Back to United Kingdom - The Bar

Family: Children And Domestic Violence

Broadway House Chambers

Dere Street Barristers

Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Parklane Plowden

Spire Barristers

Trinity Chambers

Leading Silks

Gillian Irving KC - Broadway House Chambers 'Gillian is utterly fearless and dedicated. She stands out for her thorough preparation, detailed and expansive knowledge and her ability to foresee and advise on issues in advance.'

Taryn Lee KC – Spire Barristers 'Taryn is a natural advocate, who builds a fabulous rapport with clients and is a smooth cross-examiner.'

Nicholas Stonor KC – Trinity Chambers 'A silk who is measured and persuasive in court, and always well prepared.'

Jacqueline Thomas KC – Spire Barristers 'Jacqueline is always on top of her brief and incredibly well prepared. She is a fearless and confident advocate. Judges listen to her.'

2022 Silks

Charlotte Worsley KC – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Charlotte's knowledge of the law and ability on her feet is magnificent. In court, she is meticulous. Her advocacy is thoughtful and never overdone; her arguments are beautifully crafted and deployed with eloquence and poise.'

Leading Juniors

Marisa Allman – The 36 Group ‘Marisa is a phenomenal barrister. She is a silk in all but name.’

Sara Anning – Parklane Plowden 'Sara combines a fearsome intellect, forensic approach and eloquent, persuasive advocacy with an open and approachable manner with both professional and lay clients.'

Sarah Blackmore – Spire Barristers 'A highly intelligent junior whose advocacy is first-rate.'

Tim Donnelly – Dere Street Barristers

Justin Gray – Trinity Chambers 'An extremely talented advocate.'

John Jackson – Parklane Plowden 'John is an extremely capable barrister. He has a wonderful energy that makes clients feel empowered, he gets on side with them. He is formidable in court.'

Manisha Marwaha – KBW 'A thorough and well-prepared barrister, who provides clear advice that is proportionate and sensible.'

Louise McCallum – Parklane Plowden 'Louise is sharp, analytical and thorough. She is exceptional when communicating with clients, and she has the ability to absorb huge amounts of complex information and apply it with forensic rigour, whilst at the same time remaining approachable and accessible.'

Pauline Moulder – Dere Street Barristers

David Orbaum – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'David is a comprehensive advocate with a great eye for detail. He goes the extra mile for any client.'

Jayne Pye – Broadway House Chambers

Semaab Shaikh – Broadway House Chambers ‘Semaab is always well prepared, which is reflected in her clear, focused and logical cross-examination style. She is very persuasive on her feet. An insightful junior.’

Elizabeth Shaw – Spire Barristers

Alex Taylor – Parklane Plowden

Martin Todd – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'A tenacious advocate who has a undeniable skill with vulnerable clients. An impressive cross-examiner.'

Roger Bickerdike - Broadway House Chambers 'Roger is a gifted advocate. His judgement of a situation is always spot on, clients absolutely love him, and he inspires total confidence.'

Elizabeth Callaghan – Dere Street Barristers

Jane Curnin – Park Square Barristers Ltd. ‘Jane is indomitable in fighting her client’s corner.’

Lewis Donnelly – Parklane Plowden

Kate Fenwick – Trinity Chambers 'An exceptional junior. She is a tough negotiator and a very confident, eloquent advocate, who is very good with anxious or nervous clients.'

Clare Garnham – Parklane Plowden 'Clare is a fantastic advocate who is great on her feet. Her work ethic is fantastic. She is well respected because of her calm, professional manner and her impressive command of the law and facts.'

Patrick Goodings – Trinity Chambers ‘A highly skilled, level-headed advocate, who is approachable and well-prepared.’

James Hargan – Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Zira Hussain - Broadway House Chambers 'Zira is utterly unflappable. She is a stalwart advocate who remains self-assured in court.'

Iain Hutchinson – Parklane Plowden 'Iain is extremely professional in his style and ability to put anxious clients at ease. His advocacy is always measured and focused.'

Karen Lennon – Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Elizabeth Lugg – Dere Street Barristers

Naomi Madderson – Crown Chambers 'Naomi is highly intelligent, hard working and very knowledgeable.'

Julia Nelson – Parklane Plowden 'A junior who has the ear of the judge in court.'

Natalia Perrett – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'An empathic and imperturbable junior.'

Reagan Persaud – Spire Barristers 'Reagan is a robust advocate who goes above and beyond.'

Ravinder Randhawa – Dere Street Barristers

Ruth Richards - 33 Bedford Row 'Ruth is an absolute force of nature. Her legal knowledge is second to none. She commands the court room and gains the respect and confidence of clients on all cases.'

Valerie Sterling – New Park Court Chambers 'She is very approachable and has empathy with clients, who have confidence in her.'

