Family: children and domestic abuse

is excellent at explaining incredibly complex jurisdictional issues in a way that is easily understandable.’

Justin Gray

Trinity Chambers

Karen Lennon

Christopher McKee

n terms of advocacy, Chris adopts a calm, convincing and steady approach whilst quickly addressing the main issues within the case.'

Pauline Moulder

Pauline's knowledge is vast and she has a keen eye for detail. She is a fierce advocate, with an authoritative style, and she will go the extra mile in her preparation and instils great confidence.'

David Orbaum

David is a well-established barrister who gets on with his case efficiently. He is an effective advocate.'

Natalia Perrett

Natalia is exceptional at dealing with clients who are vulnerable and she has a good balance of being clear but compassionate in her advice. She is a skilled advocate who is well prepared, well researched and meticulous in her planning of every case.’

Sara Anning

Parklane Plowden

Iain Hutchinson

Parklane Plowden

Iain is an extremely approachable barrister with excellent communication skills and an adept ability to get to the core of the issue. He is always well prepared, is an excellent advocate, and he has a kind and caring manner and ensures that the case remains child focused.'

Manisha Marwaha

KBW

Manisha is always extremely thorough in her approach and her diligent preparation enables the smooth running of even the most complex cases. She is calm and enduringly respectful with other representatives, she is able to carefully and confidently steer a case through advocacy, and she is both determined and eloquent as an advocate.'

Louise McCallum

Parklane Plowden

Louise is a formidable advocate who has excellent attention to detail and is quick on her feet. Louise is very empathetic and understanding on really complex matters whilst commanding respect of her peers and getting great results for clients.'

Semaab Shaikh

Broadway House Chambers

Semaab is excellent. She is very calm under pressure despite dealing with challenging and difficult clients, she is technically excellent, and she is excellent when cross-examining.'

Alex Taylor

Parklane Plowden

Gavin Button

Wilberforce Barristers

'Gavin's paperwork is always done to a high standard and he has a good grasp of procedure in public law cases along with a good knowledge of case law. He has a style of advocacy which is well suited to family law proceedings.'

Elizabeth Callaghan

is always thoroughly prepared, is forensic in her cross-examination and has excellent client skills. Added to that she is a pleasure to work with on cases as she is helpful, communicative and supportive.'

Natalia is a standout barrister for private law children cases. She is a fierce advocate and will argue her client's case, she is tenacious, and she provides sensible and robust advice to clients from the outset and gives realistic expectations from the start.'

Joanne Jenkins

Wilberforce Barristers

'Joanne is well-versed in the law with excellent interpersonal skills, attention to details and strong advocacy. She is very articulate and presents very well reasoned arguments resulting in positive outcomes.'

Natalia Levine

St John’s Buildings

Huw Lippiatt

Huw's knowledge and experience assists his instructing solicitors as much as it does his lay clients. He is a solutions-based practitioner who has advised on many complex cases.'

Elizabeth Lugg

Elizabeth is a very experienced barrister who is great to work alongside.'

Ravinder Randhawa

Ruth Richards

KCH Garden Square

Jennie Smith

Jennie is an incredibly safe pair of hands for even the most of complex of cases. She is diligent in her preparation of a case and is able to translate the information from the documents filed to the discussions with the client with ease, her advocacy skills are exceptional, balancing the need to put across the clients case with the need to act with a collaborative approach to further the common aim of establishing what is in the child's best interests, and she can readily identify what is required to progress a case whilst managing expectations.'

Kate Spence

St John’s Buildings

Kate is very thorough and well prepared in all of her cases. She is very knowledgeable and approachable, she responds quickly, and her advice is excellent.'

Valerie Sterling

New Park Court Chambers

Roger Bickerdike

Broadway House Chambers

Brett Davies

Spire Barristers

'Brett has extensive experience of children law, and is always very well prepared. He has an excellent understanding of the workings of the local authority and is effective in holding the statutory bodies to account.'

Clare Garnham

Parklane Plowden

Marie Harbin

Spire Barristers

Marie is an extremely hard working, meticulous and diligent barrister. It is always a pleasure to work with her and the clients are invariably reassured by her extremely professional, approachable and knowledgeable nature.'

Joanna Hawkett

Crown Chambers

Joanna is an extremely capable advocate in all areas. Her case management documents and skeleton arguments are well thought through and presented, she is a very competent advocate, and she engages with each of the complainants and enables them to give their best evidence.'

Zira Hussain

Broadway House Chambers

Zira's strengths are her attention to detail, keeping calm when discussions and advocacy becomes heated and reassuring clients as to what the key issues in the case are. She supports both the client and solicitor in difficult cases, and is on hand both before and after a hearing.'

Julia Nelson

Parklane Plowden

Julia is a very experienced barrister and she is at her best in complex children law matters, often bringing lots of energy and experience to the table to find solutions. Judges listen to her views because she has seen and done it all, and she works very hard and dynamically to get the very best result possible for the client.'

