Claire Heppenstall > Chambers of Nkumbe Ekaney KC and Andrew Norton KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
1GC | Family Law Offices
1GC | Family Law
10 LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS
LONDON
WC2A 3BP
England
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Claire Heppenstall
Position
Claire practises exclusively in private family and family related work. Her practice is largely split between Private Children Law and Financial Remedies work. She also has particular expertise in dealing with Schedule 1 claims.
Dealing with both children and money work allows her to assist the private client across most areas of dispute that arise during difficult family breakdowns in a highly effective and pragmatic but also robust way. She is frequently instructed to appear against Leading Counsel.
In the area of Private Children Law, she has a particular interest and a huge amount of expertise in cases involving relocation, both external and internal. She is also has extensive experience of being instructed in highly acrimonious and long-running intractable child arrangement disputes, and is often instructed in cases involving allegations of parental alienation and where expert psychiatric assessment has been required.
In Financial Remedies work, she is often instructed in difficult cases involving issues of non-disclosure or where careful analysis of family businesses and trust interests is required.
Claire has considerable experience of dealing with Schedule 1 applications and is regularly instructed in this type of claim.
Claire is also dual qualified as an Arbitrator to deal with disputes under both the IFLA finance and children schemes.
Career
Year of Call: 1990, Inner Temple
Bar Pro Bono Unit Panel Reviewer
MCIArb (Family Finance)
MCIArb (Children)
Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit to sit in Family matters (2022)
Publications:
Co-author of DIY Divorce & Separation: The Expert Guide to Representing Yourself (Jordan Publishing), 2014
Contributor to ‘Halsbury’s Laws of England’ Volume 5 (3) and (4) – ‘Children and Young Persons’
Contributor to Butterworth’s Cohabitation Law and Precedents (Same Sex Cohabitation)
Contributor to ‘Applications under Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989’ published by Family Law
Memberships
FLBA
The Association of Lawyers for Children
Education
University College London: LLB (Hons) 1987
University College London: LLM (Merit) 1988
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Family: private FDR judges and arbitrators
(leading Private FDR Judges and Arbitrators)Ranked: Tier 2Claire Heppenstall – 1GC | Family Law ‘Claire is a go-to tribunal. She ensures that clients are bought into the process and feel heard. Her judgments are detailed and fair and provided promptly. Solicitors trust her.’
1GC | Family Law is a ‘very good set’ of barristers involved in all areas of family dispute resolution. Janet Bazley KC is a ‘very fair tribunal’ who is very active as a mediator and regularly conducts early neutral evaluations and private FDRs. David Burles has more than three decades of experience in family law and regularly works with high-net-worth clients, while Claire Heppenstall is renowned for her ‘fair and detailed judgements and ability to manage arbitrations perfectly’.
London Bar > Family: divorce and financial remedy
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2Claire Heppenstall –1GC | Family Law ‘Claire’s advocacy is robust. Her cross-examination of the witness is exceptional. Her authoritative presence in court is respected by both the judges and opponents.’
1GC | Family Law is an ‘excellent set of chambers’ and home to ‘barristers of excellent calibre’. ‘Exceptionally strong advocate’ Penelope Clapham specialises in all aspects of financial provision on relationship breakdown, including divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships and the separation of cohabitees, while Philip Perrins is an ‘exceptionally talented with outstanding presentation’ and expertise in international cases. Other key contacts include ‘fantastic barrister’ David Burles, Claire Heppenstall, who focuses on financial remedy cases for private high-net-worth clients.
London Bar > Family: children and domestic abuse
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1Claire Heppenstall –1GC | Family Law ‘Claire is an excellent barrister who is extremely well-prepared and good on her feet. She is a highly effective advocate, robust and calm under pressure. She has excellent judgement and builds rapport with clients easily and well. Her advice is clear and concise. She is very responsive, on email and the phone and highly organised. She produces paperwork promptly and in good time.’
1GC | Family Law is ‘a complete family set with its expertise spanning the family justice system’. It is a ‘go-to set for children’s work and has amazing strength-in-depth’. At the senior level, Janet Bazley KC is described as an ‘exceptionally smart, strategic and forceful’ barrister, while Charles Geekie KC regularly acts in complex wardship proceedings. A ‘fierce and tactical advocate’, Claire Heppenstall is ‘the whole package’ and always ‘extremely well-prepared and good on her feet and is a highly effective advocate’. Sharon Segal KC garners praise for being ‘very thorough in her preparation and hands-on approach’ and recently, in QQ v XX & Ors, represented parents before the High Court in complex children’s law proceedings involving finding the applicability of the Vienna Convention on consular relations. Louise MacLynn KC was appointed silk in 2023.