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Family: Children And Domestic Violence

3PB

No.18 Barristers Chambers

Leading Silks

Lucy Hendry KC – 3PB

‘Lucy is without doubt one of the best silks around. She has huge depth of knowledge and outclasses her opponent every time. She is wonderful with clients and an inspiration to us all. Her advocacy skills are finely honed and she cuts through the issues with precision.’

Susan Campbell KC – Magdalen Chambers ‘Susan is a superb, first-rate silk who combines her mastery of the law with tactical nous and endless compassion and concern for her clients. A go-to silk.’

Penny Howe KC – Pump Court Chambers ‘Penny is a brilliant barrister: she is exceedingly well-prepared and knowledgeable, has excellent cross-examination skills and a particular strength in cases involving complex medical evidence. Her client care and ability to establish a rapport with the entire team - solicitor, lay client and junior counsel - is second-to-none.’

Leslie Samuels KC – Pump Court Chambers ‘Leslie is a formidable but charming barrister. He always has an excellent rapport with his clients and his grasp and exploration of complicated medical expert evidence is always impressive.'

Christopher Sharp KC – St John’s Chambers 'Christopher is a legend. An elegantly persuasive silk.'

Claire Wills-Goldingham KC – Colleton Chambers ‘Claire is a fierce and formidable advocate. In court, her presence is commanding. Her client care is also compassionate and understanding, meaning clients feel represented to a high standard both within the courtroom and outside of it.'

2023 Silks

Lucy Reed KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Lucy is a wonderful barrister, as strong on written submissions as she is on her feet, where she attracts the ear of judges with her court manner, and more than holds her own with silks far more senior than her.‘

Leading Juniors

Abigail Bond – St John’s Chambers 'Abigail is a brilliant barrister. She is completely respected by every tribunal she appears in front of and you can tell judges listen to what she says. She is articulate, intelligent, unflappable, civil to the opposition and caring with clients.'

Judi Evans – St John’s Chambers 'Clients respect her direct approach.'

Emma Harman – 3PB

‘Emma has an encyclopedic knowledge when it comes to child arrangement orders in domestic abuse contexts. She offers creativity for clients and sees subtle features in coercive control cases that many can’t. Her judgment is spot on and her advocacy is a work of art. She has a very quick wit and navigates her way through the most difficult of cases with great humour and warmth.’

Steven Howard – 3PB

‘Steven is exceptional. He is very thorough, has attention to detail that is unmatched and is highly respected by the judiciary. He deals with highly complex cases with great care and attention and his advocacy skills are of the highest standard.'

Elisabeth Hudson – 3PB

‘Elisabeth is able to put clients at ease and strike a rapport with them. She understands cases to a very high level and this is clear in the advice she gives, the quality of her position statements and skeleton arguments, and also her advocacy.’

Susan Hunter – St John’s Chambers 'Susan is tenacious and pragmatic. She quickly gets to the heart of a case, rolls up her sleeves and looks to resolve matters. She is very user friendly and has an excellent support manner with clients coupled with a healthy no-nonsense approach.'

Margaret Pine-Coffin – Pump Court Chambers

Jennifer Swan – Pump Court Chambers ‘Jennifer has a level-headed approach to dealing with clients, even in highly sensitive and emotional proceedings. She gives professional advice in a manner that is understandable to clients and presents cases to the court calmly, clearly and effectively.'

Charlotte Ash – KBG Chambers ‘Charlotte is confident, knowledgeable and practical. She is also able to establish a rapport with both clients and professionals.'

Laura Baines – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Laura is a fantastic all round barrister who excels at every level. Her real strength is her ability to relate to her clients and present information in an easy to understand format whilst offering an excellent service. She is also a strong advocate in court.'

Gemma Chapman – 3PB

‘Gemma is a bold and fearless advocate. She prepares cases thoroughly and is dogged in pursuit of the necessary disclosure. She has a good knowledge of local judges and exercises judgment effectively in her representations to the court.'

Nigel Cholerton – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Nigel is an excellent advocate. His preparation is exemplary and he has a very good manner with clients, immediately putting them at ease. Nigel's attention to detail and his preparation set him apart.'

Hugh Cornford – Walnut House ‘Hugh is insightful and level headed. He does not inflame matters, rather he stays focused on the issue at hand and looks to solve problems rather than create them. He is a robust and eloquent advocate.'

Sally Daulton – Devon Chambers ‘Sally has excellent client care skills; she instantly makes clients feel calm and at ease. She is a sharp advocate, picking up on the small details and drawing out the important elements in a skilled, calm and yet robust way.'

Caroline Elford – St John’s Chambers 'An incisive junior who fights for her client.'