Emily Ward – Broadway House Chambers 'An exceptional advocate who is stellar on her feet. An extremely bright junior.'

Dornier Whittaker – Broadway House Chambers 'Dornier is a very strong advocate. She has a superb way with clients, making them feel at ease, and they instantly have confidence in her.'

Brett Davies – Spire Barristers 'A consummate professional, who is very persuasive.'

Sarah Fearon – Crown Chambers

Daniel Foster – 33 Bedford Row 'Daniel is extremely diligent, capable and confident. He adopts a professional and pragmatic approach to each case and has excellent rapport with clients.'

Gaynor Hall – Crown Chambers 'A junior with in-depth knowledge of children law. She is exceptional in cross-examination.'

Marie Harbin – Spire Barristers 'Marie is an exceptional advocate; her legal knowledge is extensive, and she is practical and experienced.'

Joanna Hawkett – Crown Chambers 'Joanna is meticulous and methodical. A strong advocate with the ear of the court, she has great professional judgement and is unafraid to fight for her client.'

Phillipa Hildyard – Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Richard Lee - Wilberforce Chambers 'Richard is is excellent when dealing with challenging clients, with a superbly attentive and patient bedside manner.'

Natalia Levine – St John’s Buildings 'A compelling, dynamic and eloquent advocate who is dedicated to her clients. An excellent performer in court.'

Huw Lippiatt – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'An extremely conscientious junior who demonstrates superb client care skills.'

Ashley Lord – Spire Barristers 'Ashley is an excellent barrister: always calm, always client-focused, and he doesn't take bad points.'

Christopher McKee – Dere Street Barristers

Andrew Pike - Dere Street Barristers

Connie Purdy – Spire Barristers 'Connie has the client's best interests at the forefront of her advocacy.'

Jennie Smith – Dere Street Barristers

Pennie Stanistreet – St John’s Buildings 'A junior who undertakes serious and complex work without difficulty.'

Christopher Styles – Broadway House Chambers 'Even in the most difficult and complex cases, Christopher's advocacy is calm under pressure - he is an outstanding and persuasive advocate. He has an uncanny ability to think outside the box and find a way forward.'

Guy Swiffen – Broadway House Chambers ‘Guy is very approachable. He is exceptionally knowledgeable and has a particular skill in explaining legal concepts and advising difficult or distressed clients. He is a well-respected advocate.’

Charlotte Wilce – Parklane Plowden 'Charlotte is an extremely well prepared and knowledgeable advocate. She has a friendly manner with clients, offering support and guidance whilst presenting realistic and robust advice. A junior who leaves no stone unturned.'

Simon Wilkinson – Parklane Plowden 'Simon handles complex children matters with ease. He impresses the entire court room. His advice and advocacy is confident and strategic.'

Philippa Wordsworth – Parklane Plowden

Olivia Bennyworth - Crown Chambers 'Olivia is a powerhouse of knowledge who rises to the challenge of complex and unusual cases.'

Maxine Best – Parklane Plowden 'Maxine is a conscientious and thorough advocate. No stone is left unturned when she is representing you. She is able to make clients feel at ease even when difficult discussions are being had.'

Eleanor Fry - New Park Court Chambers 'Eleanor is a consummate advocate, who stands her ground with opponents and judges.'

Nathaniel Garner - Parklane Plowden 'He combines a calm, patient and reassuring presence with a fearsome intellect.'

David Horne - Bank House Chambers 'David is a very good communicator and has a great manner with clients. A pragmatic advocate.'

Joanne Jenkins – Wilberforce Chambers 'A junior with the ear of the court. A robust advocate who goes the extra mile for her clients, is extremely well-prepared and unflappable.'

Emily Reed - Park Square Barristers 'Emily is diligent, articulate and tenacious. She is always thoroughly prepared and ready to fight her client's corner.'

Lucy Sowden – Parklane Plowden 'When representing vulnerable clients, Lucy shows empathy and is able to ensure they understand and are engaged in the court process. She is pragmatic and will give clear advice.'

Kate Spence – St John’s Buildings ‘Kate is meticulous in every aspect of her work. She has a keen eye for detail and presents cases with confidence and care.’

Francesca Steels – Crown Chambers

Rising Stars

Oliver Latham – Park Square Barristers Ltd. 'Oliver's eye for detail is exceptional. He is incredibly diligent, and a very persuasive and polished advocate.'

Harriet Williams – Parklane Plowden ‘Harriet is approachable, confident, very grounded and communicates with lay clients at their level. Her cross-examination of experts is impressive.’

