29 Bedford Row Chambers > London, England > Set Profile
29 Bedford Row Chambers Offices
29 Bedford Row Chambers
29 BEDFORD ROW
LONDON
WC1R 4HE
England
29 Bedford Row Chambers > The Legal 500 Rankings
London Bar > Family: divorce and financial remedy Tier 1
29 Bedford Row Chambers is a ‘go-to set with exceptional and strong counsel at every level of experience’. Timothy Scott KC is a ‘persuasive advocate with a very dignified approach in contentious cases’ while Jonathan Southgate KC is a ‘very clever and resourceful advocate’ who specialises in high-net-worth financial remedy cases. Other key members of the set include ‘expert cross-examiner’ Philip Cayford KC, Sally Max and Jonathan Tod .Rising stars
Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘James Shortall is second to none. He is incredibly responsive and will bend over backwards to help.’
‘James Shortall and Julie Holcombe are very experienced and supportive clerks.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is an excellent set with a great strength-in-depth from the junior to silk end.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is a very good family set with strength at all levels in financial remedies proceedings.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is a top-notch set, with talent throughout.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is an outstanding and go-to chamber for family finance matters.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is an impressive chamber with a great strength in depth.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers have a strong spread of advocates, from juniors to silks. All are approachable and willing to make themselves available at short notice.’
Work highlights
London Bar > Family: private FDR judges and arbitrators
29 Bedford Row Chambers is a ‘market leading set for financial remedy work’ that consistently ‘goes above and beyond’. Ben Fearnley is an ‘excellent private FDR judge’ who specialises in financial aspects of divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships, separation of unmarried couples, financial provision for children, and jurisdiction disputes. Other key contacts include the ‘technically brilliant advocate’ Nicholas Allen KC and Peter Mitchell KC, who has extensive expertise in drafting, implementation and enforcement of pre- and post-nuptial agreements. ‘Thorough and balanced FDR judge’ Lucy Owens is another key contact.Testimonials
’29 Bedford Row is a top-notch financial remedy chamber.’
’29 Bedford Row is a go-to set.’
’29 Bedford Row has a strong and developing ADR offer, with good strength in depth from experienced counsel.’
‘The clerks are always helpful, and Julie Holcombe leads the way.’
’29 Bedford Row has a top clerking team. James Shorthall is everything that one wants from a senior clerk.’
London Bar > Family: children and domestic abuse Tier 4
29 Bedford Row Chambers is a ‘solid and experienced set able to advise on a wide range of family law disciplines’. Paul Storey KC is a ‘very robust advocate’ well-known for his expertise in cases involving child death and the most serious physical abuse, while Indira Ramsahoye is a ‘first-rate performer’ who focuses on private children law, in particular cases with an international element. Dafydd Griffiths is an ‘intelligent, intuitive and thorough advocate’ who specialises in relocation and cases in which parental alienation allegations appear.Leading Silks
Leading Juniors
Testimonials
’29 Bedford Row Chambers has great depth, availability and professionalism.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers has breath and strength in numbers at both the senior and junior levels.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers is a very strong set, approachable and accommodating and cover all areas of family law.’
‘The clerks are conscientious and very good at what they do.’
’29 Bedford Row Chambers has an exceptional clerking team.’
Work highlights
London Bar > Private client: trusts and probate
South Eastern Circuit > Family: divorce and financial remedy
The English Bar Offshore > The English Bar Offshore
29 Bedford Row Chambers > Set Profile
29 Bedford Row Chambers is committed to providing its clients with an effective and efficient legal service. It operates from Grade II listed buildings in the heart of legal London, and offers ten top of the range AV suites for conferences and remote or hybrid court hearings.
The set: Bedford Row Chambers comprises of 61 barristers including 11 silks. The set is rated among the leading family law chambers with more than half of members rated as leaders in their field in the 2022/23 editions of the Bar directories.
Types of work undertaken: Chambers offers specialist expertise at every level of seniority in all aspects of family law including matrimonial finance, children (both public and private law), child abduction, cohabitation law, domestic violence and representation under the Civil Partnership and Inheritance Acts. Many members have been appointed to sit as deputy High Court judges, recorders and deputy district judges, have qualified as family law arbitrators or mediators, and/or have trained as collaborative lawyers. Many members of chambers also chair private FDRs and Early Neutral Evaluation hearings. The set also offers Direct (Public) Access services.
