Financial Remedies; International Children Law; Private Children Law; Arbitration; Collaborative Law; Private FDR and Early Neutral Evaluation; Direct Access
Christopher is a fearless and persuasive advocate, combining formidable strategic and tactical thinking with a keen forensic insight. He is a specialist in all areas of international law, with the knowledge and experience to take on complex issues of jurisdiction, finance and movement of children.
Christopher has extensive experience in matrimonial finance with substantial assets, often with an international element or involving off-shore or domestic trusts or where criminal confiscation and restraint orders have been made. Having been involved in the leading case on Legal Service Payment Orders, he is much in demand for all types of applications for legal funding orders.
He is one of the leading lights in international child abduction in the country. His case-work involve the Hague 1980 and 1996 Conventions, Wardship and the inherent jurisdiction and the enforcement of foreign orders. He appears both at first instance and appeals: he has appeared in both the CJEU and the UKSC. He also has a considerable practice in relocation and international adoption cases.
He is sought after by solicitors in disputes over the court’s jurisdiction to entertain applications for children and divorce; these may involve issues of non-marriage, habitual residence, domicile, forum non conveniens and the maintenance regulation
He has been Chair of the CALA since 2018 and regularly participates at international conferences. As Chair, he has been involved in extensive consultations about practice and procedure following the President’s Guidance and on the post Covit-19 lockdown court environment.
He is an author and contributory editor of 2 chapters of Rayden & Jackson on the Hague 1980 Convention and committal.
He regularly chairs and lectures seminars and conferences on a variety of practice areas. In 2020 topics have included:
In February 2020 Christopher gave evidence to the House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee on behalf of the Bar Council on “Civil Justice Co-operation after Brexit. His evidence ranged over both divorce/finance and children.
He is a trustee of CFAB and reviews cases for Advocate.
He sits as Recorder on the NE Circuit and is approved for the Financial Remedies Court. He is a qualified arbitrator in both children (now including international relocation) and money work.
Year of Call: 1987 Year of Silk: 2015 Recorder (2018)
Family Law Bar Association Inner Temple Chair of Child Abduction Lawyers Association Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Association of Lawyers for Children Member and reviewer for Advocate Trustee of Children and Families Across Borders
LLB Hons (Sheffield)