Children Law (including Public And Private Law)

Leading Silks

Janet Bazley KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Janet is simply an excellent lawyer. She is pragmatic and gives sensible advice to clients. She is also good at managing difficult or unreasonable clients.’

Jo Delahunty KC –4 Paper Buildings

Edward Devereux KC –Harcourt Chambers 'Edward is one of the most skilled and persuasive advocates in the international family law matters.'

Deborah Eaton KC –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Deborah is in a league of her own. She is creative, strategic and fabulous with children cases. She is a superstar who makes the ultimate difference to a case.’

Charles Geekie KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Charles is an excellent advocate, with a fine eye for detail, measured in his advice. He is a fantastic all rounder leader.’

Teertha Gupta KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Teertha is an excellent advocate for complicated international children cases. His knowledge of the relevant law is outstanding, and he has a mastery of the court room that makes him one of the very best advocates in children law at the Bar.’

Charles Hale KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Charles is a phenomenal advocate with a great bedside manner with clients. He is able to explain complex issues in a simple fashion. He never forgets the emotional aspect of a case and that these are deeply personal issues for the clients.’

Richard Harrison KC –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Richard is an outstanding silk with encyclopedic knowledge. He has an excellent advocacy skills – second to none. His attention to detail and preparation is amazing.’

Piers Pressdee KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Piers is an incredibly persuasive and effective advocate. He is extremely well prepared, and will go above and beyond to try and achieve the best outcome of his clients. He is a strategist and is not afraid to consider all avenues within the course of proceedings if it might achieve a more favorable outcome for a client.’

Henry Setright KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Henry is an extremely skilled and highly regarded international children advocate. He always knows the best strategic route to take.’

Paul Storey KC –29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Paul has exceptional advocacy skills when cross examining experts and dealing with difficult judges.’

Alex Verdan KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Alex is an authoritative and persuasive advocate, absolutely brilliant with clients. His judgment is consistently spot on.’

Barbara Connolly KC –7BR 'Barbara is the 'go-to' silk on the most complex and contested non-accidental injury cases. Her knowledge of medical evidence and how to cross-examine medical experts is better than others.'

Tina Cook KC –42 Bedford Row ‘Tina is a very knowledgeable and formidable barrister. She is very courteous in delivering a case on behalf of the LA and the professionalism. She clearly explains an issue or position to the court and parties, and her advocacy skills are first class.’

Frank Feehan KC –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Frank is highly strategic in his work and exactly knows how to adapt his style and advocacy in a case to achieve the best result. He is a classy, clever operator and a formidable opponent. He delivers a masterclass in approach and cross-examination in challenging children cases.’

Deirdre Fottrell KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Deidre is an intelligent, considered lawyer whose emotional intelligence and understanding of psychological drivers for her clients and opponents puts her into a league of her own. She is a strategic and analytical lawyer, who possesses an unparalleled understanding of the human mind, its strengths and frailties. She is a true team player.’

Alison Grief KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Alison's preparation, application of case law and research is meticulous. Her advocacy is extremely persuasive, and she can turn around and win an argument on numerous occasions purely on her oral advocacy. Her cross-examination skills, especially of expert witnesses, are second to none.’

Christopher Hames KC –4 Paper Buildings 'Christopher is highly knowledgeable and a stellar advocate. He is a safe pair of hands.'

Charles Howard KC –1 King’s Bench Walk 'Charles is an exceptional advocate, always with an eye to the longer game. He has impeccable judgment and great forensic skill, and clearly explains the complicated concepts.'

Sam King KC –4 Paper Buildings

Hannah Markham KC –The 36 Group ‘Hannah is a fearless advocate. Her cross-examination is first class, and she can turn around a case through her diligence, preparation and advocacy.’

Anna McKenna KC –1 King’s Bench Walk 'Anna is superb silk for children work. She is effective, good on her feet and is reassuring with clients, particularly for anxious and vulnerable clients. She is intuitive and robust when needed and a very good team player.'

Andrew Norton KC - 1GC | Family Law ‘ An extremely impressive advocate; meticulously prepared and always stays focused on the issues. ’

James Turner KC –1 King’s Bench Walk 'James has skilled and persuasive advocacy and gives a strategic advice.'

Mark Twomey KC –Coram Chambers 'Mark is a wise, considered, knowledgeable, and empathetic barristers and truly a good person.'

William Tyler KC –The 36 Group 'William is the best private law children barrister. His advocacy in court is persuasive and able to make the most complex cases seem simple. His written work is some of the best around too. He is the go to for the most complex of children cases.'

Francesca Wiley KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Francesca is a very hands-on and down-to-earth barrister who gives practical and tactical advice of the highest order. As complicated as issues may be, she is able to distil the issues into essential and digestible pieces to enable the client to understand the legal issues in the case. She is reassuring, and focused and persuasive in court.’

Catherine Wood KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Catherine very capably handles difficult cases and gives the best advice and service to the clients.’

Richard Anelay KC –1 King’s Bench Walk 'Richard's diligence and attention to detail are his key strength. He has a good grasp of the multiple documents and complex chronology.'

Andrew Bagchi KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Andrew listens and supports his clients with remarkable client care skills. His preparation and cross-examination is second to none. He instills complete confidence in clients and solicitors alike.’

Kate Branigan KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Kate is just a class act - from forensically detailed cross examination of expert medical witnesses to intuitive, empathetic exploration with a vulnerable witness, she can turn her hand to anything. ’

Nkumbe Ekaney KC – 1GC | Family Law ‘Nkumbe is a leading silk in non accidental injury and sexual abuse cases. He truly is an exceptional advocate, and his attention to detail, to include understanding the complex medical evidence with ease and sharp cross-examination, makes him a force to be reckoned with.’

Damian Garrido KC –Harcourt Chambers ‘Damian's knowledge is breathtaking, and he instills such confidence in clients. He is utterly brilliant as an advocate, a master of strategy, and achieves outstanding results.’

Nick Goodwin KC –Harcourt Chambers ‘Nick is the best children’s KC and well respected by judiciary, opponents and clients. Behind his intellect and excellent advocacy, he is also incredibly approachable, insightful and wonderfully human.’

Jaqueline Julyan SC –5 St Andrews Hill ‘Jaqueline’s strengths include a detailed knowledge of the law in this jurisdiction and in South Africa. She has a commanding presence in court and able to manage difficult and emotional clients with care and sensitivity.’

Rachel Langdale KC –7BR 'Rachel is a force of nature. She represents her clients with determination, passion and charm. She pulls out all the stops and invariably finds a new angle to a case.'

Cyrus Larizadeh KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Cyrus is always impeccably prepared and leaves no stone unturned in support of his client's case. He is fearless in court but an amiable oponent. He combines an assuring presence for his client with tenacious advocacy.’

Barbara Mills KC –4 Paper Buildings 'Barbara is always well prepared and able to get to grips with the issues quickly. Her advocacy is wonderfully clear and concise. She is not scared to say difficult things to powerful people when required.'

Sam Momtaz KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Sam is well informed, hard working and a strong advocate.’

Cleo Perry KC –4 Paper Buildings 'Cleo is a very hardworking barrister in the most complex cases. She is able to grasp emotional nuances and complexities, which are often pivotal in high conflict cases. She remains child centered throughout.'

Gemma Taylor KC –42 Bedford Row ‘Gemma is an outstanding children law barrister. She is an advocate who leaves no stone unturned for her client. She is able to present a case with authority and sensitivity, and her forensic style of cross examination is magical.’