Chambers organises a comprehensive seminar programme for judges, solicitors and trainees and also supports initiatives to increase equality and diversity at the Bar. Members of chambers appear in courts around the country and internationally. Chambers has dedicated conference suites, but members will travel to see clients wherever necessary.
Administration: Chambers is served by nine full time clerks and a dedicated fees clerk, allowing work to be processed quickly and efficiently. The clerks’ room is open between 8.30 am and 6.00 pm, but emergency contact is always available outside that time. The clerking is praised for its efficient, friendly and commercial approach.
For information about the work of chambers generally, or the practice of individual members of chambers in particular, please contact the senior clerk, James Shortall, or visit the website – www.29br.co.uk
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Senior clerk | James Shortall | ||
Clerks | Julie Holcombe | ||
Clerks | Ben Cross | ||
Clerks | Jamie Critchell | ||
Clerks | Steve Pickin (fees) | ||
Chambers administrator | Nicola Kessell | ||
Members of Chambers | CAMPBELL KC, Alexis (1990) (KC 2017) | ||
Members of Chambers | ALLEN KC, Nicholas (1995) (KC 2018) | ||
Members of Chambers | SCOTT KC, Timothy (1975) (KC 1995) | ||
Members of Chambers | STOREY KC, Paul (1982) (KC 2001) | ||
Members of Chambers | CAYFORD KC, Philip (1975) (KC 2002) | ||
Members of Chambers | CHAMBERLAYNE KC, Patrick (1992) (KC 2010) | ||
Members of Chambers | SHAW KC, Howard (1973) (KC 2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | WAGSTAFFE KC, Christopher (1992) (KC 2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | SOUTHGATE KC, Jonathan (1992) (KC 2013) | ||
Members of Chambers | MOLYNEUX KC, Brent (1994) (KC 2017) | ||
Members of Chambers | MITCHELL KC, Peter (1996) (KC 2020) | ||
Members of Chambers | DUCKWORTH, Peter (1971) | ||
Members of Chambers | RENTON, The Hon Clare (1972) | ||
Members of Chambers | RAMSAHOYE, Indira (1980) | ||
Members of Chambers | WALDEN-SMITH, David (1985) | ||
Members of Chambers | STOREY-REA, Alexa (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | CHAPMAN, Nicholas (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | ARNOT, Lee (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | WENTWORTH, Annabel (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | TOD, Jonathan (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | MAX, Sally (1991) | ||
Members of Chambers | BATES, Richard (1992) | ||
Members of Chambers | DOMENGE, Victoria (1993) | ||
Members of Chambers | BUTLER, Judith (1993) | ||
Members of Chambers | AMIRAFTABI, Roshi (1993) | ||
Members of Chambers | COLLINS, Ken (1996) | ||
Members of Chambers | AMAOUCHE, Sassa-Ann (1996) | ||
Members of Chambers | OWENS, Lucy (1997) | ||
Members of Chambers | GRIFFITHS, Dafydd (1997) | ||
Members of Chambers | HEATON, Laura (1998) | ||
Members of Chambers | BLACK, Georgina (1999) | ||
Members of Chambers | CALHAEM, Simon (1999) | ||
Members of Chambers | GEADAH, Anthony (2000) | ||
Members of Chambers | FRANCIS, Victoria (2001) | ||
Members of Chambers | FEARNLEY, Ben (2001) | ||
Members of Chambers | LEWIS, Max (2002) | ||
Members of Chambers | BUTTERFIELD, Christopher (2004) | ||
Members of Chambers | CADE DAVIES, Lynsey (2005) | ||
Members of Chambers | BENNETT, Nicholas (2005) | ||
Members of Chambers | TAMBLING, Richard (2005) | ||
Members of Chambers | TEACHER, Petra (2006) | ||
Members of Chambers | FEE, Conor (2006) | ||
Members of Chambers | WILLIAMS, Helen (2007) | ||
Members of Chambers | SHERIDAN, Amber (2008) | ||
Members of Chambers | ERIERA, Anton (2010) | ||
Members of Chambers | FINCH, James (2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | LONG, Matthew (2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | FOSTER, Miriam (2011) | ||
TRACE, Charlotte (2012) | |||
Members of Chambers | PULLEN, James (2012) | ||
Members of Chambers | PAGE, Emily (2012) | ||
Members of Chambers | SWITALSKI, Joseph (2014) | ||
Members of Chambers | COOPER, James (2014) | ||
Members of Chambers | CAMPBELL, Harry (2017) | ||
Members of Chambers | TAIT, Philip (2018) | ||
