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Leading Silks: Child Law (Public And Private)

Taryn Lee KC - Spire Barristers 'Taryn is a natural advocate with a very eloquent turn of phrase. She is always incredibly well prepared and she has a fantastic eye for detail. She fights hard for her clients, really listens to them and puts them at ease.'
Nicholas Stonor KC - Trinity Chambers ‘An iron fist in a velvet glove who reads the court well. His cross-examination in difficult cases is fantastic.'
Jacqueline Thomas KC - Spire Barristers ‘She is calm under pressure, pragmatic, intellectual, approachable and quick-thinking.'

2022 Silks

Charlotte Worsley KC – Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘An exceptionally talented and skilled lawyer. Her formidable knowledge, combined with strong intercommunication skills, means clients and judges listen to what she has to say. When she speaks everyone listens.’

Leading Juniors: Child Law (Public And Private)

Marisa Allman  - The 36 Group 'Marisa is very detailed, diligent, responsive and pragmatic, and builds great rapport with clients.'
Sara Anning - Parklane Plowden ‘Sara is extremely impressive. She is impeccably prepared and therefore able to argue her case fluently and with conviction. Her advocacy is delivered with calm authority.'
Sarah Blackmore - Spire Barristers ‘A formidable advocate with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of public law proceedings. She is sensitive to the needs of the most vulnerable clients.'
Clare Garnham - Parklane Plowden 'Clare is a calm, thoughtful, and methodical barrister. She is easy to approach and clients have always found her advice knowledgeable and easy to follow.'
Justin Gray - Trinity Chambers ‘Justin is intellectually rigorous, and his advocacy is measured, fearless and persuasive.'
John Jackson - Parklane Plowden ‘John is extremely committed to each and every case. He fights the client's corner hard. He is thorough and organised, and leaves no stone unturned in his preparation.'
Manisha Marwaha - KBW ‘Manisha has a forensic and detailed approach, and is a supportive advocate for lay clients.'
Louise McCallum - Parklane Plowden 'Louise is a class act who exudes quality. She is a calm and reassuring presence for lay clients, instructing solicitors and the court.'
Pauline Moulder - Dere Street Barristers 'Pauline is an exceptional advocate. Her work on cases is tireless, and she has a thorough understanding of her brief. She has an excellent ability to engage with the client and provides very pragmatic and clear legal advice.'
David Orbaum - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘He is a measured and clinical advocate who forensically unpicks the evidence. An articulate and tenacious barrister.'
Jayne Pye - Broadway House Chambers 'A first-class child law practitioner who brings common sense to the most difficult of situations.'
Elizabeth Shaw - Spire Barristers ‘Elizabeth is an impressive advocate who pursues her case with diligence and persistence , whilst always remaining calm and courteous. She is unfailingly approachable and professional.'
Alex Taylor - Parklane Plowden ‘A junior with considerable technical ability, and provides excellent client care.'
Martin Todd - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘Martin is always thoroughly prepared, has considered the issues in the case in detail, and his cross examination is incisive and purposeful. He is fantastic on cases involving complex medical information. His approachable but professional manner makes him a firm favourite with judges and clients alike.'
Ravinder Randhawa  – Dere Street Barristers 'Ravinder is a calming influence in the most complex and difficult cases. She is the perfect choice of advocate for vulnerable parents and children who require independent representation. A barrister who will take the time to put her clients at ease, and has the ability to break down the most complex of issues into a format which is understandable and client friendly.'
Elizabeth Callaghan - Dere Street Barristers 'She is always extremely well-prepared, and has a calm, reassuring manner. Elizabeth has an excellent grasp of the case from the outset.'
Jane Curnin - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘Jane is a formidable advocate; a highly intelligent and experienced family law barrister who understands people and can see the big picture. She is respected by judges, barristers and solicitors, and trusted by clients.'
Lewis Donnelly - Parklane Plowden ‘Lewis' approach is respected and liked by clients and he has the ability to put them at ease. A well prepared, considered and skilled advocate.'
Tim Donnelly - Dere Street Barristers 'A highly respected and stand out junior on the circuit. Tim is an outstanding advocate, hard working and very thorough in his preparation.'
Kate Fenwick - Trinity Chambers ‘A tenacious advocate with an eye for detail. Her ability to think on her feet is excellent and her knowledge of the law is prodigious.'
Patrick Goodings - Trinity Chambers ‘Patrick is a confident and committed advocate - efficient and incisive. He is empathetic and very personable, with very sound judgement.'
James Hargan - Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'James is completely unflappable, which puts the client and the court at ease. His preparation for and knowledge of a case is always meticulous.'
Naomi Madderson - Crown Chambers 'A hugely talented advocate. She is hard working, determined, always on top of the paperwork and calm and unruffled under pressure.'
Julia Nelson - Parklane Plowden ‘Julia is a fierce advocate. In court her cross examination is second to none.’
Reagan Persaud - Spire Barristers ‘Reagan is a force to be reckoned with - extremely capable and diligent. She is fierce, confident and fearless in court.'