Reagan Persaud

Spire Barristers

Reagan is often the first choice for instruction in difficult or unusual matters. Reagan is searingly intelligent, hard-working and dedicated to providing an exceptional service to clients, her advocacy is excellent, calm and confident, and she is robust and pulls no punches in her advice.’

Christopher Styles

Broadway House Chambers

‘Christopher is a thorough and highly capable advocate, and an effective forensic cross-examiner. His knowledge of the law places him on a higher plane than almost all other practitioners which means his skeleton arguments are often highly persuasive, and he is very impressive.'

Guy Swiffen

Broadway House Chambers

Guy is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to what he does. He brings to every matter a wealth of information and expertise, he is methodical when it comes to prep, approachable, knowledgeable, and he is heard and respected in court by his peers and the judiciary.'

Emily Ward

Broadway House Chambers

Emily is simply brilliant with a fantastic understanding of the law and how it should be implemented. She displays a tremendous empathy to clients and can easily stand her ground against the most experienced of barristers.'

Dornier Whittaker

Broadway House Chambers

Dornier is without a doubt one of the most tenacious and skilled advocates on circuit; she has the ability to work with often anxious and difficult client, making them feel at ease, while offering them frank and honest advice, which is a difficult skill to master and she can do this with ease. Dornier is able to think outside the box, suggesting resolutions which other advocates would not consider, and as well as her personal skills and advocacy, she has a wealth of knowledge in the area of the law, using that knowledge to the best of her ability and adapting that knowledge to each clients needs, while being frank and honest about the likely outcome.'

Simon Wilkinson

Parklane Plowden

Simon is great with clients; he puts them at ease straight away, explains the law clearly, has a quick and detailed knowledge of the facts of a case and presents to a client with knowledge and empathy. The rapport he builds with clients encourages them to quickly trust him and for them to accept, what might often, be difficult advice to hear.'

Beatrice Dawson

‘Beatrice is a confident, strong and a persuasive advocate in the court room. She is very helpful and knowledgeable in complex care matters.’

Ami Dodd

‘Ami is an excellent advocate with attention to detail and a lateral perspective. She has significant experience both at the family Bar, but also having been a CPS prosecutor, and so, has a both lateral and decisive approach to evidence, and is able to navigate for clients’ best interests those two areas of complex law, where the same issues can have significant impact on clients lives, both in respect of their children and liberty.’

Kate Fenwick

Trinity Chambers

'Kate is always well prepared and whilst she is extremely intelligent is also very much a kind and approachable advocate. She is always a pleasure to work alongside.'

Helen Hendry

'Helen is brilliant with clients. She provides realistic advice and gains their trust, and this helps her achieve the best result she can for the most difficult of clients.'

Rachael Hughes

St John’s Buildings

Harriet Jones

St John’s Buildings

Harriet is a great advocate and is empathetic to vulnerable clients. She is able to explain proceedings to the client in layman's terms, and ensures they understand, and if the instructing solicitor is not present, she updates them as soon as she can, and provides a comprehensive attendance note.'

Richard Lee

Wilberforce Barristers

Clients really like Richard and feel very safe in his hands.’

Andrew Pike

Andrew is a very confident advocate who has great attention to detail. Andrew is able to review the full picture of the case and provide very clear advocacy.'

Tory Putnam

Trinity Chambers

'Tory is exceptional and her ability to provide sound advice against a need to be understanding and be supportive is nothing short of excellent. Tory is a leading junior in the Northeast and a strong go-to when instructing counsel in this area of law.'

Emily Reed

is a very empathetic person who relates well to the client whilst at the same time tells them the reality of their situation, even when it is unpalatable, in a clear and supportive manner. She is very well prepared and courteous but firm when acting as an advocate.'

Louise Stanbury

St John’s Buildings

Penelope Stanistreet-Keen

St John’s Buildings

She is always very well prepared and is measured and sensible in her advice and dealing with cases, and she is an excellent advocate and all the judges in the area really respect her and put a lot of weight on what she says in court.'

Margaret Sweeting

Trinity Chambers

'Margaret is a tenacious and robust advocate who is always well prepared and has a detailed knowledge of the papers, which always comes through when she is advocating on behalf of her clients. Margaret has a brilliant manner with clients, she is realistic and pragmatic and clients always respond well to her style and approach.'

Emily Chipchase

Parklane Plowden

Lewis Donnelly

15 Winckley Square

Sarah Fearon

Crown Chambers

'Sarah is compassionate in conference, yet a fierce advocate in court. She is excellent and able to switch seamlessly from explaining matters in a way the client can understand, to making lengthy submissions backed with legal argument.'

Nathaniel Garner

Parklane Plowden

James Goodwin

Spire Barristers

'James has extensive knowledge of all aspects of family law, he is very good with challenging and vulnerable clients, and he has an excellent command of the court and is very well regarded by opponents and the judiciary. James's input and cross-examination abilities frequently change the outcome of cases, he works tirelessly in putting his clients case and can robustly address any judicial interventions, and his written advocacy is also of a very high quality and he can craft persuasive written arguments.'

