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‘.
Family and children law in
Regional BarBroadway House Chambers
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.’
Broadway House Chambers
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.’