Semaab Shaikh - Broadway House Chambers ‘A formidable court advocate who is excellent under pressure, and demonstrates good empathy with clients.'
Valerie Sterling - New Park Court Chambers 'Valerie has a razor-sharp intellect and superb advocacy skills. She is tenacious and willing to fight to the very end on cases. Very detailed and thorough in her work.'
Margaret Sweeting - Trinity Chambers 'Margaret is always very well prepared, and is particularly good with vulnerable clients. She provides realistic advice.'
Emily Ward - Broadway House Chambers ‘Emily combines a great legal brain with her feet firmly on the ground. She has a good manner with clients, who appreciate her pragmatic approach, as well as sound legal advice.'
Philippa Wordsworth - Parklane Plowden 'Philippa is simply formidable. Her cross examination skills and attention to detail in the most complex of cases is exceptional. Her client care is also second to none.'
Jennie Smith  - Dere Street Barristers 'Jennie's diligence and attention to detail are her greatest strengths. Her client manner is calm and reassuring; she finds it easy to relate to clients and clients find it easy to relate to her. She has an unparalleled ability to maintain facts and figures in her head which she can call upon whenever needed.'
Sarah Fearon - Crown Chambers ‘She is calm and approachable. Her advocacy is thoughtful and demonstrates her careful analysis of the issues in the case.'
Gaynor Hall - Crown Chambers ‘Gaynor is strong all round, calm, exceptional in terms of her cross examination and supportive of the social work team. ’
Phillipa Hildyard - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘She is always well prepared. Her cross examination is well crafted, considered and thorough. A highly intelligent barrister.'
Iain Hutchinson – Parklane Plowden ‘Iain is a confident barrister, unfazed by appearing against senior silks in a case. He has superb analytical skills.’
Karen Lennon - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘Karen combines a strong intellect with exceptional client care, while maintaining a reputation as a fighter.'
Natalia Levine - St John's Buildings ‘An accomplished advocate who is strong on her feet. She is very personable, and provides robust advice to clients.'
Huw Lippiatt - Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘An extremely efficient and hard-working junior. He is especially strong in highly complex public law children cases.'
Ashley Lord - Spire Barristers ‘Ashley is thorough and tenacious. He has experience vastly exceeding his year of call. He is also practical and pragmatic, and retains the ear of the court.'
Elizabeth Lugg - Dere Street Barristers 'A formidable advocate who is fearless in progressing a client's case. She provides down to earth, no-nonsense advice, is tenacious and builds good rapport with even the most difficult clients.'
Christopher McKee - Dere Street Barristers 'A remarkably conscientious, hard-working and thorough junior. He prepares his cases extremely well and is immensely personable with clients.'
Natalia Perrett - Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Natalia's skills combine an impressive forensic analysis of cases with an empathetic approach with lay clients. She is well-liked by guardians.'
Pennie Stanistreet - St John's Buildings 'A first-class advocate, who is always well-prepared and on top of her brief. She is a good communicator, attentive, approachable and focused.'
Guy Swiffen - Broadway House Chambers ‘An unflappable barrister. His forthright manner and confidence sets all in the court room at ease. He has a keen analytical mind.'
Dornier Whittaker - Broadway House Chambers ‘Dornier adopts a very hands on approach. She is always available and puts clients at ease from the very start. She combines a no-nonsense approach with a robust and clear approach to cross-examination.'
Charlotte Wilce - Parklane Plowden ‘Charlotte is extremely personable. She gets to grips with cases very quickly and has an amazing, calming manner with children.'
Simon Wilkinson - Parklane Plowden ‘Simon is a considered and sensible barrister with lots of experience on complicated cases. He works really well with his instructing solicitor and is a really bright and composed advocate.'
Daniel Foster  - 33 Bedford Row 'Daniel is a strong advocate; efficient, calm and reassuring. He is always well-prepared and a good negotiator.'
Joanna Hawkett - Crown Chambers 'Joanna is excellent with clients - she has a superb bedside manner. A junior who will go the extra mile to accommodate clients. She is able to find the needle in a large haystack of disclosure.'
Maxine Best - Parklane Plowden ‘She is fearsome and a very accomplished advocate. Maxine has a presence and confidence about her beyond her year of call.'
Claire Brissenden - Trinity Chambers  'Claire is a skilled negotiator who demonstrates great empathy with clients. Her advice is robust.'
Nathaniel Garner - Parklane Plowden ‘Nathaniel has a superb legal mind and is forensically astute.'
Joanne Jenkins - Wilberforce Chambers ‘Joanne is a shrewd tactician with excellent judgement. She is approachable, and has a strong presence in the court.'
Lucy Sowden - Parklane Plowden ‘ Lucy has excellent advocacy skills and will robustly fight for her client. She provides clear, firm advice.'
Kate Spence - St John's Buildings 'A dedicated and skilful barrister, who remains calm and focused. Her written work is both analytical and persuasive.'
Francesca Steels - Crown Chambers ‘A junior with keen attention to detail, and she puts social worker clients at ease due to her friendly and approachable manner. ’
Christopher Styles - Broadway House Chambers ‘Christopher's strength is his fierce intelligence, and his ability to persuade the tribunal by using that intelligence eloquently and with considered force.'