Damian Woodward-Carlton KC –42 Bedford Row ‘Damian has fantastic and effective advocacy style, which gets the job done well and with compassion and understanding - essential in the field of public children law.’

Martin Kingerley KC –The 36 Group ‘Martin is a very strong children barrister, and his advocacy is outstanding. He has a huge amount of gravitas in a court room, and excellent cross-examination.’

Anthony Kirk KC –1 King’s Bench Walk

Allison Munroe KC –Garden Court Chambers

Brendan Roche KC –7BR

Jonathan Sampson KC –Harcourt Chambers ‘Jonathan has amazing forensic mind with a full understanding of medical terminology and expert reports.’

John Vater KC – Harcourt Chambers ‘John is beyond tenacious, exceptionally insightful, and wonderfully organised. His written work is fantastic, and behind his tremendous ability is a wonderfully human and approachable person.’

2021 Silks

Shiva Ancliffe KC –Coram Chambers ‘Shiva is extremely intelligent and has a forensic approach to cases. Her advocacy skills are excellent, and submissions are very impressive.’

Denise Gilling KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Denise has amazing attention to detail to her submissions at trial and competent when working on matters with really complex medical evidence. She really grasps the evidence and applies it to the facts of the case so that her cross-examination is extremely on point and direct. She is an absolute star in the courtroom.’

Ruth Kirby KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Ruth is a force of nature and an incredible strategist. Her advocacy style is punchy, considered and direct, and she never left a stone unturned.’

Sally Stone KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Sally is a thorough and assiduous barrister - always fully and comprehensively prepared. She is clear and persuasive and hits all the right points.’

2022 Silks

Joy Brereton KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Joy is a brilliant advocate who brings great clarity of thought to her work, gives clients enormous confidence and is always well prepared and meticulous in her analysis.’

Laura Briggs KC –1GC | Family Law ‘Laura is exceptional barrister who is always impeccably prepared, tactically astute and a phenomenal advocate.’

Gemma Farrington KC – 42 Bedford Row ‘Gemma has a good grasp of the issues in a case. She is always well prepared and is good at engaging with clients. Her cross-examination is thorough but always polite and well focused.’

Michael Gration KC –4 Paper Buildings ‘Michael is a brilliant advocate who uses his vast knowledge of the law to great effect – he is meticulous and empathetic.’

Tim Parker KC - Deka Chambers

Leading Juniors

Jay Banerji –Fourteen ‘Jay is an excellent advocate. He always has a thorough grasp on the details of a case, no matter how complex, and he has a way of quickly focusing on the key issues.’

Mehvish Chaudhry –Harcourt Chambers ‘Mehvish is a standout star in the world of children law. Her advocacy is top-notch, and her cross-examination skills are beyond outstanding. She quite simply lights the world of children law on fire, her submissions are flawless, and her written documents are clear, thorough and persuasive.’

Martha Cover –Coram Chambers ‘Martha is an institution - wise, independent, with a lovely turn of phrase. She deploys her wealth of experience very effectively in representing often vulnerable clients.’

Dorothea Gartland –4 Paper Buildings ‘Dorothea is extraordinarily intuitive with clients, wise as to outcomes and solutions and a great lawyer. She is a constructive but tough opponent, dedicated and persistent, determined to ensure every effort is made to find the right solution.’

Claire Heppenstall –1GC | Family Law ‘Claire is a very safe pair of hand, astute, hardworking and talented. She has an in-depth and technical understanding of family law. She is a deeply compassionate advocate who supports the client with her steadiness and wisdom.’

Justine Johnston –4 Paper Buildings ‘Justine is a firm and incredibly effective advocate. She knows her subject matter inside out, pays great attention to detail, and is clear and concise in her delivery and drafting.’

Caroline Lister –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Caroline goes the extra mile and is very helpful. Her knowledge is extensive, and she is unflappable, even with the most difficult of opponents.’

Judith Murray –4 Paper Buildings ‘Judith's capacity for information is astonishing, and she is excellent at getting on top of the most paper heavy and complex cases. She has a knack at simplifying even the most difficult cases to get to the heart of the issues in a way that is easy for clients to understand. She is respectful and authoritative in her style and delivers oral submissions in an effective manner.’

Indira Ramsahoye –29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Indira is a great strategist, and very persuasive advocate. She always knows how to read the judge and when her work is done.’

Jacqueline Renton –4 Paper Buildings ‘Jacqueline has an encyclopedic knowledge of children adduction law. She is a passionate and highly intelligent advocate.’

Sharon Segal –1GC | Family Law ‘Sharon is a peerless senior junior. Her dedication, attention to detail and written work are quite extraordinary. She is a highly persuasive advocate, striking the right balance and tone so that judges listen to her. She is a fantastic tactician and has an excellent bedside manner.’

Steven Ashworth –1GC | Family Law ‘Steven is an outstanding advocate. He grasps complex legal issues quickly and will argue with logic and passion. His drafting of documents is superb, and he is an excellent communicator.’

Jonathan Bennett –42 Bedford Row 'Jonathan is an excellent barrister who is always well prepared and able to cross-examine and present the case for the clients.'

Sally Bradley –4 Paper Buildings ‘Sally has an in depth knowledge of the law, and her preparation is extremely through, and the quality of her written documents is superb. She is approachable and always relates to clients well. Her advocacy is brilliant.’

Ruth Cabeza –Harcourt Chambers ‘Ruth has an encyclopedic knowledge of adoption law and an extremely impressive advocate with a great bedside manner. She is a real star in the field of adoption.’

Michael Edwards –4 Paper Buildings ‘Michael is a polished advocate giving the impression that he approaches everything with ease. His calm and pragmatic approach puts him top of his game for the extremely complex area in which he specialises.’

Nicola Fox –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Nicola is meticulous in her preparation of court documentation. She has a sharp intellect and is quick on her feet in difficult situations in court. She is amenable and approachable to clients and works well with instructing solicitors to deliver excellent results on behalf of clients.’

Dafydd Griffiths –29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Dafydd's advocacy is exemplary. He is quick on his feet and formidable in cross-examination, and written advocacy is meticulous and equally as persuasive as his oral advocacy.’

Anita Guha –7BR 'Anita is hard working and a strong advocate. She is diligent about preparing for a case, whether it be legal aid or private paying. Her position statements are thorough, and she grasps a case quickly. She is particularly good in child abduction and stranded spouse cases.'

Daisy Hughes –1GC | Family Law ‘Daisy is an exceptional barrister who is fiercely bright and always extremely well prepared, very quick thinking on her feet, adaptable, measured, tough when needed, and she gives extremely good advice. She is empathetic and sensitive and really understands the needs of children.’

Mark Jarman –4 Paper Buildings ‘Mark has a very calm and knowledgeable presence both in and outside court. He is helpful, responsive and strategic in his approach.’

Katherine Kelsey –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Katherine gave robust and sound tactical advice on a leave to remove case. She is well organised, her reasoning is sound, and she is very persuasive on her feet.’

Christopher Miller –Fourteen ‘Christopher is an excellent barrister, incredibly well prepared with good cross-examination skills, very good with law and preparation of documents. He is excellent with clients, and very approachable with them.’

Jennifer Perrins –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Jennifer is a talented advocate. She is always prepared and clearly has a mastery of her papers. She is clever and deeply supportive of her clients.’