Members of Chambers | HUGHES PUGH, Yasmin (2020) | ||
Members of Chambers | MUTTON, Daniel (2016) | ||
Members of Chambers | JEFFREY, Daniel (2020) | ||
Members of Chambers | KNIGHT, Shannon (2021) | ||
Members of Chambers | ELEZI, Eno (2019) | ||
Members of Chambers | BLOHM, Henrietta (2022) |
Barrister Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Nicholas Allen | Matrimonial finance, civil partnerships, co-habitation. Reported cases – MT v OT (No… | View Profile | |
Sassa-Ann Amaouche | Sassa’s practice focus is on all aspects of financial remedy proceedings, to… | View Profile | |
Roshi Amiraftabi | Almost exclusively in the field of children law undertaking factually complex private… | View Profile | |
Lee Arnot | All aspects of family law including public and private law children proceedings… | View Profile | |
Richard Bates | Matrimonial finance, particularly interested in farming cases. Cases include: Haskell v Haskell… | View Profile | |
Mr Nicholas Bennett | Nick specialises in advising on complex divorce disputes, particularly involving companies, trusts… | View Profile | |
Georgina Black | Family, matrimonial property and finance, private law children and cohabitation disputes. Tenacious,… | View Profile | |
Judith Butler | Judith has a significant practice in matrimonial finance and the financial consequences… | View Profile | |
Christopher Butterfield | Barrister who practises across the full range of family law work with… | View Profile | |
Lynsey Cade Davies | All aspects of family law including financial provision on the breakdown of… | View Profile | |
Simon Calhaem | Simon specialises in complex high value financial work, including matrimonial finance, inheritance… | View Profile | |
Harry Campbell | Harry specialises in financial remedy work. He has been described as “a… | View Profile | |
Alexis Campbell | Alexis is joint Head of Chambers and a specialist in HNW matrimonial… | View Profile | |
Philip Cayford | Family practice, strong bias towards financial remedies. Acted for successful wife in… | View Profile | |
Philip Cayford | Family practice, strong bias towards financial remedies. Acted for successful wife in… | View Profile | |
Patrick Chamberlayne | Barrister specialising in Financial Remedy, Private Law Children Applications, Inheritance Act Claims… | View Profile | |
Nick Chapman | Principal area of practice is Financial Remedy Applications including Financial Provision for… | View Profile | |
Ken Collins | Barrister practising in a broad range of private family work and whilst… | View Profile | |
James Cooper | James practices in all areas of family law, with a particular specialism… | View Profile | |
Victoria Domenge | Family Law with particular expertise in matrimonial finance and private law children… | View Profile | |
Peter Duckworth | Peter specialises in ‘heavy duty’ financial claims, particularly those involving businesses, landed… | View Profile | |
Anton Eriera | View Profile | ||
Ben Fearnley | Practice encompasses all of the financial aspects of relationship breakdown, including divorce,… | View Profile | |
Conor Fee | Specialising in matrimonial finance and related claims on the breakdown of marriage… | View Profile | |
James Finch | Instructed across all areas of family law. He advises and represents clients… | View Profile | |
Miriam Foster | Matrimonial Finance, Financial Provision for Children, Pre and post-nuptial agreements, civil partnerships,… | View Profile | |
Victoria Francis | Practises in all areas of family law, with a particular emphasis on… | View Profile | |
Anthony Geadah | An experienced specialist in matrimonial finance and related matters. Anthony’s practice encompasses… | View Profile | |
Dafydd Griffiths | A child care practitioner with expertise in all areas of both public… | View Profile | |
Laura Heaton | Matrimonial finance, Schedule 1 Children Act 1989, cohabitation disputes under Trusts of… | View Profile | |
Yasmin Hughes Pugh | Instructed on cases across all areas of family law, with a particular… | View Profile | |
Daniel Jeffrey | Dan now accepts instructions on all private family law matters as well… | View Profile | |
Max Lewis | Practice covers all issues of Family Law, with a particular emphasis on… | View Profile | |