Fiona Farquhar – Albion Chambers ‘Fiona is first-class. She is silk quality every time and a fearless advocate who really stands out. She advocates passionately for her clients and gets results.’

Nicola Frost – 3PB

'Nicola has an amazing ability to collate huge amounts of information down to the key points without missing anything. She approaches her cases with forensic accuracy as well as a great deal of compassion for clients. She is also incredibly robust when dealing with her opponents and with the court.'

Caroline Hartley – Pump Court Chambers

Tracey Hennessey – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Tracey is an excellent advocate who is always thoroughly prepared and well-liked by clients.’

Katherine Henry – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Katherine is an all-round class act. One of the best in conference with clients – she is so reassuring and empathetic. Her preparation for a case is meticulous, and her written documents are top-drawer. She is superb in court too – she gets to the heart of issues, is very persuasive, and the respect that judges have for her is obvious.’

William Higginson – KBG Chambers ‘Bill is easy to work with, amenable and approachable. He is a good and knowledgeable advocate who is calm and able to focus on the key points quickly. He is also able to establish a good rapport with clients and other professionals.'

Victoria Hoyle – Devon Chambers ‘Victoria is a highly competent advocate, particularly adept at traversing complex trial issues in a calm manner and with an attentive mindset. She is communicative, studious, and provides clear direction on how to approach legal issues to the benefit of the client.'

David Josty –Pump Court Chambers ‘David displays an unbelievable attention to detail and quickly grasps complex issues. His advocacy skills are excellent; he is clear and concise but ensures all aspects of a case are fully covered.'

Sarah O’Hara – 3PB

‘Sarah is a strong advocate with a deep empathy for her clients. She is always well-prepared and efficient and able to get to the heart of cases.’

Sarah Pope – Albion Chambers ‘Sarah is a very strong and ferocious advocate with extensive knowledge. She has a calm presence and clients trust her. She is able to deal with the most difficult cases and navigate tricky counsel on the other side with ease.'

Daniel Swan – KBG Chambers ‘Daniel is a highly competent childcare barrister, his advocacy and client care skills are excellent.'

Helen Brander – Pump Court Chambers ‘Helen is very well-prepared and very knowledgeable. Her position statements are always clear and detailed, and she gives clear and honest advice in conference.’

Alice Darian – Albion Chambers

Victoria Ellis –Pump Court Chambers ‘Cutting through the madness and getting to the heart of cases is Victoria's specialty. She provides an exemplary service whilst also managing clients' expectations. Her cross-examination is so clever and articulate that often the witness does not realise they have divulged something until it is too late.'

Andrew Grime – Pump Court Chambers ‘Andrew is a highly experienced and skillful advocate; he has a brilliant combination of a robust but utterly charming style that is highly persuasive. He is utterly committed to his cases, is a fountain of knowledge and has brilliant recollection of relevant case law.'

Anthony Hand – College Chambers ‘Anthony is able to grasp complex matters quickly and simplify the issues to provide invaluable and balanced advice. He has excellent advocacy skills and is able to hold his own against KCs in serious child abuse cases.’

Corinne Iten – Pump Court Chambers ‘Corinne is an excellent advocate. She is concise and has an ability to cut through to the crux of a case. She is also very user-friendly and popular with clients and other advocates.’

Joanna Lucas – Albion Chambers ‘Joanna is a very skilled and robust advocate who is meticulous in her preparation, has a wonderful rapport with clients and offers very clear and sensible legal advice. She is logical in her approach when dealing with cases and is pragmatic in her legal advice.'

Emma Southern – 3PB

‘Emma is thorough in her preparation and absolutely excellent in managing clients' expectations in a confident, realistic yet empathetic way. In the court room she puts her thoughts together concisely but with force and is always effective in putting the best position forward for her client.'

Jonathan Wilkinson – Albion Chambers

Fiona McCreath - College Chambers ‘Fiona is an excellent advocate and a go-to counsel in complex cases. She is experienced and pragmatic, giving straightforward and sensible advice which often has the effect of narrowing the issues in a case. As an advocate, Fiona is calm and persuasive.’

Caroline Middleton – Albion Chambers ‘Caroline is a sharp legal mind. She is a fierce advocate and gives no-nonsense advice but can also be compassionate with clients in highly emotionally charged cases. She is a go-to for private children work in Bristol.’

Hayley Griffiths – Albion Chambers ‘Hayley is a thoughtful and experienced barrister who is able to grasp complex legal issues and present them to clients in a way that they understand and are able to relate to. She is outstanding.’

William Heckscher – Albion Chambers ‘William is a consistently excellent barrister for care matters. He is a calm, eloquent and persuasive advocate who always has a clear command of the case. He has an extremely thorough approach and an eye for detail.'