Leading Juniors: Divorce And Financial Remedy

Marisa Allman  - The 36 Group 'She has a frightening intellect and an ability to quickly assimilate facts and figures. Her calm and reassuring presence belies her amazing advocacy skills.'
Roger Bickerdike - Broadway House Chambers ‘A fearless advocate, Roger is approachable and gains the trust and confidence of clients from the outset. He can accurately read a case and the approach a court or judge is likely to take, and tailors his approach accordingly.'
Robert Cole - Broadway House Chambers ‘A superb and highly skilled advocate with a hugely talented mathematical brain. Robert is calm, collected and has excellent instincts. ’
Elizabeth Darlington - 1GC | Family Law ‘Elizabeth is a leader in her field with an eye for detail and an incisive intellect. Her work is thorough, well prepared and meticulous. She leaves no stone unturned, and her calm but firm court room manner has earned her the respect of the judiciary.'
Anthony Hajimitsis - Broadway House Chambers ‘Anthony provides robust, practical and considered advice with absolute clarity. His approach always receives respect and the ear of the court. Clients are always reassured and satisfied that their corner has been fought with tenacity and determination.'
Nicholas Power - Broadway House Chambers ‘A junior with a first-class mind who is great in all areas of financial remedy proceedings. He has an exceptional eye for detail.'
Timothy Spain - Trinity Chambers ‘A technically brilliant junior. He has great gravitas in court and will go the extra mile for a client.'
Francesca Fothergill – Parklane Plowden ‘Francesca is a polished performer with a forthright approach. She is able to build excellent rapport with a wide variety of clients.'
Crispin Oliver - Dere Street Barristers 'Crispin is an expert in the art of persuasion. He is always very well-prepared and clients appreciate his direct, measured advice.'
Emily Ward - Broadway House Chambers ‘Emily is phenomenally bright and personable - a combination that puts clients at ease from the outset. Her cross examination is first rate, and she will fight tooth and nail for the client to achieve the right outcome.’
Dornier Whittaker - Broadway House Chambers ‘Dornier is a fearless advocate. She relates very well to clients, works extremely hard for them, and is always well prepared.'
Jake Ellis - Broadway House Chambers ‘A strong advocate with laser-like attention to detail. He listens to the client and provides clear and comprehensive analytical advice. A barrister who is always prepared to go the extra mile.’
David de Jéhan – Parklane Plowden 'A junior with a good grasp of the strategic overview of a case and an eye for the details. Clients feel he is on-board with them.'
Julia Nelson – Parklane Plowden ‘ Julia is a dedicated senior junior who really rolls her sleeves up and represents her client with style and grit. She is eloquent in court.’

Rising Stars: Child Law (Public And Private)

Oliver Latham - Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Oliver has a wonderful talent for advocacy, adopting the method of scrupulous attention to detail and a good, calm delivery of what he needs to say. He is well regarded by judges.'