Matthew Long | Instructed in all areas of family law work; he represents clients in… | View Profile | |
Sally Max | Family finance, particularly involving financial complexity arising from substantial assets; complex pension… | View Profile | |
Peter Mitchell | All aspects of the law governing financial relationships between family members, including… | View Profile | |
Brent Molyneux | Matrimonal finance. Notable cases include: ABX v SBX [2018] EWFC 81 (Fam);… | View Profile | |
Daniel Mutton | Accepts instructions on all private family law matters, with an emphasis on… | View Profile | |
Lucy Owens | Lucy specialises in all financial aspects of relationship breakdown. Reported cases include… | View Profile | |
Emily Page | Practice covers all areas of family law, with a particular focus on… | View Profile | |
James Pullen | Instructed across the full spectrum of family law work. He regularly advises… | View Profile | |
Indira Ramsahoye | International law relating to children in particular child abduction, jurisdictional disputes, both… | View Profile | |
Clare Renton | Broad experience and interest. A particular emphasis on family law cases with… | View Profile | |
Timothy Scott | Leading specialist in international family law including jurisdiction and forum disputes, Part… | View Profile | |
Timothy Scott | Leading specialist in international family law including jurisdiction and forum disputes, Part… | View Profile | |
Howard Shaw | All aspects of family law. Among reported cases are Rapp v Sarre… | View Profile | |
Amber Sheridan | Matrimonial Finance; Financial Provision for Children; Pre and post-nuptial agreements; Civil Partnerships;… | View Profile | |
Jonathan Southgate | Financial Remedy specialist. Notable cases: Paul Mark Simon v Lauren Belinda Simon &… | View Profile | |
Jonathan Southgate | Financial Remedy specialist. Notable cases: Paul Mark Simon v Lauren Belinda Simon &… | View Profile | |
Paul Storey | Family law: Public Law, all areas including appeals CoA and Supreme Court.… | View Profile | |
Alexa Storey-rea | Practises in the field of children law, the majority of public law… | View Profile | |
Joseph Switalski | Practice covers the full range of family law issues with a particular… | View Profile | |
Philip Tait | Specialises in matrimonial finance, cohabitation claims, financial provision for children and private… | View Profile | |
Richard Tambling | Richard handles all aspects of financial remedies including matrimonial finance and Schedule… | View Profile | |
Petra Teacher | All areas of Family Law with a particular emphasis on matrimonial finance,… | View Profile | |
Jonathan Tod | Matrimonial finance and Schedule 1 Children Act Proceedings. Hill v Morgan (Child:… | View Profile | |
Charlotte Trace | Practice covers all areas of family law with a particular emphasis on… | View Profile | |
Christopher Wagstaffe | Family Law especially matrimonial finance, with a particular emphasis on cases featuring… | View Profile | |
David Walden-smith | David specialises in financial cases involving substantial assets, complex company valuations and… | View Profile | |
Annabel Wentworth | Accepts instructions in all areas of law concerning children including private and… | View Profile | |
Helen Williams | Primarily financial remedy proceedings, with a particular emphasis on the treatment of… | View Profile |
Diversity
29 Bedford Row Chambers is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity regardless of age, race, nationality, sex, gender re-assignment, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, disability, religion or belief, pregnancy or political persuasion.
29 Bedford Row’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities, diversity, and ensuring an absence of discrimination requires that positive steps are taken to identify and eliminate possible discrimination in the decisions that need to be taken concerning:
- The recruitment of pupils, tenants, clerks or other staff;
- Relations between pupils, tenants, clerks and other staff – both professionally and socially;
- The treatment of those connected with chambers, whether directly or indirectly as lay and professional clients.
