29 Bedford Row Chambers is ‘one of the leading chambers in matrimonial finance’, with its members being regularly sought after for cases involving civil partnerships, cohabitation matters, and Schedule 1 proceedings.’Excellent in court’ and ‘all over the detail’, Jonathan Southgate KC is active in complex and ultra-high-net-worth matrimonial finance cases. Alexis Campbell KC ’demonstrates exceptional analytical skills‘ in international disputes concerning offshore trusts and third party assets. Christopher Wagstaffe KC is a go-to silk for issues surrounding trusts and companies; he is ’able to explain simply but powerfully the most complicated factual matrix and the intricacies and nuances of the law‘. Sally Max practices exclusively in finance matters, and she is notably strong in cases surrounding complicated asset structures, trusts overseas, and pension-related issues, while Helen Williams is a ’go-to for cases with complex business structures‘. Sassa-Ann Amaouche KC was elevated to silk in the 2025 round and she is highly experienced in the area of non-disclosure.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Julie Holcombe and Ben Cross are excellent, driving the clerks' room forwards.'
'Very supportive clerks. James Shortall is one of the two best known and influential clerks at the London family bar. Julie Holcombe is very helpful to solicitors.'

Lawyers

Leading Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

Alexis Campbell KC

' Alexis is at the very top of her game and she is a fantastic head of chambers and brilliant advocate who frequently wipes the floor with many of the top London silks. She delivers first-rate advice with incredibly insightful judgement.'

Philip Cayford KC

‘Philip is immensely dependable and very good at reassuring the nervous litigant and fearless in Court. Having been twice to the Supreme Court, he is a leader of the profession, and as busy and influential as ever.’

Timothy Scott KC

Jonathan Southgate KC

'There isnt a better barrister in London than Jonathan. Instructing Jonathan means a calm and well managed case, as nothing makes him flap , and he wants to hear from all the team members and values their input.'

Nicholas Allen KC

‘Nicholas is second-to-none at the family finance Bar in terms of his commitment to supporting his clients in the best possible way. He has done more than anyone to promote the advantages of non-court dispute resolution at the Bar.’

Patrick Chamberlayne KC

Brent Molyneux KC

Christopher Wagstaffe KC

'Christopher is especially strong in respect of attacking or defending assets placed within trusts or protective structure. Chris is a skilled and persuasive advocate able to explain simply but powerfully the most complicated factual matrix and the intricacies and nuances of the law.'

2025 Silks

Sassa-Ann Amaouche KC

Sassa is an exceptional barrister with a remarkable blend of legal expertise, tactical acumen, and personal dedication. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to understand the nuanced complexities of a case and craft a strategy that is both comprehensive and focused on achieving the best possible outcome.’

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.

Sally Max

Jonathan Tod

Helen Williams

‘Helen is the best family finance junior at the Bar and a go-to for any cases involving complex financial issues and allegations of non-disclosure. Helen’s accountancy experience gives her the edge, she has a razor sharp intelligence and yet explains the complexities in a way that enables her clients to make informed decisions and get to the best result, and is a total star junior.’

Richard Bates

'Richard is a highly experienced and very skilful matrimonial finance barrister. He is particularly good and knowledgeable dealing with cases concerning farms and family trusts, he is very engaging, and he makes being against a pleasurable experience because he does not take bad points and always gives the impression he is working hard to try to find the best approach for the case.'

Simon Calhaem

James Pullen

'James is an excellent advocate, he has a clear and concise style that judges find very easy to follow, and he is unflappable and tenacious in his pursuit of a fair outcome for his client. He has a good negotiating style too.'

Petra Teacher

Petra is one of the very top financial remedy juniors. She combines a razor like precision in the preparation of her cases with charm, kindness and empathy in spades, making her a superb barrister and a future silk.'

Lee Arnot

'Lee is supremely knowledgeable and has the unique ability of technical expertise twinned with client care. He provides robust representation tempered with comprehensive advice ensuring clients are immediately confident in his representation.'

Nicholas Bennett

‘Nicholas is pre-eminent in the field of agreements (both pre- and post-nuptial). He brings exceptional intellectual firepower as well as a very keen sense of the practical advice needed for clients.’

Lynsey Cade Davies

Ben Fearnley

Anthony Geadah

His advocacy is strong and you can always be confident that clients will come away from hearings knowing Anthony fought their corner.'

Emily Page

'Emily is exceptional with a reassuringly calm and measured approach and she is fiercely intelligent. She immediately puts clients at their ease, and she is a confident and level-headed advocate who, you can be confident, will be on the side of reason.'

Joseph Switalski

‘Joseph is a titan of the family Bar in the making. He is always on top of every detail of a case, robust in his advocacy and objective in his advice, and he is never afraid to pursue a point, he always has the ear of the judge, and achieves formidable results for his clients.’

Richard Tambling

'Richard is fantastic with clients. He puts them at ease immediately and is in full command of all the facts of a case, and he advocates for his clients tirelessly.'

Charlotte Trace

Charlotte is the consummate professional; always extremely well prepared and lovely with clients yet she is scarily smart. You can always feel that when Charlotte is on board, you have a solid team ethos.'

Laura Heaton

‘Laura is a force to be reckoned with, displaying a meticulous eye for detail and analytical rigour. Her judicial experience adds strength to her positioning of cases, and she has impeccable judgement.’

Mark Ablett

‘Mark is an astute and commercially minded advocate who combines a deep understanding of the law with pragmatic, client-focused advice. His written work is consistently clear, concise, and persuasive, and in court, he is a composed and strategic advocate, with a calm but firm approach that resonates with both judges and clients.’

John Chapman

‘John stands out due to his sharp intellect and compelling advocacy skills. His strategic acumen and keen eye for detail ensure that the client and solicitor alike feel fully supported, he is a formidable force in the courtroom, making him an indispensable ally in any family law financial dispute, but he also keeps on eye on conciliatory outcomes and cost effective solutions.’

Tara Lyons

‘Tara’s advocacy is absolutely excellent. On her feet she is almost unstoppable, and her preparation and attention to detail and ability to consume vast swathes of information is exceptional. ‘

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.

Philip Tait

Philip is frequently instructed on cases above his level of call because he is an intelligent barrister who instills confidence in those instructing him. He is always impeccably prepared and is skillful advocate, persuading judges of the most difficult of arguments.'

Daniel Jeffrey

Dan has a real talent for distilling complex matters to clients, opponents and judges. His manner gives clients confidence and he has the ear of both opponents and judges .'