Sarah Jennings – 3PB

Amy Lush – 3PB

‘Amy is thorough and always very well-prepared. Her attention to detail means that her advocacy is of a very high standard.’

Ryan Morgan – St John’s Chambers 'Ryan is always well prepared, calm, and has excellent client skills. He gives clear advice which can be easily understood.'

Olivia Pike – St John’s Chambers 'Olivia's knowledge of the law is top class and her ability to deal with clients in a caring and empathetic way whilst still putting a case forward effectively is very impressive.'

Charlotte Street – Pump Court Chambers ‘Charlotte has the rare ability to inspire absolute confidence in clients, solicitors and judges. It is clear that she has a complete grip on the facts, and most importantly, the dynamics in the courtroom. Her advocacy is responsive, clear, tenacious and direct. Her cross-examination is also exceptional and her submissions pick out exactly what is needed.'

Rising Stars

Rachel Chapman - No.18 Barristers Chambers 'Rachel is able to get to grips quickly with complex cases. She is incredibly approachable and her advocacy is clear and firm.'

Samuel Castlehouse – KBG Chambers ‘Samuel is a thorough and skilled advocate. His attention to detail is second-to-none and he has a unique ability to be able to put clients at ease in the court room. He offers sound advice to clients and is clearly an expert in his field.’

Sara Chalk – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Sara is a very strong advocate, always thoroughly prepared and able to tease out the relevant information and ask the difficult questions. She is also well-liked and particularly adept at giving difficult advice to vulnerable clients.’

Jade Corden – KBG Chambers ‘Jade is a safe pair of hands in the most sensitive and difficult cases. She remains mindful of the emotional aspect of a case and provides the right level of patience and empathy. She is an excellent advocate, who is knowledgeable, incredibly prepared, and has a fine eye for detail. She is also a divergent thinker and able to find creative solutions for her clients.'

Emma Cross – Magdalen Chambers ‘Emma is technically very astute. She is able to spot niche points of law and plan accordingly. Her advocacy is calm and controlled but powerful. She is very good at looking after clients too.'

Anita Noerr – Colleton Chambers

Amy Oke – College Chambers ‘Amy is a very competent junior barrister. She prepares for cases extremely thoroughly, has a good approach in court and when dealing with professionals and lay clients, and is a skilled advocate.’

Cordelia Williams – Pump Court Chambers

Family: children and domestic violence in Regional Bar

Tier 1 sets

3PB

3PB ’s ‘very well-rounded set’ of family law barristers is a ‘go-to’ on the Western Circuit. Lucy Hendry KC, who represents lay parties, subject children, intervenors, and guardians in factually and medically complex cases, is widely considered a ‘top-class advocate’ for both public and private children law cases, while Nicola Frost is a ‘go-to barrister for difficult private children law cases’. Her broad practice includes child abduction and Hague Convention cases, as well as surrogacy and intractable contract disputes. Former circuit judge Martin Dancey joined chambers as an associate member in January 2023 - he is active as an ADR evaluator.

Testimonials

‘Sarah Jenking is delightful to deal with. She has a great relationship with Bournemouth family court and will go out of her way to be accommodating.’

‘Lee Giles is always fantastic to speak to. He is always friendly, quick to respond and very knowledgeable.’

‘The service of the clerks is excellent and they are polite, efficient, most helpful and always friendly. They will bend over backwards to help fit the requested and most suitable counsel for the instructions. All clerks are equally helpful but particularly Rob Leonard, Stuart Pringle and Sarah Jenkin.’

‘A fabulous chambers with great selection of barristers for all types of matters.’

‘3PB Chambers is an amazing set of chambers: friendly, efficient and very well respected as an outstanding set both locally and nationally.’

Pump Court Chambers

With ‘a good range of juniors, senior juniors, and KCs’, Pump Court Chambers’ family law team is ‘flourishing’. Penny Howe KC, who ‘excels in cross-dealing with medical experts’, regularly represents parents subject to parallel criminal investigation for serious crimes and has recently been instructed in cases involving the safety of the children of a convicted terrorist and deliberate bleach poisoning. Leslie Samuels KC, with considerable experience in long fact-finding hearings involving the physical abuse of young children and babies, is widely seen as a ‘cut above the rest’.

Testimonials

‘Sean Gentleman is one of the best Senior Clerks around.’

‘James Collier is a fantastic clerk. Likeable, knowledgeable and organised.’

‘Sean Gentleman leads the team with a professional and confident yet friendly and approachable attitude. He is ably supported by the rest of the clerking team.’

‘Pump Court is an excellent chambers with strength in depth.’

‘An excellent set with good a range of juniors, senior juniors and KCs. Their webinars are topical and useful, and there is a good availability of counsel through the year.’