Victoria Roberts –Coram Chambers ‘Victoria is the full package. She is excellent on paper and in her advocacy. She is detailed, thoughtful and skilled in advancing arguments for her clients.’

Lucy Sprinz –1GC | Family Law ‘Lucy is an absolute superstar and can deal with difficult clients and cases with a calm manner and never loses her cool.’

William Tyzack –Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB) ‘William is calm, respectful and exceptionally persuasive. He breathes fresh life into every case he is on. He is one of the few barristers to combine excellent understanding of matrimonial/financial work with international children's work.’

Samantha Woodham –4 Paper Buildings ‘Samantha is a brilliant advocate who keeps her cool even in the most difficult situations. She knows her brief like the back of her hand, and clients trust her implicitly as a result.’

Nicholas Anderson –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Nicholas is entirely unflappable and a strong advocate. His bedside manner is second to none – clients love him. He utilises his vast knowledge of the law to deliver points well.’

Lee Arnot –29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Lee has excellent advocacy skills, highly intelligent, excellent with clients, and reliable.’

Chris Barnes –4 Paper Buildings ‘Chris is a very experienced and highly effective children’s junior with a formidable track record of experience and success in dealing with complex, cutting-edge public law cases with an international dimension. His knowledge of the law and procedure is encyclopedic, and his intellectual agility is matched by a forceful yet pragmatic approach that makes him attractive to specialist solicitors, not least to those at local authorities and other institutional clients.’

Markanza Cudby –1 King’s Bench Walk 'Markanza is extremely experienced in relation to non-accidental injury cases and complex cases overall. She will always be willing to discuss the case outside of hearings and provide additional support to her instructing solicitors where required. She always goes extra mile to ensure that the client understands complex information and is very patient with the most vulnerable clients.'

Rebecca Foulkes –4 Paper Buildings ‘Rebecca is a force to be reckoned with in the world of children law. She has a sensitive but firm way with clients, and her advocacy is as compelling as it is respectful.’

Alev Giz –1GC | Family Law ‘Alev's advocacy is precise, calm and extremely effective. She can build consensus through her understated approach in negotiations and discussions but argues contested issues tenaciously.’

Kate Grieve –The 36 Group ‘Kate is very strong and robust advocate and always does her best for the client. She is always willing to help and work with the solicitors to achieve the best outcome for the clients. She gives very firm and sound advice to the clients.’

Charlotte Hartley –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Charlotte really is the complete package. She is fiercely intelligent, brilliantly prepared, her written work is flawless, and she has a wonderful manner with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive, and she is so quick on her feet.’

Mary Hughes –One Pump Court 'Mary is knowledgeable and tenacious advocate. She has great manner with lay clients and provides sound, clear, and pragmatic advice. She gives everything to her cases, works collaboratively with her instructing solicitors and is always accessible.'

Eleri Jones –1GC | Family Law ‘Eleri is fiercely bright, incredibly hard working and phenomenal attention to detail. She is the go to person for jurisdiction and Brexit related issues, thanks to her vast intellect combined with her ability to distil complex legal issues and present them accessibly.’

Maggie Jones –Garden Court Chambers

Brian Jubb –4 Paper Buildings 'Brian provides thorough, sensible and practical advice and always looks for possible solutions to tricky problems.'

Karen Kabweru-Namulemu – 1GC | Family Law ‘Karen is an excellent advocate in and out of the courtroom. She is not afraid to speak clearly and advise the client of any potential issues or points the other parties will raise. She is excellent in drafting, gives full attention to details, and is respectful but firm when addressing the court. She is a true professional with a warmth and confidence in her inter-personal interactions.’

Louise MacLynn –1GC | Family Law ‘Louise strengths are in her meticulous preparation and her eye for detail. She is extremely knowledgeable and inspires huge confidence with the client.’

Onyoja Momoh –5 Pump Court ‘Onyoja communicates very well and is very welcoming in her tone. She is very thorough and goes out of her way to assist and find best solution for her client.’

Katie Phillips –42 Bedford Row ‘Katie is one of the best junior barristers who always does a very high level of preparation. Her knowledge of the law, social work practice, medical knowledge and procedure is very good.’

Andrew Powell –4 Paper Buildings ‘Andrew is a highly talented barrister with excellent core talents. He is insightful, knowledgeable, great communicator with excellent people skills.’

Charlotte Proudman – Goldsmith Chambers ‘Charlotte has a profound sense of right and wrong and is a tenacious advocate for the rights of women who have suffered or continue to suffer abuse and injustice before the Family Court system.'

Kate Tompkins –The 36 Group ‘Kate is very approachable and always has a good rapport with clients. She has good communication skills and demonstrates consistently good advocacy skills. She works well with solicitors and clients and has a good attention to detail, documentation and preparation for hearings.’

Giles Bain –New Court Chambers ‘Giles is a good advocate, working hard for his clients.’

Charlotte Baker –4 Paper Buildings ‘Charlotte is a master of detail and picks up relevant points very quickly. She is very supportive of those instructing her in preparing any case.’

Edward Bennett –Harcourt Chambers ‘Edward is incredibly kind and compassionate and is the epitome of polite effectiveness. He is impassioned advocate when necessary and empathises strongly with his clients. His submissions are measured and eloquent, he is through and well-prepared, and his written documents are literally second to none. His position statements are absolutely fantastic. He has a wonderful ability to distil all aspects of a complex case into a hard-hitting yet concise document.’

Poonam Bhari – 3PB

Sarah Branson – Coram Chambers ‘Sarah’s oral advocacy has to be her primary strength and has an exceptional knowledge of the law and keeps up to date with recent case law developments. She has amazing ability to think on her feet, and her knowledge and experience is evident from talking to her. She is able to explain complex legal concepts and advise clients in a way which enables them to understand the case.’

Francesca Dowse –4 Paper Buildings ‘Francesca is an extremely hardworking and likeable barrister who is empathetic but practical, offering sensitive advice often when it may be unpalatable for the client to hear. Her drafting skills and delivery time are exceptional, and attention to detail is impeccable.’

Alison Easton – Coram Chambers ‘Alison is forensically outstanding. She always maintains a highly professional manner, focusing solely on the evidence and where it leads. She is highly skilled advocate who takes control of a case and guides the judge, taking them to where they need to be in both cross-examination and in written and oral submissions. She is a first class leader in whom professional and lay clients can have supreme confidence.’

Joanne Ecob – The 36 Group ‘Joanna quickly gets to grips with the case and can rapidly identify all germane issues. She is of considerable intellectual ability and has a great wealth of experience on which she draws. She has a great compassion toward parent clients.’

Catherine Ellis –Pump Court Chambers ‘Catherine is an experienced and understated counsel who gives everything to the cases she is working. She is detail orientated and capable of working under extreme pressure in complex matters.’

Matthew Fletcher –1GC | Family Law ‘Matthew is first choice in any complex private children law matter. He is sensitive and sensible in conference with clients, providing realistic advice while instilling confidence. He fights hard for his clients in contested matters, and his advocacy is forceful and to the point. Judges like his pragmatic approach.’

George Harley –The 36 Group ‘George handles a difficult client well, and his cross-examination of a social worker is skilled and effective.’

Paul Hepher – 4 Paper Buildings ‘Paul is calm, empathetic with the client. In court, he is firm with judges but unfailingly polite.’

