The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - The Bar > Regional Bar > Family and children law

1 Crown Office Row, Brighton continues to operate across the family and children law space, with specialist practitioners in finance, care and private children work. The set is also notable for its work concerning cross-border placements and relocations. Anita Mehta departed the set for 4 Paper Buildings.

3PB is praised for its ability to 'meet a variety of client needs from the basic to the complex' and its 'very knowledgeable' members. Nicola Martin is instructed on both financial remedy claims and children act cases, with a particular specialism in applications for international relocation, while James Legg is particularly notable for his work in public law children cases.

Coram Chambers is particularly known for its members' presence in care proceedings, with several members specialising heavily in this area and providing 'a range of barristers who would meet every clients needs'. The set is also home to  barristers with more mixed practice, including matrimonial and private law children work. Nicholas O’Brien acted for a mother in appealing a refusal to re-open findings of fact, and the judge's refusal to order disclosure of therapy records.

Fenners Chambers is praised by clients as a 'go-to set in Cambridge' for family law matters, and the home of Debra Gold and Katharine Ferguson Gold is particularly recommended for care work, while Ferguson is strong on private children law cases and financial remedy.

Guildford Chambers is home to a wide range of specialist family barristers, and as such clients 'can have confidence that an equally strong alternative will be provided' if counsel of choice is unavailable.  The set is active in all areas of law within the sector, including financial remedy work as well as children law.

Specialist family set Harcourt Chambers is well-known for its wide range of 'formidable advocates' at all levels of call. The set covers every aspect of family work, but is particularly formidable in high-value matrimonial finance and complex public law children work. Members have recently appeared in high-profile cases concerning fabricated/induced injury, sexual abuse, international abduction and undisclosed assets, among many others. Previously the head of chambers, Francis Judd QC has been elevated to the Family Division of the High Court.

Pallant Chambers is home to a strong stable of junior family counsel, with members acting across the children (both public and private law) and financial spaces.

'Helpful and easy to deal with' set Six Pump Court is home to child law specialist Caroline Topping, who has particular experience in allegations of abuse, and Grant Armstrong, who practices across a broad range of family law matters.

Particularly known for its financial remedy and private law work, Trinity Chambers provides a highly-specialised family law service that is the 'first port of call' for many family solicitors in Essex.