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Family And Children Law

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Albion Chambers
Pump Court Chambers
St John's Chambers
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3PB
Magdalen Chambers
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KBG Chambers
No.18 Barristers Chambers

Leading Silks: Child Law (Public And Private)

Leslie Samuels QC - Pump Court Chambers
Penny Howe QC - Pump Court Chambers 'Penny is a formidable opponent and a terrific advocate in court. Her advocacy is extremely persuasive and she is resilient under fire. She keeps a cool head at all times.'
Susan Campbell QC - Magdalen Chambers ‘ Susan has a seemingly intrinsic ability to not only hone in on pivotal issues at inhuman speed, but to build rapport with and elicit confidence from the client, despite high emotions and even higher stakes. She advances her client's case fearlessly, yet compassionately in every aspect of her advocacy. ’
Christopher Sharp QC - St John's Chambers ‘ Christopher has a penetrating intellect and an ability to analyse and dissect the most complex issues quickly and comprehensively. ’
Claire Wills-Goldingham QC - Colleton Chambers ‘ Claire is very well-respected for her professionalism and for her expertise. She fights hard for her clients, and is thorough and detailed in her approach. Professional and lay clients alike are elated to be represented by her. ’

Leading Silks: Divorce And Financial Remedy

Leslie Samuels QC - Pump Court Chambers 'His advocacy and legal knowledge is exceptional.'
Charles Hyde QC - Albion Chambers ‘ The shining star of the South West Bar. Effortless ability, meticulous preparation, charm and gravitas in one smooth package. ’
Christopher Sharp QC - St John's Chambers ‘ Christopher has a penetrating intellect and an ability to analyse and dissect the most complex issues quickly and comprehensively. ’

2021 Silks: Child Law (Public And Private)

Lucy Hendry QC – 3PB ‘Lucy is incredibly hard-working, clever and has exceptional attention to detail. Her cross- examination is precise, thorough, pertinent and relentless, and her written submissions are both analytical and flawless.’

Leading Juniors: Child Law (Public And Private)

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Jennifer Swan - Pump Court Chambers 'Jennifer is a very user-friendly child law expert. She is very calm and collected, and has a great grasp of the details.'
Abigail Bond - St John's Chambers ‘ Abigail has strength all-round. She has particular skills in dealing with clients with learning difficulties and mental health issues. ’
Judi Evans - St John's Chambers ‘ Judi is a dogged and robust fighter unreservedly committed to her client's cause. ’
Emma Harman - 3PB ‘ Emma is extremely client focused, approachable and well-organised. She focuses on the key issues in a case, is always well-prepared and thinks outside of the box in order to progress the client's case. ’
Caroline Hartley – Pump Court Chambers ‘A brilliant communicator. Thorough, extremely bright and knowledgeable. She is well-liked by clients.’
Elisabeth Hudson - 3PB ‘ Elisabeth's advocacy in contested matters is focused and calm. She is excellent with clients, particularly young, vulnerable clients. ’
Susan Hunter - St John's Chambers ‘ Susan is a very experienced, client-friendly advocate. ’
Christopher Naish - Magdalen Chambers ‘ He is capable of making a good case out of anything. ’
Margaret Pine-Coffin – Pump Court Chambers
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Laura Baines - No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘ Laura is a very sensible and pragmatic barrister. She is unflappable and a calming influence. Her knowledge of the law is extremely good. ’
Nigel Cholerton - No.18 Barristers Chambers
Hugh Cornford - Walnut House ‘ Hugh is a talent beyond measure. When you instruct Hugh you have absolute confidence that he will handle the case with skill, care and compassion. He is more than a safe pair of hands, he is a skilled advocate who is able to tackle difficult issues head on whilst treating lay clients with empathy and kindness in abundance. Whenever Hugh is involved in a case, either instructed by you or as an opposition, you can have confidence that there will be a sensible and calm approach taken, even when the issues are complex and contentious. ’
Caroline Elford - St John's Chambers ‘ A barrister who shows passion in her work. ’
Elizabeth Harris – Albion Chambers ‘She has deep legal knowledge, prepares thoroughly, remains calm under pressure and is extremely personable.’
Steven Howard - 3PB ‘ Steven is always impeccably prepared and is always on top of the case. He has a good way of identifying the points that will make a difference in the case, then pursuing them with an unassuming but persistent manner which makes a real difference to the outcome. A silk of the future. ’
David Josty –Pump Court Chambers ‘A superb advocate who is well respected by the judiciary and very good with clients.’
Carol Mashembo - Magdalen Chambers ‘ Carol is a very knowledgeable, skilled advocate, with a very supportive client manner. ’
Sarah O’Hara – 3PB ‘Sarah is extremely sensible, thorough, and persuasive. She is strong and argues well in court.’
Sarah Pope - Albion Chambers ‘ Sarah is a formidable advocate. She radiates confidence and is a really safe pair of hands for children work. She is brilliant to work with. ’
Lucy Reed - St John's Chambers ‘ A determined and polished advocate. She is acute, focused and thorough, going beyond the call of duty to ensure that all possible aspects of the case are explored and prepared. ’
Daniel Swan - KBG Chambers ‘ Daniel is very calm and measured and good with both lay and professional clients. His technical knowledge is sound and he is a safe pair of hands. ’
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Helen Brander  - Pump Court Chambers 'A tenacious and confident advocate. Her calm manner puts clients at ease.'
Charlotte Ash - KBG Chambers ‘ She is tenacious, fierce, and fearless. A real asset to the family Bar. ’
Richard Carron - Queen Square Chambers ‘ Richard is extremely thorough and always available for advice at short notice throughout a case. He is also very good with the clients. ’
Gemma Chapman - 3PB ‘ A strong, well-prepared, methodical advocate who provides frank, firm advice. ’
James Cranfield - Albion Chambers ‘ A barrister with a sharp intellect. He is very eloquent and a brilliant cross-examiner in the courtroom. ’
Sally Daulton - Devon Chambers ‘ Sally is skilled at getting the best out of vulnerable witnesses, and she can be forthright and robust when required. ’
Fiona Farquhar - Albion Chambers ‘ Fiona's advice is firm and clear, and she is excellent with both professional and lay clients. ’
Nicola Frost - 3PB ‘ She always has a total command of the papers and is a robust advocate. ’
Hayley Griffiths - Albion Chambers ‘ A talented advocate who succinctly advances her client's case. Highly respected by judges and opponents. ’
Anthony Hand - College Chambers ‘ He is very thorough and approachable, and a safe pair of hands for complex issues. ’
Katherine Henry - No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘ Katherine is a very committed barrister. She is a tireless worker who genuinely wishes to achieve the best result for her clients. She is extremely thorough in her preparation, but is able to be very pragmatic so that her clients have a realistic overview of their case from the start. She delivers difficult advice sensitively, a particular skill of hers, which means her clients respect her. ’
Victoria Hoyle - Devon Chambers
Corinne Iten – Pump Court Chambers ‘Corinne’s attention to detail and ability to forensically examine case papers means that nothing is ever missed.’
Emma Southern - 3PB ‘ A very persuasive advocate who has the ear of the court. Very measured and calm under pressure. She is well-attuned to the needs of her clients. ’
Jonathan Wilkinson - Albion Chambers ‘ He is an excellent advocate, clear, concise and to the point. Dedicated to cases. ’
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Alice Darian - Albion Chambers
Victoria Ellis –Pump Court Chambers ‘Victoria provides clear, concise and firm advice while remaining approachable and empathetic towards the client.’
Andrew Grime – Pump Court Chambers ‘Andrew’s preparation and knowledge make him my first choice of counsel on complex cases, especially non-accidental injuries and sexual abuse allegations. His attention to detail combined with highly effective court skills makes him an highly respected advocate.’
William Heckscher - Albion Chambers
Sarah Jennings – 3PB
Joanna Lucas - Albion Chambers ‘ A barrister with a sharp mind. She is not only extremely experienced but also very thorough in her approach. She has a firm grasp of the law and provides realistic advice. ’
Amy Lush - 3PB ‘ Amy has a fantastic manner with clients and has a way of easing their anxieties and worries almost immediately. She is always well-prepared. ’
Olivia Pike - St John's Chambers ‘ Olivia is incredibly user friendly. For clients, she is calm and reassuring, and helps the clients to feel comfortable with the direction their case is taking, ’
Charlotte Street – Pump Court Chambers ‘A fantastic communicator with a forensic approach, always able to magic a rabbit out of the hat when there is a tricky case. Tremendous in trial.’
Elizabeth Willsteed - Magdalen Chambers ‘ She is a confident and articulate advocate. Her cross-examination is always effective and her ability to engage with and gain the trust of her clients is formidable. ’
Lee Young - No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘ He possesses great technical knowledge, and just the right level of robustness when required. ’

Leading Juniors: Divorce And Financial Remedy

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Geoffrey Kelly  - Pump Court Chambers 'An exceptionally bright and sharp advocate, with considerable experience in complex matrimonial finance cases.'
Jonathon Bosanko - KBG Chambers ‘ Jonathon has an astute, analytical mind. He is eloquent, meticulously prepared, has great rapport with everyone he meets but holds his own in the courtroom. ’
Edward Boydell – Pump Court Chambers ‘Edward thinks outside the scope of the ordinary to ensure that all angles are covered. He is approachable and personable, and thorough. As an advocate he is determined, strong, reasoned and articulate.’
Andrew Commins –St John’s Chambers 'A determined advocate with a laser-like focus on the heart of a case.'
Deborah Dinan-Hayward - Albion Chambers ‘ Her advice is superb - clear and considered. A quick thinker who is focused on achieving the best possible outcome for the client. ’
Hamish Dunlop - 3PB ‘ Hamish brings a wealth of legal experience when dealing with financial matters. Clients are immediately put at ease by his knowledge but also by his warm and friendly disposition. ’
Daniel Leafe - Albion Chambers ‘ An excellent communicator, extremely persuasive, and gives vulnerable clients confidence. ’
Jennifer Lee –Pump Court Chambers ‘An absolute class act. She can grapple with complex matrimonial finance work in a heartbeat. She is a confident and calm practitioner with gravitas, technical ability and professionalism far beyond her year of call.’
Christopher Naish - Magdalen Chambers ‘ He is capable of making a good case out of anything. ’
Nicholas Sproull - Albion Chambers ‘ An imperturbable barrister who has the court's ear. With him you get silk quality representation without the silk price tag attached. ’
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Jody Atkinson - St John's Chambers ‘ He is stellar in advising clients on the complexities of child maintenance matters. ’
Catherine Breslin – Pump Court Chambers
Rupert Chapman - Magdalen Chambers ‘ Rupert has a meticulous eye, and speaks a language that the clients understand. ’
Nigel Cholerton - No.18 Barristers Chambers
Richard English - Albion Chambers ‘ Richard is unflappable, with a calm and reassuring manner. He prepares carefully and has the ear of the court. ’
Rachael Goodall - 3PB ‘ She is extremely thorough, a robust advocate when needed and fantastic with clients. ’
Tara Lyons –Pump Court Chambers ‘Tara is strategically brilliant. Her advice on shaping a case is exemplary, and her preparation means that she is able to respond to challenge with formidable dexterity. Great on her feet and completely unflappable. Clients love her direct, clear guidance. I would only ever want her on my side.’
Carol Mashembo - Magdalen Chambers ‘ Carol is a very knowledgeable, skilled advocate, with a very supportive client manner. ’
Nick Miller –St John’s Chambers 'A reassuring, persuasive advocate, with an eloquent style and client-focused approach.'
Richard Norman - St John's Chambers ‘ Richard is an excellent negotiator. He does not run weak points, which makes him formidable in opposition. Clients like his no nonsense and matter of fact approach. ’
Zoë Saunders - St John's Chambers ‘ Zoë is very willing to go the extra mile for your case. ’
Oliver Thorne - 3PB
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Helen Brander  - Pump Court Chambers 'A junior who fights for her clients. She is very approachable and provides clear and realistic advice.'
John Chapman  - Pump Court Chambers 'John is always well prepared and absorbs himself in the unwritten nuances of a case with ease. His advocacy is impeccable.'
Tahina Akther - College Chambers ‘ A solid barrister. ’
Gemma Borkowski - Albion Chambers ‘ Gemma is a tenacious advocate who works extremely hard. She quickly gains the client's confidence. ’
Mark Elliott - 3PB ‘ A formidable advocate who demonstrates great client rapport. ’
Nicola Frost - 3PB ‘ She always has a total command of the papers and is a robust advocate. ’
Jack Harris –St John’s Chambers 'He is extremely well-prepared and approachable. He provides realistic advice, and is always willing to go the extra mile for a client.'
Stephen Roberts - Albion Chambers
Imogen Robins – Pump Court Chambers ‘Imogen has excellent attention to detail, is always well prepared and her written documents are clear and persuasive. She has a sympathetic approach with nervous clients but does not shy away from giving clear and forthright advice when required.’
Annie Ward –Pump Court Chambers ‘She has a wealth of technical knowledge, a no nonsense approach to settling cases, and gives sound practical advice.’

Rising Stars: Child Law (Public And Private)

Cordelia Williams  - Pump Court Chambers 'She is meticulous in her preparation and thinks through issues with great skill and care. Very tenacious in court and very user friendly from the solicitors point of view. She builds good rapport with clients.'
Anita Noerr - Colleton Chambers ‘ Anita is an excellent, precise advocate. Dedicated, focused and tenacious - she picks up on the details that others overlook. Her ability to put lay clients at ease and explain difficult legal principles in a way that they can understand is extremely impressive. ’

Family and children law in Regional Bar

Albion Chambers

Albion Chambers garners praise from instructing solicitors as ‘the best set in the South West for family matters‘ and stands out for housing ‘the best team for complex high net worth financial family cases in the region‘. On the finance side, the ‘superb‘ Charles Hyde QC has established expertise in handling high-value matrimonial finance matters, often involving foreign assets; Nicholas Sproull is ‘simply outstanding and provides enormous value to any case‘; and Daniel Leafe is ‘technically exceptional – no one touches him for unravelling business and pension assets‘ in financial remedy cases. The ‘formidable‘ team is equally adept at handling complex children law instructions: Elizabeth Harris specialises in complex care proceedings, where she acts for parents, guardians and local authorities in cases involving allegations of fabricated illness, sexual and physical abuse. Sarah Pope is sought after for her expertise across the whole range of public and private children law matters.

Testimonials

Set

‘A very capable set, offering a wealth of experience and expertise across all areas of family law‘.

‘A strong family finance and private children law set with a good range of senior and junior counsel‘.

‘Albion Chambers is fantastic, with real strength in depth‘.

‘A respected chambers in private children and finances work‘.

Clerking

‘The family clerks are all wonderful. They are responsive, helpful and really go out of their way to help find you the right counsel for your case‘.

‘Michael Harding is first-rate‘.

‘Michael Harding is a very safe and trusted pair of hands‘.

‘Michael Harding is charming and knows the family law market inside out‘.

Pump Court Chambers

Viewed by instructing solicitors as a ‘very strong set of chambers in family law‘, Pump Court Chambers‘ team counts high-value, complex matrimonial finance cases as a backbone of the practice, but is equally adept at acting for local authorities, parents and children across a broad spectrum of public and private children law work. Edward Boydell, who heads the family finance team, is ‘extremely well-organised‘ and is regularly instructed in financial remedy cases involving family businesses, trusts and farms. Caroline Hartley is sought after for her expertise in handling serious cases of factitious illness, salt poisoning and sexual abuse.

Testimonials

Set

‘An excellent set‘.

‘A very good range of barristers in the family area‘.

‘Pump Court Chambers has a good reputation in the field of matrimonial finance‘.

Clerking

‘All of the family clerks are extremely approachable and accommodating in terms of finding the right barrister for the right case‘.

‘Tony Atkins runs a very tight ship and Sean Gentleman is a joy to deal with‘.

‘The family clerks (Sean Gentleman, James Collier, Matthew Fuller and Elliott Lynch) are always helpful, proactive and quick to respond to any query‘.

‘Sean Gentleman is an excellent clerk and represents chambers very well‘.

‘James Collier is an absolute pleasure to work with and makes the process effortless‘.

St John's Chambers

'Excellent set' St John's Chambers is 'a go-to chambers in the South West for hard working, knowledgeable and good quality barristers across the board in the arena of family law'. Christopher Sharp QC's 'cross-examination skills are second to none'; he has extensive expertise in high-value financial remedy claims and care cases involving serious injuries and abuse. Head of chambers Susan Hunter is sought after for her experience across the range of children law matters. The 'very user-friendly' Abigail Bond heads the children law team, and recently represented a profoundly deaf mother, who had no formal language, in complex care proceedings, retaining care of the child. Zoë Saunders, who leads the family finance group, is 'a strong advocate who provides firm-but-fair, realistic advice'.

Testimonials

Set

‘There is a range of strong counsel for all levels of cases‘.

‘The set is very strong in family law‘.

‘The quality of the family barristers at St John’s Chambers is excellent‘.

Clerking

‘The clerks bend over backwards to ensure that someone suitable is available‘.

‘Luke Hodgson and Elaine Jewell-Moore are incredibly helpful and always go the extra mile‘.

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore is very thorough in her responses and well versed in the needs of a local authority‘.

‘Luke Hodgson has a real can-do attitude and will move heaven and earth to help make diaries work‘.

‘Luke Hodgson seems to have a very valuable knack of matching the right counsel to the right solicitor and the right case‘.

3PB

3PB‘s members have solid expertise across the range of family law matters. The ‘very charming‘ Hamish Dunlop has established strength in matrimonial finance work, with a particular focus on cases involving inherited wealth and family businesses. Emma Harman is experienced in private children law matters, including cases involving child abduction and applications to permanently remove a child from the  jurisdiction. Elisabeth Hudson is sought-after for her expertise in Children Act work; Sarah O’Hara is regularly instructed in cases involving allegations of non-accidental injuries. In September 2020 Melissa Barlow was appointed to the circuit bench, and in March 2021 Lucy Hendry QC took silk.

Testimonials

Set

‘A highly professional set‘.

‘A good set of chambers for care proceedings‘.

‘A good, solid set‘.

‘The quality of counsel at all levels is always excellent‘.

Clerking

‘The clerks are very friendly and approachable‘.

‘Robert Leonard is an excellent role model for his team of clerks and is very supportive‘.

Magdalen Chambers

Magdalen Chambers has 'great strength in depth in family law', where the 'skilled team' has notable expertise in public children law work and is equally adept at handling private children law cases and complex financial remedy matters. Susan Campbell QC is 'a wonderful leader' who is 'especially good at quietly and unfussily taking witnesses to places they don’t want to go'. Christopher Naish is instructed across a broad range of family law matters, with care proceedings and fact finding hearings featuring prominently in his recent caseload. Public children law matters are a core strength for Elizabeth Willsteed, often involving allegations of non-accidental injuries and fabricated illnesses. Rupert Chapman provides 'practical advice' on financial disputes, and Carol Mashembo has been particularly active in financial relief matters.

Testimonials

Set

‘A forward-thinking set‘.

‘Magdalen Chambers has strong options at all levels of seniority‘.

Clerking

‘The service offered by the clerks is excellent. They are always efficient and helpful, and always prepared to go the extra mile‘.

‘Grainne McGovern is particularly approachable and helpful‘.

‘Grainne McGovern, Kadie Blackburn and Harry Turner are a delight to work with – nothing but helpful‘.

KBG Chambers

The family team at KBG Chambers has 'real depth and breadth of talent'. The 'fearless advocate' Jonathon Bosanko is 'the to-go-to person for financial dispute resolution', with established expertise in handling a range of matrimonial finance cases; 'a leader in the field', in the words of an instructing solicitor. Daniel Swan acts for local authorities, guardians and parents in complex public children law matters, and Charlotte Ash, who 'works diligently and is so meticulous in her approach', is instructed in complex hearings involving allegations of extremely serious abuse against both parents and children.

Testimonials

Set

‘KBG Chambers is a superb set‘.

‘KBG Chambers is fantastic and always willing to go above and beyond where possible to provide assistance‘.

‘The family team is well-respected‘.

Clerking

‘The clerks at KBG Chambers are a joy to work with. They always go the extra mile to ensure availability of counsel, which at times can be quite a challenge. The clerks provide a smooth streamlined service, their communication is always excellent‘.

‘Colin Palmer is an approachable and organised senior clerk‘.

‘Yvonne Simmons is worth her weight in gold and a real asset to chambers‘.

‘Yvonne Simmons is beyond compare. She is just brilliant and fantastic to deal with‘.

‘Emily Veitch, Elizabeth Crothers and Yvonne Simmons are all brilliant clerks. They will respond quickly, efficiently and always try and offer practical solutions so that a case can be covered by chambers‘.

No.18 Barristers Chambers

'Excellent set' No.18 Barristers Chambers is home to a family team that is adept at handling both high-value matrimonial finance cases and complex public and private children law matters. Katherine Henry's 'knowledge of family law is exceptional', and is regularly instructed in cases involving parental alienation and domestic abuse. Nigel Cholerton is recommended for advising on both financial remedy and care proceedings, while Laura Baines handles the full range of public family law matters for local authorities, guardians, parents and children. Lee Young brings expertise in child abduction cases.

Testimonials

Set

‘No18 Barristers Chambers is friendly and approachable‘.

‘Very helpful and accommodating‘.

Clerking

‘The clerks are very professional – a well run machine‘.

‘Senior clerk Mark Windebank is extremely helpful, courteous and friendly‘.

‘Mark Windebank is simply superb. He is accessible, communicative and incredibly helpful. Mark never leaves you waiting for an answer‘.

‘Mark Windebank, Dan Fantham and Beth Miles will go above and beyond to ensure that they can help‘.