Bianca Jackson – Coram Chambers ‘Bianca is a calm and well prepared barrister. She is sensible before the judge and avoids unhelpful point scoring. She gives straightforward advice and handles difficult clients well.’

Richard Jones –1GC | Family Law ‘Richard is absolutely faultless, impresses clients and judges alike with his sensible, empathetic and constructive approach to all cases. The go-to counsel for all children matters.’

Ramanjit Kang –Coram Chambers ‘Ramanjit is always very well prepared. Her attention to detail is fantastic, always goes the extra mile, and clients like working with her and are confident when being represented by her.’

Doushka Krish –1GC | Family Law ‘Doushka is a very clever barrister who has an uncanny ability to think outside the box and look at the wider landscape of a case. She is a real gem.’

Alexander Laing –Coram Chambers ‘Alexander is a singularly hardworking, dedicated and very effective member of the Bar. His position statements and written submissions are always filed on time and are always comprehensive and succinctly identify all of the relevant issues which the court will have to determine. His oral advocacy is of a similarly excellent quality. His oral submissions are pithy and focussed. He has full command of the papers and of the factual and legal issues in each case. He is a most effective and persuasive advocate.’

Henry Lamb – 1GC | Family Law ‘Henry grapples with the complexities of the case with ease and sets out what he feels are the strengths and weaknesses to the case so that expectations are met. He quickly builds rappor with parents or guardians and makes himself available to answer questions from instruction until conclusion.’

Stephen Lue –Garden Court Chambers ‘Stephen is an impressive and articulate advocate. He treats his client and opponents with a high level of respect.’

Amanda Meusz – Garden Court Chambers ‘Amanda is a fearless advocate, meticulous in her preparation and will always fight to the end.’

Oliver Millington – Deka Chambers

Anarkali Musgrave –Coram Chambers ‘Anarkali is a sharp and robust advocate. She is always one step ahead of her opponent. She is a leading advocate in the realm of parental alienation in children cases, and her knowledge in this area is hard to beat.’

Judith Pepper –Coram Chambers ‘Judith is an incredible advocate. She is able to deal with her examination in chief in a very-sensitive way but still was effective in bringing out all the points that needed dealing with.’

Christopher Poole –New Court Chambers

Emily Rayner –Harcourt Chambers ‘Emily is extremely bright, pragmatic in her advice and a forceful advocate when required. Her ability to cut to the quick is greatly appreciated by judges, and she has excellent tactical awareness in more complex cases.’

Andrew Shaw –New Court Chambers ‘Andrew is an excellent advocate, always faultlessly prepared and so good he often notices matters even other have not previously. He often be asked to prepare documents such as orders, even when he is not the applicant, because the judges or court knows his reputation.’

Tara Vindis – Deka Chambers

Pamela Warner –1GC | Family Law ‘Pamela has the ability to develop a good professional working relationship with other advocates and clients alike. Judges comment on her calm and commanding manner. She works in partnership with the solicitors who instruct her, and her approach is one admire and respect.’

Andrea Watts –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Andrea has a calm demeanor which makes her brilliant at dealing with clients going through a difficult time. She is always well prepared and on top of the detail.’

Ceri White –4 Paper Buildings ‘Ceri's breadth of experience on complex medical issues, in particular neurodiversity allows her to have an insight into cases which allows her to be an authority at court and clients to feel understood and empowered. She has superb demeanour, and her holistic approach to cutting through issues works to great effect.’

Ami Bartholomew –Field Court Chambers ‘Ami is tremendously effective, always at the top of her game and able to distil an enormous amount of complex material into a manageable way. She is brilliant in complex domestic violence or abuse cases.’

Baljinder Bath – 4 Paper Buildings ‘Baljinder’s strength is her attention to detail, knowledge of the law and tenacity. Her advocacy is of the highest standard, always robust focused but respectful.’

Amanda Bewley – Coram Chambers ‘Amanda is a very dedicated advocate who cares passionately about her work. She is down to earth, and her approach calms clients.’

Sharan Bhachu – 42 Bedford Row ‘Sharan is extremely forensic on contested cases, and doesn’t shy away from distasteful elements.’

Christopher Butterfield –29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Christopher is very thorough and conscientious in his preparation, has a very good understanding of the medical issues in this case and is very robust.’

Malcolm Chisholm – 1GC | Family Law ‘Malcolm is hugely impressive. He manages cases skillfully and can be relied upon to achieve excellent outcomes for clients.’

Joan Connell –Fourteen ‘Joan is invested in cases and is prepared to go the extra mile where needed. She is good at reporting back and co-working cases and engenders trust from the client. She is excellent in tricky cases and has good knowledge of the law.’

Fenella Cooil –The 36 Group ‘Fenella is a phenomenal children's barrister. She is extremely focused, great at quickly getting into the detail of cases, and brilliant on her feet. Clients feel she really advocates on their behalf and gives sensible and pragmatic advice.’

Kathryn Cronin –Garden Court Chambers

Thomas Dance – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Thomas is a definite star of the Bar in the making and smooth advocate who always gains the ear of the court.’

Katherine Dunseath –1GC | Family Law ‘Katherine is a fantastic and robust advocate. She is incredibly skilful in cross examination and persuasive in her arguments.’

Rob George –Harcourt Chambers ‘Rob is a calm and thoughtful advocate with a kind and warm manner with clients. His niche is that he combines academic rigor with advocacy, and he is bright and enthusiastic.’

Victoria Green – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Victoria is an excellent communicator and advocate. Her advice is clear and robust, and she clearly listens to her clients and articulate their cases really well. Her written work is detailed and thorough and provides detailed feedback quickly following hearings. She is a safe pair of hands on very complex and challenging cases.’

Elizabeth Hartnett –1GC | Family Law ‘Elizabeth is an excellent barrister for children work - child focused but also very forensic.’

Gill Honeyman –Coram Chambers ‘Gill’s strengths are her forensic mind, attention to detail, and ability to apply those skills to most effectively representing her clients.’

Trisan Hyatt –5 Pump Court ‘Trisan is very informative, responds to queries and deal with matters professionally and efficiently.’

Marcia Hyde - 42 Bedford Row

Emily James –1GC | Family Law

Helen Jefferson –1GC | Family Law ‘Helen is a fantastic barrister. She is able to adapt to the nature of the client that she is representing and instills confidence in clients. She is always very well prepared, which reflects in her advocacy during hearings. She is very knowledgeable, clearly passionate about what she does, and strives to achieve the best possible outcome for clients.’

Siobhan Kelly –Coram Chambers ‘Siobhan has an excellent manner with clients and professionals. She can explain complex points of law to lay clients in a way they understand. Her advocacy is exceptional and skilled, and responds promptly to any emails or request for further information.’

Kate Lamont – Deka Chambers

Rhiannon Lloyd –4 Paper Buildings ‘Rhiannon is an excellent children lawyer. Her knowledge of the law is impressive, and she is a skilled and tenacious advocate who fights her client's corner and never ceases to impress.’

Dinah Loeb –Garden Court Chambers ‘Dinah is extremely experienced and a safe pair of hands for clients dealing with disputes centering around their children. She regularly gives clients pragmatic and realistic advice in very sympathetic and constructive way. She works well as a collaborator in cases and never struggles to grapple with the detail of the case. She always seems to have the client's ultimate objectives in mind, and each step progresses them further towards this.’