Family and children law in Regional Bar

Broadway House Chambers

Viewed as a ‘go-to chambers for high-net-worth financial remedy work in Leeds‘, Broadway House Chambers houses ‘a solid, quality family team‘ which fields expertise in private and public children law matters alongside acting in complex matrimonial finance matters. Robert Cole leads the team, and is highly regarded as ‘a strong negotiator‘ in financial remedy cases involving overseas assets and trusts. Roger Bickerdike has ‘a wealth of experience in demanding and complex matrimonial finance cases‘. Dornier Whittaker is regularly instructed in financial relief work involving farms, companies, partnerships and issues of hidden wealth. On the children law side of the practice, the ‘tremendous‘ Emily Ward is noted for representing parents in cases involving sexual abuse and allegations of coercive and controlling behaviour. The ‘talented‘ Christopher Styles garners praise as ‘an absolute star in the making‘.

Testimonials

Set

‘Broadway House Chambers provides a wealth of talent.’

‘An extensive range of expert barristers.’

‘A strong team both in terms of matrimonial finance and for children work.’

‘Great strength in depth.’

‘Very strong on financial remedy across all levels.’

Clerking

‘The clerking team is very strong – special mention goes to Rebecca Hartley who is particularly on the ball. She is very approachable and able to solve a problem quickly without any fuss!‘

‘Robin Slade is fantastic. He always goes above and beyond to offer assistance, and is very approachable and informative.’

‘Robin Slade is a joy to deal with.’

‘Kelly Bacon is a great support for barristers and solicitors alike.’

‘Kelly Bacon is super-efficient, friendly, and always responds quickly to queries.’

Dere Street Barristers

‘Excellent family set‘ Dere Street Barristers stands out for its ‘impressive team of experienced childcare practitioners‘. The ‘very approachable‘ Tim Donnelly heads up the practice, and is sought after for his expertise in handling cases involving allegations of serious violence against children, sexual abuse and fabricated illnesses. Pauline Moulder ‘s ‘reputation precedes her‘ in the arena of public children law work, and the ‘robust‘ Crispin Oliver is highly regarded for his excellent track record in advising on matrimonial finance matters. Ravinder Randhawa has a particular focus on forced marriage, sexual abuse, international child law issues, physical abuse and fabricated/induced illness cases. Carly Henley and Harvey Murray were appointed to the circuit bench in July and August 2022 respectively.

Testimonials

Set

‘Dere Street Barristers has a strong cohort of family barristers.’

‘Very strong family set.’

‘Chambers has a fantastic team of family barristers.’

‘A well respected set of chambers for family law.’

‘The set has a wide range of very experienced and highly talented counsel.’

Clerking

‘The clerks deliver excellent customer service. Nothing is an issue and they will always endeavour to find a barrister even at the most difficult times.’

‘Neil Gibson can resolve any issues that arise. He is professional and personable.’

‘The service given by the clerks is excellent. They are professional and helpful.’

‘Neil Gibson and Kevin Mordue are particularly brilliant and go the extra mile to assist.’

‘Sam Tattersall is always responsive.’

Park Square Barristers Ltd.

The ‘extremely strong set‘ Park Square Barristers Ltd. is home to a ‘large and impressive family team‘. Head of the team Charlotte Worsley KC, who took silk in March 2022, is ‘a formidable advocate‘ with ‘a lovely, friendly but authoritative style‘. David Orbaum has a solid track record in handling complex child law cases involving allegations of severe physical and sexual abuse and international jurisdictions. Martin Todd is ‘a forensic and analytical barrister‘, who is sought after for his expertise in handling cases involving allegations of poisoning, sexual abuse and factitious illness. The ‘up and coming‘ Oliver Latham is ‘thorough and pragmatic‘, and acts for children, local authorities and parents in cases involving serious injuries, sexual abuse and issues regarding genetic conditions.

Testimonials

Set

‘An extremely good set with an abundance of talent, particularly in representing children in both private and public law matters.’

‘Park Square Barristers has a very talented pool of barristers at all levels.’

‘There is clearly strength in depth in this set.’

‘Large and experienced set of chambers with a specialist dedicated family law team.’

Clerking

‘Claudine Cooper and Arnela Siranovic are efficient, very responsive and extremely helpful. They are always our first point of call when we require assistance. They go above and beyond to help us.’

