chism from Manches LLP and Emma Hatley from Withers LLP in 2009. Practice head Stephen Foster ‘has incredible insight, and an unparalleled ability to handle extreme pressure and get to the crux of a difficult problem very quickly’. The group is ‘fast becoming one of the very best high-value asset divorce practices in London’.

Forsters LLP ‘always goes the extra mile for clients’, and receives glowing market and client feedback for being ‘both clever and serious, but still managing to deal with people with kindness and a smile’. Ann Northover ‘has great empathy’, and ‘goes beyond the call of duty with difficult clients’. Shona Alexander, now a partner, ‘has strong technical expertise and knows how to get to the nub of an issue’.

Gordon Dadds‘sensible and well-informed’ team is led by Sue Bland, and includes the ‘bright’ Kathryn Peat. The team acts primarily for wealthy clients, including a number of well-known and celebrity names. Anna Wagstaff was recently promoted to partner.

Roger Cobden-Ramsay heads Harcus Sinclair’s family practice. The team has assisted on some big-money cases, and includes James Harcus, one of the best-known names in the market.

Hunters attracts strong market feedback for ancillary relief work. Co-heads of practice Martyn Daldorph and Henry Hood are ‘invaluable’ and ‘always do what they feel is best for both parties, particularly when there are children involved’. Hetty Gleave is ‘outstanding’, and Richard Kershaw ‘strives hard for his clients’.

International Family Law Chambers is a niche family practice which benefits from a team of lawyers qualified in wide number of jurisdictions including Australia and the US. David Truex heads the team.

At Irwin Mitchell LLP, practice head Elizabeth Hicks ‘runs a phenomenal practice’ recommended for ancillary relief as well as ‘difficult children cases’.

The ‘excellent’ Osbornes is consistently recommended by market observers and regularly receives referrals from high-ranking competitors. The ‘understanding’ Julian Beard heads the team, which handles both money and children work. Naomi Angell is recommended for her ‘knowledge and experience in the field of international adoption’.

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP regularly handles international work and has an excellent reputation for international child law work. Carolynn Usher is highly recommended.

Russell-Cooke LLP’s broad practice includes ancillary relief, including a specialist same-sex-couple team, and children work. Camilla Thornton heads the London team.

‘Efficient and competent’, Christopher Butler heads an ‘excellent and very thorough’ family group at Speechly Bircham LLP which includes partners John Nicholson and James Freeman. Richard Hogwood was promoted to partner in 2009.

Lincoln’s Inn firm Ambrose Appelbe delivers ‘professionalism, empathy, knowledge and care’. Lisa Bolgar Smith leads the team, which includes client favourite James Freemantle, whose ‘knowledge of international maintenance matters is first rate’. The group regularly handles money, adoption and co-habitation cases.

Anthony Gold handles money work as well as private and public law children work. ‘First-rate’ practice head Kim Beatson is highly recommended for her ‘strategic advice, response times and helpfulness’, while Ellie Chapman is ‘extremely decisive, experienced and capable’. The team is also noted for its ‘good client care’.

Siân Jones heads Bircham Dyson Bell LLP’s family practice, which handles ancillary relief and children work. Recent work includes a cross-border matrimonial case.

Boodle Hatfield has a good reputation in the market for high-value ancillary relief work, and for its ability to ‘handle difficult clients’. Barbara Simpson heads the team, and Anne Thomas is regularly recommended as a ‘highly skilled, intelligent lawyer’.

Practice head Pamela Collis at CKFT (Cawdery Kaye Fireman & Taylor) is recommended by peers. The group specialises in ancillary relief work.

Camilla Baldwin Solicitors is a ‘dynamic’ niche family firm which is ‘big on client care’. Founding partner Camilla Baldwin is the lead partner.

Davenport Lyons regularly handles ancillary relief work for clients in the media and fashion industries. John Burrell heads the practice.

Finers Stephens Innocent LLP’s practice head Alan Kaufman is widely recommended and ‘very experienced’. The group is recognised for both its money and children work, and regularly assists celebrities and clients in the sports industry.

Fisher Meredith is highly recommended for both money and children work, and handles both domestic violence and care work. Eileen Pembridge heads the family department.

Goodman Ray is recommended by peers for both children and ancillary relief work. Peggy Ray is highly recommended for children work.

Tom Amlot, practice head at Harbottle & Lewis LLP, is ‘good with clients and offers good analysis of cases’. The group regularly handles high-value ancillary relief work.

Hodge Jones & Allen LLP’s ‘legal knowledge and client care is of the highest order’. The group is well known for its publicly funded cases and has recently seen an increase in privately funded work. Melanie Hay heads the team.

Caroline Penfold heads RadcliffesLeBrasseur’s family practice, which handles ancillary relief and private children work.

Emma Morris heads Rooks Rider’s family practice, which specialises in ancillary relief.

David Leadercramer is the partner contact at Ross & Craig, where the team handles ancillary relief work.

The International Family Law Group is a niche firm handling all aspects of family work including international child abduction. Ann Thomas is the partner contact.

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