Olivia Magennis –1GC | Family Law ‘Olivia is fabulous at delivering unpalatable advice to clients which does not impact their working relationship. She has great approach of the court irrespective of the level of judge. Her written work is on a par with her excellent advocacy.’

Ann May –33 Bedford Row ‘Ann is an excellent barrister. Her attention to detail, and willingness to go the extra mile and experience of previously being a LA solicitor is immensely helpful in case planning and preparing the best possible case.’

Barry McAlinden –Field Court Chambers ‘Barry has unique ability to remain focused in the most complex cases, can "jump in and jump out", and not lose his place. He has a terrific brain, is a fine advocate and can think several questions ahead on cross examination.’

Alison Moore – 1GC | Family Law ‘Alison is great with clients. She persuasively sensitively and thoroughly presents her cases.’

Joseph Moore –1GC | Family Law ‘Joseph is a true professional. He works tirelessly for clients and solicitors and is very reliable.’

James Norman – Four Brick Court ‘James will get down to the detail and is not afraid to put his client’s case. He has attention to detail and is always thoroughly prepared. He has an easy manner with clients and it empathetic to their situations.’

Ronan O’Donovan –Fourteen ‘Ronan is committed to client care of the highest standard. He has a pragmatic approach but deals with clients in a sensitive and friendly way. He prepares cases very thoroughly and has a real attention to detail.’

Richard O’Sullivan –Coram Chambers ‘Richard is extremely able and amiable advocate. His submissions are always on point and make complete sense.’

Lisa Peacock –3 Dr Johnson's Buildings ‘Lisa is a well respected advocate who does everything in her power to ensure her client’s case is fairly presented. She is client focused and sensitive to the delicate issues in case and excellent for parents in need.’

Sophie Prolingheuer –1GC | Family Law ‘Sophie is a great barrister. She has undertaken advocacy on highly complex and lengthy matters which have involved issues such as non-accidental injuries and forced marriage. She has brilliant attention to detail, and her written documents in preparation for hearings are persuasive and rely upon recent and relevant case law.’

Matthew Richardson –Coram Chambers ‘Matthew is extremely competent advocate, the quality of his written and oral advocacy are impressive. He goes above and beyond and works very hard to achieve a positive outcome for his clients.’

Lyndsey Sambrooks-Wright –Garden Court Chambers

Deborah Seitler –33 Bedford Row ‘Deborah is able to get to grips with complex matters extremely quickly and deliver excellent results even if instructed last minute. She communicates well with clients and instructing solicitors, provides clear advice and responds quickly to queries.’

Ranjit Singh –Fourteen ‘Ranjit has an excellent knowledge of the law, identifying particular legal areas that none of the other parties had noticed. He very well prepare with a great grasp of the case in a short period.’

Kyle Squire –5 Pump Court ‘Kyle is a knowledgeable barrister able to apply the legislation necessary to put forward the LA's case. He is a very polite, courteous barrister who provides advice on difficult complex issues.'

Chris Stevenson –4 Paper Buildings ‘Chris is extremely conscientious and thorough. He is also an excellent advocate.’

Matthew Stott – Harcourt Chambers

Julia Townend –4 Paper Buildings ‘Julia combines excellent client care with immaculate drafting and sensible advice. Her advocacy is focused and persuasive.’

Sarah Tyler – Coram Chambers ‘Sarah is an excellent advocate, persuasive and practical in her submissions and always impeccably prepared. Her cross-examination is focused and effective.’

Kate Van Rol – 4 Paper Buildings ‘Kate has good judgment in anticipating outcomes and can be bullish in court, so she is a great barrister when you want someone to roll their sleeves up and shake the other side up. She is also very personable and responsive to an instructing solicitor. Clients like her because she is empathetic with them, and they know that she will fight their corner.’

Sam Wallace –New Court Chambers ‘Sam is calm, realistic and straightforward and his advocacy is well paced, delivered and persuasive.’

Kelly Webb –The 36 Group ‘Kelly works very hard for her clients and is well respected by judges.’

Rebekah Wilson –Garden Court Chambers ‘Rebekah is a compassionate but highly effective advocate. She wins the confidence of her clients with sound advice and has very good instincts for strategy in complex fact-finding proceedings.’

Tom Wilson – 1GC | Family Law ‘Tom is highly intelligent, grounds his advice in reality and is destine to become a major and senior senior junior in complex cases. His advocacy is calm and robust. He has a nice approach with clients, and his paperwork is really top notch.’

Katie Wood –4 Paper Buildings ‘Katie has the ability to build a fantastic rapport with the lay client generating trust in the difficult and sensitive cases. She is superbly organised, with an eye for detail. She is astute with excellent judgment about the needs of each case and is a robust but always courteous advocate when needed.’

Oliver Woolley –1GC | Family Law ‘Oliver is excellent. His skill is matched only by his charm, which helps clients feel at ease. His advocacy is robust, but in a managed and measured way, and drafting skills are also brilliant.’

Rising Stars

Victoria Halsall - 1 King's Bench Walk 'Victoria is exceptionally well-prepared, razor-sharp, responsive and fiercely tenacious in her advocacy. Her knowledge and expertise are far beyond her years. She is a fearless and talented advocate, and her ability to grasp complex issues quickly ensures that she provides invaluable advice. She is highly responsive to all queries, and her reassuring nature and attention to detail make her highly conscientious.'

Miriam Best – 4 Paper Buildings ‘Miriam is an excellent advocate. She is able to absorb large amounts of information quickly and get to the nub of a case. She has an empathetic approach to tricky cases, and works well with vulnerable clients. Her drafting is of the highest standard, supplements her oral advocacy to make her convincing and compelling representative for her client.’

Lucia Crimp – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Lucia has a depth of knowledge and is accessible to those who need her assistance and ensures client feel they are in very safe hands, remaining calm even under pressure.’

Melissa Elsworth – 1GC | Family Law ‘Melissa is extremely well prepared, hard working and goes above and beyond in terms of client care and care preparation.’

Jack Harrison – Coram Chambers ‘Jack is very good at putting clients at ease, and adopts a collaborative approach to working with instructing solicitors. His advocacy is clear and helpfully straight forward. His oral submissions are based on substantial preparation, and his notes are always clear.’

Anna Lavelle – 1GC | Family Law ‘Anna is an excellent advocate and presented the client’s case well, even in difficulties. She adapted well to the opponent’s strange position and is able to think on her feet and take cues from the judge. She remained client focused throughout and well prepared.’

Lucy Maxwell – 1GC | Family Law ‘Lucy is brilliant with clients and makes them feel at ease. She gives honest and thorough legal advice and is able to grasp the legal issues succinctly. Her preparation is thorough and detailed. She is an extremely strong and effective advocate. She is decisive when it comes to case strategy and gives her cases a lot of time and thought to ensure that the best outcome is achieved. She is able to argue a client’s case ferociously yet respectfully to the judiciary when needed.’

Samuel Prout – New Court Chambers ‘Samuel is exceptionally good with the clients, good at putting the client’s at ease and speaking to them in a manner where they understand. He is sympathetic, and whilst he may have to give unfavorable advice, he gives it in a manner which the client accepts. He is also very good at engaging difficult clients who it is often difficult to engage and to focus them on the issues.’

Emma Spruce –4 Paper Buildings ‘Emma is confident and an excellent advocate despite being relatively junior. She deals with difficult situations in an organized and logical way.’