Family: children and domestic violence in Regional Bar

Tier 1 sets

Broadway House Chambers

Viewed as ‘a strong set for family law‘, members of Broadway House Chambers‘ team are highly regarded for handling a broad range of public and private children law cases. Gillian Irving KC has an excellent reputation for handling cases involving serious child injuries, sexual abuse, radicalisation issues and fictitious or induced illness. The ‘amazing‘ Semaab Shaikh is noted for her expertise in acting on behalf of parents, local authorities and children in cases involving allegations of domestic abuse, international child abduction, sexual abuse and forced marriage. Emily Ward is ‘fantastic with clients‘, and Roger Bickerdike is sought after for his expertise in relocation cases.

Testimonials

‘Robin Slade is very personable and approachable and provides a really good service.’

‘The clerks at Broadway are super-friendly and helpful, always responding to queries promptly. Special mention to the ever-efficient Kelly Bacon, and Robin Slade.’

‘All the clerks are always extremely helpful, particularly Robin Slade.’

Dere Street Barristers

Led by children law specialist Tim Donnelly, the practice at Dere Street Barristers has established strength in handling the full range of public and private children law matters. Pauline Moulder is highly regarded for her expertise in public children law, with cases involving allegations of fabricated/induced illness, serious child injuries and sexual abuse prominent in her recent workload. Elizabeth Lugg primarily acts for parents in public law matters, and Ravinder Randhawa is well known for advising on forced marriage and international child law issues. Andrew Pike represents local authorities, family members and children in cases involving allegations of recent and historic sexual abuse.

Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Park Square Barristers is ‘a solid set with a number of high-quality family practitioners‘. Charlotte Worsley KC is ‘redoubtable in her intellect‘ and ‘balances robust representation with a sensible approach‘. David Orbaum has an excellent reputation for his strength in advising on complex cases concerning international elements and allegations of sexual and physical abuse. Martin Todd has ‘in-depth knowledge‘ of cases involving complex injuries, and Karen Lennon acts for local authorities, children and parents in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, poisoning, fabricated or induced illness and serious injuries. Oliver Latham is ‘a formidable barrister‘ and has been kept busy handling cases involving allegations of severe sexual and physical abuse.

Testimonials

‘Excellent. Claudine Cooper is always exceptional.’

‘Claudine Cooper, Arnela Siranovic and Paul Foster always go that extra mile. They are a credit to the chambers.’

‘Claudine Cooper is always intuitive to the needs of instructing solicitors, the demands of the issues in the case and who is best suited in chambers to assist.’

Parklane Plowden

Viewed as ‘an outstanding set for public and private law children matters‘, Parklane Plowden‘s team of ‘exceptional counsel‘ is sought after for representing children, local authorities and parents across a gamut of complex cases. Louise McCallum ‘can be trusted with the most difficult cases and clients‘, and the ‘outstanding‘ Sara Anning is highly regarded for her expertise in handling cases involving allegations of serious injuries, abuse and fabricated or induced illnesses. John Jackson is ‘fierce in court‘ and ‘instills confidence in clients‘; Iain Hutchinson acts for local authorities, children, parents and interveners in cases involving child abduction, forced marriage, sexual abuse, and placements of children in foreign jurisdictions.

Testimonials

‘Mark Williams and Hannah Townsend provide an impeccable service.’

‘Mark Williams and Hannah Townsend are always highly responsive.’

‘Mark Williams is a credit to the team.’

Tier 2 sets

Spire Barristers

At Spire Barristers, Taryn Lee KC is highly regarded for her established track record in handling complex cases involving allegations of severe abuse against children, and is equally strong in advising on private children law matters, with a key focus on parental alienation issues. Jacqueline Thomas KC has been kept busy acting for local authorities and parents in complex children law matters; she acts as joint head of chambers with Sarah Blackmore, who is very experienced in representing vulnerable parents. Marie Harbin is instructed by local authorities, parents and the Children’s Guardian in cases involving serious injuries and sexual abuse.

Trinity Chambers

Trinity Chambers‘ practice is home to ‘many excellent family law practitioners‘. The ‘exceptional‘ Nicholas Stonor KC is sought after for his expertise in handling complex care cases, and is equally strong in advising on private children law matters. Justin Gray has an excellent reputation for acting in cases involving the international movement of children, with a specialist focus on Anglo-Scottish cross-border matters. Kate Fenwick ‘has a fantastic way with clients, works incredibly hard and has a superb eye for detail‘. Patrick Goodings is ‘firm and clear in his advice and his advocacy is fluent – he is a safe pair of hands‘.

Testimonials

‘Steve Preen is fantastic.’

‘Steve Preen is outstanding, he is highly personable and very helpful. A credit to chambers.’

‘Paula McLure is a huge asset, very professional and flexible.’

Coverage By Practice AreaRegional Bar