‘Claudine Cooper is always helpful and goes above and beyond to secure the right barrister for the job.’

‘Claudine Cooper is a star – she will go out of her way to ensure that everything goes to plan.’

‘Top-quality.’

Parklane Plowden

With a reputation as ‘a force to be reckoned with‘, Parklane Plowden has ‘a ‘wealth of talent for family work‘. The ‘very talented pool of barristers‘ is very experienced in handling the full range of public and private child law matters; the ‘fiercely intelligent‘ Sara Anning , who heads up the team, has established strength in advising on complex cases of serious injuries and abuse. The ‘excellent advocate‘ Clare Garnham is instructed in cases involving serious child injuries, sexual abuse, and suspected child trafficking. On the financial remedy side, Francesca Fothergill is ‘a real fighter, with a fierce intellect‘, and regularly acts in high-value matrimonial finance work. In August 2022 Elizabeth Darlington moved to 1GC | Family Law.

Testimonials

Set

‘There is great strength within the set as a whole in terms of all aspects of family law.’

‘The leading set in public law children matters in the North East.’

‘Excellent chambers with strength and depth in financial matters.’

‘A strong depth of quality counsel.’

‘An incredible team with a vast range of experience.’

Clerking

‘Excellent and supportive family clerks – they are friendly, always willing to help and offer assistance.’

‘Mark Williams is the jewel in the crown. Always approachable, flexible and diligent.’

‘The clerks are fantastic, especially Mark Williams, Hannah Townsend and Laura Myers. They will go above and beyond to assist.’

‘Helpful and efficient.’

‘They are invaluable and very accommodating at short notice.’

Spire Barristers

Spire Barristers is ‘a strong family set with a good breath of experience in public and private family matters‘. At the senior end of the ‘talented‘ team, Jacqueline Thomas KC has an established track record in handling complex public children law cases, and Taryn Lee KC is ‘an incisive cross-examiner‘ and ‘a determined and fearless advocate‘, with an excellent reputation for her expertise in complex cases involving allegations of severe abuse against children. Sarah Blackmore acts as joint head of chambers with Thomas and is ‘a tenacious and impressive advocate‘; she regularly acts for local authorities, interveners, children and parents in cases involving non-accidental injuries and sexual abuse, areas in which Elizabeth Shaw is also singled out for her experience. Reagan Persaud is often instructed in cases involving parental alienation, forced marriage issues and allegations of serious abuse. Ashley Lord is ‘a tremendous advocate‘ with ‘sound judgement‘.

Testimonials

Set

‘Great strength and depth.’

‘A reliable and impressive set with a wealth of experienced and well respected barristers.’

‘Spire Barristers has a wide variety of talented counsel.’

‘An excellent family team.’

Clerking

‘Leigh Royall, Donna Gaughan and Jennifer Bridgeman are wonderful!‘

‘Donna is very helpful and always provides a timely response.’

‘Jennifer is brilliant.’

‘The clerking team is always approachable, efficient and responsive.’

‘Efficient and helpful.’

Trinity Chambers

Trinity Chambers ‘has a great wealth of children law expertise‘. The ‘very impressive silk‘ Nicholas Stonor KC has an excellent track record in advising on complex care cases. Justin Gray regularly acts for local authorities, children and parents in cases, and garners praise for his ‘authoritative advice‘ on work involving the international movement of children. The ‘meticulous and client-focused‘ Kate Fenwick handles a broad spectrum of public and private children law matters, and is sought after for her expertise in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse. Patrick Goodings  ‘commands respect from judges and barristers alike‘, and specialises in complex public law children work. Timothy Spain is the key figure in the team for financial remedy work, and is frequently instructed in complex ancillary and financial relief matters.

Testimonials

Set

‘Trinity Chambers offers a number of highly skilled barristers in the area of family law.’

‘Real strength in depth of high-class, clever barristers.’

‘A strong set with a good selection of strong counsel in family law.’

Clerking

‘Extremely friendly and helpful.’

‘The clerks provide a good service; Steven Preen and Paula McLure are always incredibly helpful and respond quickly to requests.’

‘Steven Preen is friendly and approachable, and there to help where he can.’

‘All of the clerks at Trinity Chambers are very helpful. Paula McLure always finds counsel with the appropriate level of experience for each matter, even for urgent short notice hearings.’

‘The clerks are proactive.’