Anna Sutcliffe –1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Anna has an excellent client relationship skills with outstanding preparation. She is highly persuasive in court.’

Children law (including public and private law) in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

1GC | Family Law

1GC | Family Law is a set with ‘great strength and consistency of counsel at both senior and junior levels’. Janet Bazley KC is a ‘formidable advocate with impeccable knowledge of the law’ and has extensive expertise in cases involving medical issues. Charles Geekie KC is an ‘excellent advocate’ whose career in silk has covered every aspect of children law and has been in leading cases and reported authorities in public and private law cases. Joint head of chambers Andrew Norton KC is ‘an exceptional leader’ with extensive experience in high-conflict cases. Melissa Elsworth , Lucy Maxwell , and Anna Lavelle are some of the rising stars from the set, while Laura Briggs KC was appointed silk in 2022.

Testimonials

Set

‘1GC | Family Law has huge strength in chambers at both senior and junior level with good consistency of counsel.’

‘1GC | Family Law has a wide range of counsel with expertise in various areas of law. During lockdown, they provided a wealth of really useful webinars which remained available on their website as a resource.’

‘1GC | Family Law is the go-to set in complex child law cases and offers a wide range of counsel from KCs to juniors.’

‘1GC | Family Law is the go-to counsel on children matters. It has excellent juniors and senior counsel who are great with clients and provide clear robust advice.’

‘1GC | Family Law is a very well-regarded set of chambers, with approachable and professional clerks and very experienced barristers.’

‘1GC | Family Law is an excellent set of chambers with a number of senior counsel who can take on the most complex cases.’

Clerking

‘The set is run by an enormously helpful clerking team that provides instructing solicitors with an excellent service.’

‘The clerks’ room is extremely efficient, helpful, friendly and offers excellent service.’

‘The clerks are excellent and always responsive and helpful.’

‘The clerks work hard to build good relationships with the instructing solicitors’

‘The clerks are consistently polite and supportive when trying to juggle counsels’ diaries to assist when needed and to provide consistency of counsel.’

‘The clerks are excellent. In particular, Paul Harris and David McDonald are open and responsive.’

‘Paul Harris runs an efficient and helpful clerking team, including the first-rate David MacDonald.’

‘The clerks at 1GC are all helpful, especially David MacDonald, Paul Harris and Tommy Eyles, all of whom go out of their way to try and get counsel to cover hearings, even at short notice sometimes. Junior clerks Tiffany Daniels and Jordan King are always swift to respond to queries too.’

Work highlights

4PB

4 Paper Buildings is ‘an excellent set’ with ‘a good depth of counsel who are all of a high standard’ and offers experience in all areas of family law, both domestically and internationally. ‘Experienced public law barrister’ Jo Delahunty KC is admired for her ‘exceptional cross-examination skills’ and has extensive experience in handling child abuse cases in the High Court. Teertha Gupta KC is an ‘excellent advocate for complicated international children law issues’ and has handled multiple cases related to child abduction. Charles Hale KC is ‘adored by clients for his ability to explain complex issues in a simple fashion’ and recently in Re H-N, represented a father before the Court of Appeal in complex children law proceedings involving finding of fact hearings relating to allegations of domestic abuse. Joy Brereton KC and Michael Gration KC were appointed as silk in 2022.

Testimonials

Set

‘4PB is a fantastic chambers and go-to set. All the barristers are very knowledgeable.’

‘4PB is an excellent and brilliant set with a very good depth of counsel who are of a consistently high standard.’

‘4PB is an excellent set and one of the go-to chambers for advice on private law and public law children act matters.’

‘4PB is a highly experienced, knowledgeable, and professional set covering all family law matters with great availability of counsel and training programs.’

‘4PB is a powerhouse chamber, both in London and nationally. The breadth of knowledge in all areas of law is phenomenal. They always have experienced counsel available and run regular conferences that are excellent.’

‘4PB is a wonderful set of children law lawyers with huge strength in depth at all levels.’

Clerking

‘Excellent clerk team, Paul Hennessey in particular stands out as does Michael Reeves.’

‘All the clerks, in particular Glenn Bennett, are excellent. They respond promptly to enquiries and will go out of their way to be helpful.’

‘The clerks have never failed to offer an excellent service and are focused on understanding the demands placed on clients and legal professionals.’

‘The Clerks, particularly Michael Reeves and Kenny Martin are excellent – always attentive and helpful.’

‘The clerks are excellent, responsive, knowledgeable, and always willing to help.’

‘The clerks at 4 PB are outstanding and deliver high quality legal service. They are clearly a very close-knit team and there is always a clerk on hand to assist in all situations.’

Work highlights

Tier 2 sets

1 King's Bench Walk

1 King’s Bench Walk is ‘a very strong set across the board for private children law work’ that is ‘always willing to go extra mile for its clients’. Richard Harrison KC is the ‘go-to silk for complex international children law cases’ and recently represented an intervener in Supreme Court case G v G, a case where the principles of the Hague Convention on the child abduction ran into refugee law’s prohibiton of refoulment. ‘Creative and strategic advocate’ Deborah Eaton KC acted for the husband in Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum v Princess Haya, the high-profile proceedings concerning the welfare of the two youngest children of the Ruler of Dubai. ‘Exceptional advocate’ Charles Howard KC is well renowned for dealing with cases of extreme complexity including those involving surrogacy and conception by unregulated sperm donors. Rising stars Anna Sutcliffe and Lucia Crimp, and 'efficient and sharp advocate' Victoria Halsall have extensive experience in private and private law child work.

Testimonials

Set

‘1KBW is an excellent set in all matters, both children and finances and they always go out of their way to assist and to find the right individual for the case.’

‘1KBW is an excellent chamber for both private children and financial work, with great depth of experience combined with some brilliant new talent.’

‘1 KBW is a great set, offering a range of experience to suit every need.’

‘1KBW is a fantastic set with reliably skilled barristers at every level.’

‘1KBW is a go to set for children law work.’

‘1KBW is able to offer a unique breadth of knowledge and experience in child law in London.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are second to none and work very hard to help the solicitor.’

‘The clerks are excellent and always prompt to assist.’

‘1KBW has an extremely strong clerking team. Senior clerk Chris Gittins has made a real impact on the running of the set. Mark Betts is the lifeblood of chambers and is passionate about supporting the barristers in the set and giving the best service possible to clients.’

‘The clerks are incredibly helpful and always go the extra mile to make sure the right counsel is available.’

‘A friendly, responsive and user-friendly clerks’ room that is always happy to help.’

‘The clerks at 1KBW are diligent and responsive.’

‘The clerks’ room is very well run, with some of the most experienced clerks in the business.’

‘Lewis Hicks and Will Inkin are great assets to chambers. They are always willing to help, provide swift responses, will be flexible to diary changes or last minute bookings and make the whole process much easier. They offer a top class service which is just a cut above.’

‘Clerking is excellent, and there is a real team spirit. Nicola Cade is the wisest clerk at the Bar and has the ability to magic the best person for the job when required. Mark Betts and Tim Madden are also super efficient and effective.’