‘They are a flourishing set, from a family law perspective.’

St John's Chambers

St John’s Chambers is one of the leading sets on the Western Circuit for public and private child law work. Christopher Sharp KC is instructed by parents, local authorities, and guardians in child protection cases involving catastrophic or fatal injuries. Abigail Bond, specialising in care proceedings involving learning disabled parents, heads the practice group in chambers.

Testimonials

‘Marcus Harding is a credit to the team; he always goes above and beyond.’

‘The clerking at St John’s is extremely effective. They are often able to deliver on listings and assist in fixing hearings up in a way that other chambers do not quite match. Luke Hodgson in particular is a standout.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore’s ability to find counsel availability or move diaries around is excellent. She is always willing to consider the client’s needs in terms of costs and seniority.’

‘Marcus Harding is in equal measures brilliant and dynamic. If something needs doing, Marcus will get it done!‘

‘St John’s Chambers offers a very good service and an impressive number of highly skilled barristers.’

‘St John’s Chambers has a large offering of experienced barristers covering all aspects of private children proceedings.’

‘St John’s Chambers is easily the best for Family Law in the South West. The clerks are very helpful and knowledgeable and counsel are always great.’

Tier 2 sets

Albion Chambers

Albion Chambers is widely praised as ‘one of the leading family law chambers in Bristol and the South West’. Sarah Pope, ‘great with clients and her opponents alike’, has considerable experience handling complex matters, including those involving child death, serious physical abuse, and families including individuals with learning disabilities. Caroline Middleton, a ‘determined and fearless advocate’, is often instructed in cases involving controlling and coercive behaviour and serious sexual assault, as well as allegations of parental alienation. In September 2023 James Cranfield was appointed to the circuit bench.

Testimonials

‘Michael Harding is always able to assist whenever assistance is required.’

‘The Clerks are always friendly and approachable. Michael Harding is proactive, efficient and is an absolute pleasure to work with.’

‘Albion Chambers is one of the go-to chambers in Bristol. The standard of counsel and support staff is one of the highest in the area. They really care and are always approachable.’

‘Albion Chambers is one of the leading sets in Bristol and the South West. They have a good mix of experience, from new tenants to old hands.’

‘Albion Chambers is an excellent set for all types of private family work. They have a broad range of counsel at all levels.’

‘One of the leading Chambers in Bristol and South West. They have excellent barristers at all levels.’

KBG Chambers

KBG Chambers, with facilities in Plymouth, Truro and Exeter, hosts ‘a wide range of experienced childcare barristers’ that operate across the South West. William Higginson, who leads the team, is ‘calm and logical even in the most difficult of situations’ - he regularly acts on instructions from children's guardians. Samuel Castlehouse’s ‘advocacy never fails to impress’, which he employs on behalf of local authorities, parents, and children in final hearings and fact-findings of varying length and complexity.

Testimonials

‘Excellent service – Colin Palmer is always on the end of a telephone – similarly Yvonne Simmons and Emily Veitch are reliable and extremely personable and always are able to know what the requirements are and do their best to accommodate.’

‘Emily Veitch is particularly helpful. She is always responsive to communication in a timely manner, will go out of her way to assist with counsel availability and is always friendly to deal with.’

‘The clerks are brilliantly organised – Colin Palmer runs a tight shop and Yvonne is one of the most approachable, down to earth, helpful people around.’

‘The set has a strong family team that has members of varying calls.’

‘KBG offers a wide range of experience childcare barristers.’

‘KBG has a number of very good barristers in the family category. The availability of counsel is good and they provide very helpful local training.’

No.18 Barristers Chambers

No.18 Barristers Chambers, a ‘strong set with few weak links’, hosts a ‘great range of barristers’ with broad expertise in children law work. Tracey Hennessey, an ‘incredibly competent barrister’, regularly represents local authorities, parents, guardians, children and interveners in care proceedings. She is widely recognised for her skillful handling of vulnerable clients, including those with learning difficulties. Rachel Chapman already has experience in a wide range of cases, including those involving serious physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and international elements.

Testimonials

‘Mark Windebank is a very helpful and enthusiastic clerk who will offer help whenever possible.’

‘Mark Windebank is the best clerk around. He is fast, efficient and always gets back to you.’

‘The clerks are really helpful and Mark Windebank in particular is incredibly good at giving a personal touch and doing everything he can to help.’

‘No 18 Chambers is a very good barristers set. They offer a range of barristers with different experience and different qualities.’

‘No 18 is a strong set with few weak links and they are always willing to go the extra mile to assist. They also offer training which is always strong and are willing to provide bespoke training when requested.’

‘The set is extremely strong with a great range of barristers.’

Coverage By Practice AreaRegional Bar