Gaynor Hall

Crown Chambers

David Horne

Bank House Chambers

David is assiduous in his preparation and always has an in-depth and forensic knowledge of his case and his papers. His advocacy is focused, highly articulate and assured. He has a very calm and reassuring court presence even in the most pressured of situations and displays excellent judgement and persuasiveness.'

Olivia Kingston

Crown Chambers

Ashley Lord

Spire Barristers

Ashley is an impressive advocate, maintaining an authoritative and courteous manner throughout emotionally charged legal discussions and complex advocacy. He is technically sharp and provides effective advice to effect problem solving between parties, and he is very pleasant to have as an opponent, even in the most acrimonious of battles.'

Rebecca Musgrove

Parklane Plowden

Rebecca is exceptionally hard working, she takes complete ownership of complex cases, and she is practical and sensible in her approach. She is a go-to counsel when the case is complex as you know she will take control and navigate a solution, and she is simply superb.'

Connie Purdy

Spire Barristers

Connie is first and foremost, prepared for everything; if a point arises before a hearing, expect a written skeleton argument filed without waiting for the court's invitation: she seizes the initiative to get her client's foot in the door first. Connie is very bright, easy-going and a strong team player, and is good at dealing with people no matter their background.'

Jayne Pye

Broadway House Chambers

Elizabeth Shaw

Spire Barristers

Francesca Steels

Crown Chambers

Francesca is hard working with excellent attention to detail.'

Charlotte Wilce

Parklane Plowden

Charlotte is exceptionally thorough and well-prepared for all cases. Her written legal arguments are just as impressive as her advocacy, and she is unflappable and presents her cases in a knowledgeable and persuasive manner.'

Hannah Bramley

33 Bedford Row

'Hannah is an effective communicator, very supportive of vulnerable clients, and ensures that their voice is heard in the court room. Strong written submissions supplement Hannah's advocacy and it is always a pleasure to be in a case with Hannah, even as an opponent, as she is able to assert her client's case without becoming antagonistic.'

Eleanor Fry

New Park Court Chambers

Victoria Hajba-Ward

'Victoria has the instinctive inquisitorial ability required of a barrister. She navigates conferences and contested hearings with the clear authority that both clients and colleagues alike respect and appreciate, and she is tenacious, honest and sympathetic in her conduct of cases for clients.'

Georgina Hey

'Georgina is keen and diligent in her preparation, she easily gets clients on side, and she is great in cross-examination, putting the witness at ease and then putting the necessary difficult questions to them. She is not fazed and rises to the challenge well.'

Phillipa Hildyard

'Phillipa has very strong rapport with clients and gives clear and concise advise. She is sympathetic and understanding with clients, very approachable and helpful to work alongside on cases, and she is a highly skilled advocate who is extremely well prepared in court with concise, focused and effective cross-examination.'

Naomi McLoughlin

Ayshea Megyery

Ayshea is very thorough, diligent, and has a good way with the client. She is very calm in highly stressful situations and this provides the client with confidence in her abilities.'

Claire Middleton

Claire is an excellent advocate; calm and measured and a favourite of judges. She is known for undertaking serious and difficult cases.'

Chloe Ogley

Wilberforce Barristers

'Chloe is a strong, confident advocate who is able to help reassure clients and put them at ease. She is very quick to provide updates following a hearing and her notes are detailed so that you have a comprehensive overview of what has occurred.'

Caroline Shields

Shona Upton

‘Shona is always meticulously prepared, she goes above and beyond to ensure she fully understands all aspects of the case and researches thoroughly, and she is a fearless advocate who can make clear and concise submissions on complex areas of law. Shona is able to assist clients in understanding difficult issues and is pragmatic and realistic with her advice, and she is also very proactive and provides regular updates to those who instruct her. ‘

Maxine Best

Parklane Plowden

Sarah Hopkinson

KBW

‘Sarah has a very attractive advocacy style that is persuasive and reasoned, whilst remaining true to her client’s instructions. She is always clear and concise, makes good points and fights her client’s corner.’

Alyssa Howard

Broadway House Chambers

'Alyssa is an amazingly caring barrister and she really listens and shows great empathy whilst being very clear and concise. She makes herself available and is flexible in order to be able to give her clients the best outcome, and her incredible knowledge of the legal system is paramount to the positive outcomes she has.'

Neelam Mall

Crown Chambers

Emily Ross

Parklane Plowden

Lucy Sowden

Parklane Plowden

Lucy's preparation and diligence to detail are second-to-none. She is swift to respond and goes out of her way to ensure her availability throughout proceedings, and her communication with clients is excellent.'

Lorena Veale

KBW

Philippa Wordsworth

Parklane Plowden

Angela Wrottesley

Bank House Chambers

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.

James Howard

'James a great advocate to work alongside, he is informative and friendly, and he provides clear advice and has good communication with instructing solicitors.'

Oliver Latham