Work highlights

Coram Chambers

Coram Chambers is a ‘well-rounded solid set suitable counsel available for cases of all levels of complexity’. Mark Twomey KC has ‘unrivalled knowledge and skills in children law’ and acted in Supreme Court case Re T, related to deprivation of liberty of children after a child was locked up by a local authority in an unregistered children’s home. Martha Cover is ‘very adept at representing vulnerable clients’ and has a particular interest in cases involving emotional harm. Victoria Roberts has ‘strong court room advocacy’ and focuses on public children law representing all parties. Rising star Jack Harrison is ‘extremely knowledgeable and skilled at cross-examination’ and is currently handlingn on behalf of the surviving child, a case where the parents had allegedly killed one of their baby twins.

Testimonials

Set

‘Coram Chambers is a very approachable set and availability of counsel is excellent.’

‘Coram Chambers has been the go-to chambers for decades and never let you down.’

Clerking

‘The clerks’ room is excellent.’

‘The clerks are always helpful and friendly. George Mo is excellent.’

‘The clerks are the best, in particular Harry Butcher who is able to expertly balance the requirements of the solicitors with the barristers.’

‘The clerks are very prompt to respond and are always professional.’

‘David Sadler, in particular, is always ready to assist and on hand to answer queries.’

‘The clerks are helpful and efficient despite the volume of work they deal with.’

Work highlights

Tier 3 sets

42 Bedford Row

42 Bedford Row is a set of ‘highly experienced barristers who are knowledgeable on the law and its implementation’. Tina Cook KC is ‘a very knowledgeable and formidable barrister’ practicing solely in children law matters and representing all parties, parents, local authorities, and children with a majority of her cases in the High Court. Gemma Taylor KC is an ‘extremely efficient, effective and persistent advocate’ and has extensive experience of handling cases that involve complex medical evidence, serious injuries, and sexual abuse. Jonathan Bennett specializes in care and adoption proceedings, while ‘strong cross-examiner’ Katie Phillips focuses on public law work. Gemma Farrington KC was appointed silk in 2022.

Testimonials

Set

‘42 Bedford Row Chambers is a very experienced set and the go-to chambers.’

‘42 Bedford Row is an excellent set of chambers with a supportive team of barristers who appear to work as a team and collaborate with each other in a professional way.’

‘42 Bedford Row is a very busy and well-regarded set with excellent members and provides counsel for all types of care work.’

‘42 Bedford Row is a very good set.’

‘42 Bedford Row offers a varied training program and has very experienced counsel in all fields of public and private law.’

‘42 Bedford Row has a good standard of care practitioners.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are always courteous polite and willing to help.’

‘All the clerks are very approachable.’ ‘The clerks are always very approachable, good at communicating, and willing to help.’

‘The clerks are always helpful and responsive and do all they can to ensure that a suitable barrister is available when required.’

‘The clerking team is extremely professional and honest about availability of counsel, booking counsel, and providing information.’

‘Tim Dockrill is always helpful, friendly and efficient as is Daragh Henderson.’

Work highlights

Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers is a set that ‘works incredibly well as a team and provides impressive counsel at all levels’. Stephen Lue is an ‘impressive and articulate advocate’ who has a varied and busy practice, including complex cases of neglect, sexual, and physical abuse and has developed a practice specialising in representing childrens' guardians. Rebekah Wilson is described as a ‘brilliant and committed advocate with a keen eye on human rights’.

Testimonials

Set

‘Garden Court has a wide range of barristers at all levels from very senior to juniors.’

‘Garden Court Chambers work incredibly well as a team and is a set you can rely on for impressive counsel at all levels.’

‘Garden Court Chambers is a great set with solid counsel availability.’

‘Garden Court Chambers has a fair number of competent advocates and plenty of choice available.’

‘Garden Court is a strong set with some excellent family law practitioners.’

‘Garden Court Chambers has a wide range of very experienced counsel and provides some excellent training.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are excellent and always assist where they can.’

‘The clerks are efficient, helpful, and respond swiftly.’

‘The clerks will go the extra mile to ensure that counsel is available for hearings, even at the last minute.’

‘The clerks are very helpful and willing to assist at short notice with difficult cases.’

‘The clerks are professional and helpful.’

‘The clerks are very good, respond quickly, and are always flexible with the diary.’

Work highlights

Harcourt Chambers

Harcourt Chambers is an ‘exceptional set with many very experienced and able advocates’. Edward Devereux KC has ‘unparalleled knowledge, intellect, and expertise in children law’ and in F v M represented a mother of a child, who was allegedly sexually abused by the father, in a matter with issues of evidence from a foreign jurisdiction. Damian Garrido KC is praised for his ‘persuasive advocacy’ and is experienced at handling both domestic and international children law cases. Nick Goodwin KC ‘is great with vulnerable clients’, and his work involves both public and private law proceedings, including removals from the jurisdiction, adoption, and placement decisions. Mehvish Chaudhry is regarded as ‘a standout star in the world of children law’ and regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Testimonials

Set

‘Harcourt Chambers has many excellent barristers in this set whose knowledge and presentation is impressive.’

‘Counsel from Harcourt are intelligent, humble, always well prepared, and friendly.’

‘Harcourt Chambers is a well-respected set.’

‘The barristers of Harcourt Chambers are excellent, professional, well experienced, and their expertise is outstanding.’

‘Harcourt Chambers has a wide variety of barristers suited to all types of clients.’

‘Harcourt Chambers is the go-to set for children law.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are experienced, helpful, and enthusiastic about their work. They are well organised.’

‘Matt Molloy and Laurie Amron are particularly helpful- always going extra mile to provide excellent service.’

‘The clerking service is incomparable. The clerks respond instantaneously and are faultless.’

‘The clerks are exceptional at Harcourt and go above and beyond. Matthew Malloy particularly stands out and can usually find someone to cover even the most short notice of hearings.’

‘Matt Molloy is the best family law clerk in the business, hands down.’

‘The clerks are friendly, approachable, extremely reliable, and keen to assist in sourcing counsel.’

Work highlights

The 36 Group

The 36 Group is a ‘very strong set with a depth of experience’ and ‘always willing to go over and above to help out’. Hannah Markham KC is a ‘fearless and passionate’ advocate who regularly represents parents in difficult and intractable private law matters, including those with cross-jurisdictional matters and complex factual issues. William Tyler KC is ‘one of the best in the business’ and acts for high-net-worth clients in difficult and sensitive private law disputes, such as child arrangements and relocation. Martin Kingerley KC is admired for his ‘crystal clear advocacy’ and is an expert in the law relating to assisted reproduction and surrogacy. Kate Grieve is a ‘meticulous and thoughtful advocate’ and regularly appears in children law matters in the High Court. Kate Tompkins has expertise in cases related to parental alienation and those with issues of diplomatic immunity.

Testimonials

Set

‘36 Family are an incredibly strong set.’

‘All the advocates at 36 Family are strong and robust advocates.’

‘36 Family is an excellent set with high quality barristers in children law.’

‘36 Group is the go-to set and it has a range of talented counsel available.’

‘36 Group is a highly experienced group of barristers and has strength in numbers in relation to private children law cases.’

‘36 Family is a superb set of chambers.’

Clerking

‘The clerks often go above and beyond to assist in securing appropriate counsel.’

‘The clerks are brilliant, attentive, responsive, and very hardworking.’

‘The clerks are friendly, hardworking, and always willing to go the extra mile to help clients.’

‘The clerks’ room is very helpful and efficient’

‘The clerks are very friendly and try to accommodate where possible. Ashley London, in particular, is an experienced clerk who is approachable and always willing to advise on any issues at hand.’

‘Danny Chapman is an exceptional senior clerk. All the clerks are friendly and attentive.’

