Family: children and domestic abuse

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

1
Laura Baines
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 'Laura is an exceptional advocate, as she is quick thinking and articulate with a deep knowledge of the law. Her strength is her ability to communicate effectively with professionals and lay clients alike and she is extremely approachable and personable.'
1
Abigail Bond
St John’s Chambers
‘Abigail has a wealth of experience and is able to get the the crux of the issue and provide clear and concise legal advice to clients. Her advocacy skills are empathetic when needed and she is able to put forward the clients position in a robust yet measured way.'
1
Gemma Chapman
3PB
‘Gemma is quick thinking and hard working, she fights tirelessly for her clients and doesn't readily settle and instead she rises to the challenge and keeps pressing forwards to overcome obstacles that may be in her path.'
1
Judi Evans
St John’s Chambers
1
Emma Harman
3PB
‘Emma is an exceptional advocate, well prepared, empathetic and clear about the client's objectives and how they might be achieved.  She provides clear advice throughout, and her advocacy is concise and calm, whilst being deeply rooted in her instructions and the law.'
1
William Higginson
KBG Chambers
‘William is a quality advocate and his in-depth knowledge of the facts of the case and of the relevant law are always exemplary. Alongside that is his ability to make professional clients feel at ease and comfortable in his presence, and he is meticulous in his preparation and a pleasure to work with.'
1
Steven Howard
3PB
‘Steven is an exceptionally diligent, thorough and knowledgeable advocate. He is capable of advocating on extremely complex and nuanced medical issues and points of law, to great effect.'
1
Elisabeth Hudson
3PB
‘Elisabeth is very personable and is able to put clients at ease very quickly, which helps them to trust and understand the advice she provides. She always plans her advocacy so she is able to explain to the client the arguments to be made, and the potential pitfalls.'
1
Susan Hunter
St John’s Chambers
1
David Josty
Pump Court Chambers
‘David is an exceptionally strong advocate seeking to put his client’s case positively, both in pre-hearing discussions and in the hearing itself. He is always well prepared and spends time speaking with his instructing solicitor and the client to ensure that he has all of the details and to provide clear advice about the likely outcome, issues to argue, relevant law etc, and within the hearing, David is sensitive to the approach of the particular tribunal making his submissions more powerful.'
1
Jennifer Swan
Pump Court Chambers
2
Charlotte Ash
KBG Chambers
‘Charlotte is fantastic to work with, she is hard working, thorough, reliable, prepares her cases extremely well, is forthright, and demonstrates empathy and care for the client. The clients whom have worked with Charlotte find her to be a great resource for their case and they respond well to Charlotte’s advice and representation.’
2
Caroline Elford
St John’s Chambers
 is an accomplished advocate, who is well respected by her peers and the judiciary alike.’
2
Fiona Farquhar
Albion Chambers
Her advocacy is extremely high quality, and she is tenacious and always clear and detailed.'
2
Nicola Frost
3PB
‘Nicola has incredible advocacy skills, a great kindness with clients and is always available to take a call, answer an email or take a brief meeting with a vulnerable client. Her advocacy style is firm when necessary, and she gets the ear of the judge and ensures that the judge has considered her point before moving on.’
2
Andrew Grime
Pump Court Chambers
‘Andrew's knowledge of the law is superb; there really is nothing he doesn't know! He is always quick to inform what has happened in court and any points that need to be addressed, he communicates very well making sure there is nothing he hasn't missed nor misunderstood, and he is able to deal with tricky lay clients and professional clients with the same professional attitude and skill.'  
2
William Heckscher
Albion Chambers
‘William is excellent, always professional, and well prepared. He is a strong advocate, intellectual, reassuring and empathetic, and inspires confidence both for clients and the court.'
2
Tracey Hennessey
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 'Tracey is an experienced and exceptional advocate with a deep knowledge of the law and she is able to articulate complex legal arguments, making her a first port of call for complex cases. She is personable and friendly and well liked by both professional and lay clients.'
2
Corinne Iten
Pump Court Chambers
2
Sarah O’Hara
3PB
2
Sarah Pope
Albion Chambers
‘Sarah is an extremely robust advocate who will fight hard for her client. She is extremely experienced in dealing with complex private children law matters and will give clear advice.'
2
Daniel Swan
KBG Chambers
2
Hugh Cornford
Colleton Chambers
‘Hugh is compassionate and approachable. He makes clients feel very comfortable in what are extremely stressful circumstances, he cuts straight to the chase with points of law and questioning in court, and he takes the time to listen to the client and give clear guidance.'
2
Sally Daulton
Devon Chambers
 'Sally is a very safe pair of hands. She is knowledgeable and thorough, she is very kind to clients and very patient, and nothing ruffles her feathers.'
2
Anthony Hand
College Chambers
 will always provide an update without delay following a hearing and never hesitates to go above and beyond in supporting those instructing.'
2
Victoria Hoyle
Devon Chambers
‘Victoria is really hard working, thoroughly prepared, easy to work with and has exceptional client skills. Her presentation of the case is skilful and always effective.'
3
Gemma Borkowski
Albion Chambers
‘Gemma is extremely knowledgeable and her attention to detail is impeccable. Her advocacy skills are incredible, she combines the ability of being gentle, kind and understanding with the client and being robust when cross-examining the other side, and she can quickly think on her feet and adapt her cross-examination to reflect the answers given.'
3
Sara Chalk
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 ‘Sara is well adept at dealing with highly complex legal matters including FII and NAI cases. She is exceptionally well prepared and familiar with a wide array of expertise making her a valuable resource.’
3
Nigel Cholerton
No.18 Barristers Chambers
‘Nigel is an excellent advocate in court and the feedback from clients is always positive. He puts the clients at ease and is also a good negotiator outside of the courtroom, managing to reach an agreement with the other side outside of court on many occasions.’
3
Alice Darian
Albion Chambers
olid, robust and extremely persuasive on her feet.’
3
Victoria Ellis
Pump Court Chambers
3
Hayley Griffiths
Albion Chambers
3
Caroline Hartley
Pump Court Chambers
3
Sophie Smith-Holland
St John’s Chambers
is extremely thorough and diligent in her preparation, and her attention to detail is second-to-none. Her knowledge and experience is fantastic, and she is able to look at a case in creative ways to ensure that progress is made.’
3
Joanna Lucas
Albion Chambers
‘Joanna is clear and pragmatic in her advice, she thinks laterally around any issue, and delivers advice in a way that clients are able to understand and follow. Her communication with her instructing solicitor is prompt, helpful and creates a constructive dialogue which assists in providing the client with the most cohesive representation.'
3
Ryan Morgan
St John’s Chambers
‘Ryan is a very confident and well respected advocate. His preparation and drafting abilities are unmatched, he is always approachable both to instructing solicitors and clients, and he is very calm and thorough and puts the most vulnerable and anxious clients at ease.'
3
Olivia Pike
St John’s Chambers
‘Olivia has a practical, focused approach with an ability to identify the important issues and to filter out those matters that are not going to greatly assist the court in making a decision. Her paperwork is clear and concise and she communicates well with those instructing her to ensure that nothing is overlooked.'
3
Emma Southern
3PB
‘Emma’s advocacy is second-to-none. She is a go-to advocate in the most complex of cases, in particular cases involving non-accidental injuries, and she is empathetic with clients and also meticulous in her analysis of the case papers.’
3
Jonathan Wilkinson
Albion Chambers
3
Amy Oke
College Chambers
She handles cases and the client incredibly professionally, remaining calm and unfazed throughout, providing the client with reassurance and confidence in her abilities and skills.'
3
Laura Searle
Walnut House
‘Laura has a real attention to detail, and she is a very effective advocate. She manages difficult clients and opponents remarkably well.’ 
4
Helen Brander
Pump Court Chambers
4
Rachel Chapman
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 'Rachel is an excellent all-round advocate, she is always well prepped and knowledgeable about discreet points of law, and she is excellent at reporting the outcome in a timely manner and is always happy to answer any further queries.'
4
Jade Corden
KBG Chambers
4
Yasmine El-Nazer
Albion Chambers
‘Yasmine is an incredibly supportive barrister, as she is fully engaged in your case, responsive to calls and emails and works collaboratively to provide clients with the best service from their legal team. As an advocate, Yasmine is confident, persuasive, knows when to be firm and also when to take a more delicate approach.'
4
Emma Favata
KBG Chambers
 
4
Libby Harris
Albion Chambers
'Libby is an exceptionally strong advocate who is calm under pressure but is able to articulate herself very well when on her feet and is an effective and strong advocate. She prides herself with a great level of empathy, she is very well respected not only with clients but with other barristers and lawyers, and she is a very safe pair of hands and is very pragmatic in terms of resolving issues before the court.'
4
Claire Hook
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 'Claire is an extremely strong advocate who puts a client's argument to the court in the strongest way possible, often leading to positive outcomes for clients. She has a soft and gentle approach and excels with vulnerable clients due to her personable and sensitive approach.'
4
Sarah Jennings
3PB
 'Sarah is very organised, she is always well prepared and promptly advises those instructing of the hearing outcome. Sarah is strong, confident and always has a wonderful compassionate manner with clients.'
4
Amelia King
No.18 Barristers Chambers
'Amelia is robust and thorough in her approach, demonstrating exceptional attention to detail and a strong grasp of the law and case law. Amelia manages clients effectively, ensuring they understand the process while setting realistic expectations.'
4
Esther Lieu
3PB
4
Amy Lush
3PB
4
Caroline Middleton
Albion Chambers
‘Caroline has superb client handling skills. She is able to manage the most difficult and challenging clients, and has seemingly endless patience, she adopts a pragmatic approach to resolving cases and works hard to find a workable resolution, and her advocacy is clear, calm and persuasive.'
4
Francis Payne
No.18 Barristers Chambers
 'Francis is a highly skilled barrister known for his exceptional advocacy and meticulous case preparation. His strength really does lie in his clear, persuasive communication style, strategic thinking and ability to adapt his arguments effectively to the needs of the case.'
4
Emma Pearce
KBG Chambers
‘Emma is able to grasp the fundamentals of a case with ease and provide effective legal advice. Emma is a calm and effective advocate with a no nonsense approach.'
4
Emma Pearce
KBG Chambers
‘Emma is able to grasp the fundamentals of a case with ease and provide effective legal advice. Emma is a calm and effective advocate with a no nonsense approach.'
4
Emma Roberts
Albion Chambers
'Emma, having previously worked as a solicitor, is very strong in relation to client care and understanding the timescales that solicitors can work to. Her previous experience of working in-house for a local authority also makes her a strong advocate in public law matters.'
4
Charlotte Street
Pump Court Chambers
4
Cordelia Williams
Pump Court Chambers
 
4
Ruth Armstrong
Queen Square Chambers
'Ruth is able to speak with clients in a way they are able to understand and has a sympathetic and practical approach.  She ensures clients have realistic expectations whilst also ensuring the client has the best opportunity to succeed in their case.'
4
Richard Carron
Queen Square Chambers
4
Emma Cross
Magdalen Chambers
4
Fiona McCreath
College Chambers
‘Fiona is an incredibly experienced advocate who has worked for local authorities, Guardians and parent clients. She is an excellent advocate with a real ability to get to the heart of the issues, and she is particularly good with vulnerable clients who say she is adept at breaking down complex information so that it is readily understandable.'
4
Danielle Metters
Devon Chambers
 'Danielle is an extremely skilled barrister with exceptional advocacy skills, and when instructing her, you know your client is in a safe pair of hands. She provides sensible advice and you can guarantee that she will be well prepared and take a robust approach to ensure the best outcome.'
4
Anita Noerr
Colleton Chambers
‘Anita is fantastic to work with, as she is hard-working, thorough, reliable, prepares her cases extremely well, is forthright when required to progress the case, and demonstrates empathy and care for the client. Clients find her to be a great resource for their case and they respond well to her advice and representation, and she is also a barrister that you can easily drop an email to or call, and she has no hesitation in providing support and response.’
4
Richard Pinhorn
Queen Square Chambers
4
Jessica Price
College Chambers
4
Kingsleigh Viollet
College 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.

1
James Adams
St John’s Chambers
'It is apparent that James adopts a forensic approach to the court papers and he has an eye for detail. He is tenacious and will robustly assert his client's case and challenge other parties with rigour.'
1
Rebekah Batt
Pump Court Chambers
‘Rebekah is a fantastic advocate who strives to ensure the best possible outcome for her clients and her preparation is detailed and thorough. Her advice to clients at court is precise, and clients comment on her ability to relay their instructions to the judge.’
1
Samuel Castlehouse
KBG Chambers
1
Vivien Croly
St John’s Chambers
'Vivien is at the top of her game. She has an eye for detail, gives common sense advice and is able to capture the court's attention with confidence.'
1
Simranjit Kamal
Albion Chambers
Her empathetic approach creates a supportive environment where the client feels comfortable expressing their views and concerns, and most importantly, she carefully listens to instructions and powerfully advocates for her clients' position in court.'
1
Dominik Morton
St John’s Chambers
'Dominik is incredibly thorough when preparing matters, and always engages well with the solicitor and the client department in advance, to provide expert advice and support in complex cases. In court, Dominik is a very thoughtful and precise advocate, who goes above and beyond in ensuring instructions and expectations are met.'
1
Diana Panizzon-Pineda
St John’s Chambers
'Diana's preparation and communication both before and after hearings is immaculate, very prompt and thorough.  Her client care, both towards solicitor and lay client, is attentive and understanding, and her advice is sound and comprehensive.'
1
Kellie Salter
3PB
‘Kellie is very organised and well prepared for every hearing. A particular strength is her compassion and interpersonal skills, which helps client's feel supported throughout the court day and in particular Kellie is very good with vulnerable clients with issues such as victims of domestic abuse or mental health difficulties.'
1
Georgina Swinglehurst
St John’s Chambers
 is a persuasive and determined advocate.'
1
Charlie Barrass-Evans
Devon Chambers
 'Charlie is a breathe of fresh air, as he is fantastic in handling proceedings of a sensitive nature, ensuring vulnerable clients are supported, heard and feel at ease. He is available to discuss matters at length, offering guidance and assistance to ensure the best outcome for the client, he has excellent communication skills, and he takes a calm, empathetic approach, showing a good level of understanding whilst providing clear and sensible advice.'
1
Rhys Llewelyn Jenkins
Colleton Chambers
 'Rhys is always exceptionally well prepared and invariably has an excellent grasp of the facts and legal issues of a case. Of note is his superior knowledge of a case and he is an incisive advocate who is able to articulate complex concepts in a way that can be understood by everyone in the court room.'
1
Molly Mifsud
College Chambers
1
Poppy Watson
College Chambers