A full copy of our equality and diversity policy can be found on our website and sets out in more detail the steps which we are taking to ensure that 29 Bedford Row is an environment free from discrimination.
However, a commitment to equality, diversity, and opportunity must be more than ‘on paper’. We therefore support (including financially) initiatives and organisations which encourage disadvantaged and minority groups to consider pursuing a career at the Bar. We also support organisation that provide legal advice and assistance to those who cannot afford representation. Over the last 12 months, this has included:
- Participation in Bridging the Bar – https://www.bridgingthebar.org;
- Sponsorship of 10,000 Black Interns and hosting one of the students – https://www.10000blackinterns.com; Sponsorship of Queen Mary University Bar Society – where 91% of undergraduates are from state schools; 62% are BAME; 42% are the first into Higher Education in their families; and 27% are from households where the annual taxable income is less than £15,000 pa – https://www.queenmarybarsociety.org;
- Participating in Middle Temple’s Access to the Bar Scheme – https://www.middletemple.org.uk/becoming-barrister/access-bar-award;
- Supporting the LEDLET Summer Scheme – https://www.ledlet.org.uk/copy-of-summer-scheme;
- Participating in FreeBar’s Visibility Project which contains a collection of profiles from LGBTQ+ members of the profession – https://freebar.co.uk/visibility-project/;
- Becoming a Guardian sponsor of Support Through Court, a charity which provides free, independent assistance to litigants attending court without legal representation – http://supportthroughcourt.org; and Individual members visiting educational institutions to promote access to the Bar.
Client Testimonials
CLIENT: Zoe Bloom
COMPANY/FIRM: Bloom Budd
TESTIMONIAL: ‘’There is no better set of matrimonial finance practitioners in London. The members are steeped in exceptional work from the outset of their careers and they are mentored and supported from within chambers by each other and their incomparable clerks. Most importantly, everyone associated with chambers is grounded, approachable and just really really good at what they do. As a consequence, they can be relied upon to consistently deliver outstanding result and resolve the stickiest situations.’’
CLIENT: David Allison
COMPANY/FIRM: Family Law In Partnership
TESTIMONIAL: “29 Bedford Row is an excellent set for family law. They have some of the best talent in the business at both junior and silk level. Members are instructed by the best firms in London and further afield. They appear in many of the important cases before courts at all levels. The clerking team is second to none. Overall a first rate chambers!”
CLIENT: James Brown
COMPANY/FIRM: Hall Brown
TESTIMONIAL: ‘’I have had the pleasure of working with 29 Bedford Row for nearly 20 years. They are, as is well known, one of a very small handful of ‘top’ family law sets in this country with strength and depth at every level. What sets them apart, however, is the accessibility of their members and the way they are clerked. Whether it is the newest of juniors or the most senior Silk, the barristers are willing to work as part of a team for the lay client which makes them a pleasure to instruct and, ultimately, achieves better results. The clerking team know the process, their instructing solicitors and the personalities of their various barristers. The result is a true “matching” of barrister, solicitor and lay client as opposed to a mere diary service. I cannot recommend them highly enough.’’
CLIENT: Barbara Reeves
COMPANY/FIRM: Mishcon De Reya
TESTIMONIAL: I have enjoyed a close relationship with 29 Bedford Row since 1999. They have an extremely strong offering at every level, with an excellent quality of service and depth of skill, together with superb clerking. It’s now home to a super set of barristers, first class silks and strong juniors and headed up by new heads, Alexis Campbell QC and Nick Allen QC, who continue to build on their international reputation as market leaders in Family Law.
CLIENT: Justin Moss
COMPANY/FIRM: Moss Fallon
TESTIMONIAL: “One of the top four sets. They have excellent people at all levels of call and the clerks, led by James, ably assisted by Julie, are unfailingly helpful, responsive and a pleasure to work with.”
- Family: divorce and financial remedy
- Family: private FDR judges and arbitrators
Top Tier Set Rankings
- Family: children and domestic abuse
Set Rankings
- The English Bar Offshore > The English Bar Offshore