Work highlights

Tier 4 sets

29 Bedford Row Chambers

29 Bedford Row Chambers is a ‘great set with a diverse and skilled range of barristers’ and its children law work encompasses all areas of private children law, public law proceedings, and the international aspects of children law. Paul Storey KC is renowned for his ‘exceptional ability to cross-examine medical examiners’ and has been working exclusively in children law cases for two decades, during which he has appeared in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. A ‘Great strategist and a very persuasive advocate’ Indira Ramsahoye , ‘exemplary advocate’ Dafydd Griffiths, and Lee Arnot, whose ‘attention to detail is second to none’, are other notable juniors.

Testimonials

Set

‘29 Bedford Row is particularly adept at providing availability of high level, skilled barristers, often at short notice.’

‘29 Bedford Row is one of the best sets around.’

‘29 Bedford Row is a very highly regarded set with a wealth of talent, especially across matrimonial finance and private law children.’

‘29 Bedford Row is a high-quality set of chambers with a wide range of counsel available.’

‘29 Bedford Row is the go-to set for complex private children work and they have a broad range of highly experienced counsel.’

‘29 Bedford Row is an excellent set of chambers.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are friendly, efficient and accommodating.’

‘Terrific clerking led by the always impressive James Shorthall.’

‘The clerks’ room is excellent at finding counsel and very responsive.’

‘The clerks are extremely professional and efficient, particularly when it comes to scheduling multi-party meetings and hearings.’

‘The strongest clerking team at the family Bar. James Shortall is a pragmatic and sensible senior clerk who understands the commercial realities solicitors face and will do his utmost to accommodate one’s needs. The wider clerking team also deserves a mention, particularly Julie Holcombe.’

‘Excellent clerking at 29 BR led by James Shorthall who is an outstanding senior clerk.’

Work highlights

7BR

7BR’s child and family law team ‘is a good set’ that handles all kinds of public law cases including surrogacy and fertility treatment, international abduction and especially medical related matters. Barbara Connolly KC has vast experience in handling all types of complex medical issues and is ‘a highly respected formidable advocate who will leave no stone unturned for her clients’. Rachel Langdale KC is praised for ‘representing her clients with determination and passion’, and ‘pulls out all the stops and invariably finds a new angle to a case’. ‘Enormously insightful, tenacious and feisty’ Anita Guha has expertise in matters involving the cross-border movement of children.

Testimonials

Set

‘A progressive and impressive chamber with many stellar barristers. It is a leading common law set which has the advantage of many mixed practitioners who are able to offer their expertise in different areas of law.’

‘7BR is an excellent chambers – with Rachel Langdale KC at the helm, it has an extremely strong family group which benefits from being part of a multi-disciplinary set; efficiently run with a highly capable and friendly support team.’

‘7BR offers impressive barristers who are all on top of their game. They always prepare well, are very good with clients, offer sensible advice and work hard to promote a team atmosphere.’

‘7BR’s family group is ambitious and growing in strength.’

Clerking

‘Clerks are responsive and accessible.’

Deka Chambers

Deka Chambers is a set of ‘high quality, very personable, and friendly counsel and clerks’ who ‘always offer excellent advice and representation’. The senior end of the set was bolstered by the 2022 silk appointment of Tim Parker KC, who is experienced in a wide range of work to silk in 2022. Leading junior Oliver Millington specialises in all aspects of children law, with particular focus on complex public law cases, representing local authorities, parents and children. Esther MacLachlan was appointed as a circuit judge in November 2021 and sits in the family court at Milton Keynes and Luton.

Testimonials

Set

‘The barristers at Deka Chambers have specialised knowledge in the area of children law and offer excellent advice and representation.’

‘Deka Chambers is an exceptional set providing excellent counsel.’

Clerking

‘The clerks’ room shows excellent communication and client care.’

‘The clerks are very accommodating and go above and beyond.’

Work highlights

New Court Chambers

New Court Chambers is an ‘excellent set with excellent clerks’ and has ‘an excellent range of barristers for strength and depth’. The team has vast experience in handling child protection matters involving serious abuse and injury to vulnerable children and adults. Christopher Poole focuses on Children Act proceedings, adoption, wardship and medical treatment cases and jointly heads the chambers with Giles Bain, who regularly instructs leading counsel in child care cases. ‘A widely admired and formidable advocate’ Andrew Shaw regularly appears in public law proceedings on behalf of local authorities, parents and children and carries expertise in cases involving allegations of the most serious abuse of children.

Testimonials

Set

‘New Court is a friendly and pleasant set of chambers.’

‘New Court Chambers provides excellent barristers from junior to senior level.’

‘New Court Chambers has a good pool of talented counsel at all levels, good availability and responsive and helpful clerks.’

‘New Court Chambers is a chamber of the first choice for public and private law children matters. It has a broad range of barristers available for extremely experienced advocates to pupils.’

‘New Court Chambers is the go-to chamber for all public law Children Act matters.’

Clerking

‘The service of the clerks’ room is excellent. Paul Bloomfield runs a tight ship, and other key clerks are Adam Grant and James Stammers.’

‘The clerks are fantastic. They offer an excellent service, are organised, make an effort to offer preferred counsel to the client, are helpful in short notice and emergency matters and go above and beyond working out of hours, including at weekends, in respect of such matters. Adam Grant, Paul Bloomfield and James Stammers are a fantastic senior team.’

‘The clerks have always been helpful and friendly.’

‘The clerks are excellent. They go out of their way to assist and find cover for court hearings at very short notice. Adam and James are exceptionally good and helpful.’

‘The clerks’ provide an excellent service. Paul Bloomfield, James Stanners and Adam Grant could not be more helpful.’

‘Clerks are always helpful and efficient. Karl Sadoune has a good eye for detail, being proactive and picking up where instructing solicitors may have missed matters.’

Fourteen

Fourteen is a set with a ‘very obvious depth of knowledge and experience in children law cases’ and is regarded as a ‘go-to children law set’. Jay Banerji is known for his ‘preparation and skilled advocacy’ and specialises in dealing with cases involving parental alienation. Christopher Miller has ‘great cross-examination skills’ and Joan Connell is a ‘fantastic lawyer with a compassionate and extraordinarily effective style’. Joint head of chambers Ronan O'Donovan is a ‘very kind, hardworking, and knowledgeable barrister’ who is regularly instructed in matters involving complicated expert and factual evidence, including allegations of sexual and physical abuse, mental illness and substance misuse.

Testimonials

Set

‘Fourteen is a strong children law set with impressive expertise.’

‘Fourteen chambers has many effective advocates.’

‘Fourteen is the go-to children law set with great depth of knowledge and experience in children law cases.’

‘Fourteen is an excellent set with a broad range of experience and expertise.’

‘Fourteen is a robust set with reliable and skillful advocates.’

‘Fourteen chambers has a good number of counsel who can deal with all types of simple and complex matters.’

Clerking

‘The service of the clerks’ room is very good.’

‘The clerks excel in supporting counsel and are wholly reliable.’

‘All the clerks are very helpful, friendly, and efficient.’

‘The clerks always provide a good level of communication at all stages of a matter.’

‘The clerks are always happy to help and are very efficient.’

‘Extremely helpful clerk team. Joe Lamb in particular will go the extra mile.’

‘The clerks are efficient and attentive. Joe Lamb and James Mitchell are excellent clerks and goes out of their way to accommodate.’

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar