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England - London Bar
2

Family: divorce and financial remedy

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4PB

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4PB, ‘an immaculate set with strength in both numbers and depth of talent that is largely unrivalled in the family law community’, is home to joint head of chambers Charles Hale KC; he is well-equipped to handle both domestic and international matrimonial finance proceedings for high-net-worth families. Hale KC is also commended for being able to ‘genuinely perform strongly in both children and financial remedies work’. Judith Murray KC ’grapples with complex financial remedy work and slices through it‘, and her practice is all-encompassing, including the divorce of married couples, the separation of cohabitees, and financial support needed for children. Among the juniors of the set, Henry Clayton stands out for his work in high-value matrimonial cases and his ’attention to detail is absolutely unrivalled‘. Samantha Woodham is another key name as joint founder of The Divorce Surgery, an institution that allows couples to obtain legal advice on divorce proceedings; ’her written work is of the highest quality and her judgement is impeccable‘.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'The clerks at 4PB are also consistently professional, approachable, and efficient, which greatly facilitates the smooth running of cases. Kenny Martin is always so professional, personable, efficient, and he always goes above and beyond to help ensure that advocates and solicitors are kept informed in a timely manner.'
  • 'Michael Reeves leads the best clerking team in London.'
  • 'The clerks at 4PB are excellent and always on hand to provide what is necessary in terms of support when instructing counsel. Glenn Bennett in particular has gone above and beyond. He is really easy to work with is always available to talk through any issues.'
  • 'Excellent clerking team. Michael Reeves, Kenny Martin, and Paul Hennessy are the glue that binds the practice together.'
  • 'Without doubt the best clerks room in London. Kenny Martin and Glenn Bennett are true heroes and charming with it. They consistently go the extra mile. Jamie Byrne and Paul Hennessy are also at the top of their game.'
  • 'The clerks at 4PB are extremely helpful. Paul Hennessy goes above and beyond and if he is able to move things around to accommodate requests, he will do.'

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.

1
Charles Hale KC
 ‘Nobody is better on their feet than Charles; it is akin to watching an actor in their prime come to life on the stage that is set just for them. Superb with clients, an utterly reassuring voice and approach, and great on the specifics of business assets.’
4
Judith Murray KC
 'Judith is a top barrister at both financial and children cases. She is able to quickly drill down on the detail of a financial case and focus on the issues, even in the most complex of cases, her judgement is bang on, and she quickly gains the confidence of the client and is incredibly responsive to her instructing solicitors, offering quick and careful advice.'
4
Christopher Hames KC
 'Chris has a tremendous ability to get to the very heart of the issue in a case. He is always extremely well prepared, his advocacy is authoritative, and clients love his empathy.'

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
Henry Clayton
Henry's attention to detail is absolutely unrivalled, he can recall specific details at the click of a finger and really knows every case he works on inside out, and he is always 110% prepared and therefore able to remain calm and confident in all client interactions. Henry has a very impressive analytical mind and is the go-to for very complex or detailed cases.'
1
Samantha Woodham
Sam is an impressive advocate, her written work is of the highest quality and her judgement is impeccable. She is personable and warm, but very tough when needed, and clients simply adore her.'
2
Nicholas Fairbank
 
3
Francesca Dowse
 'Francesca is a class act. She is technically strong and quick on her feet, anticipating issues and proactively addressing them, she is always solution focused and robust when needed, and she is a smart and pragmatic negotiator.'
3
Harry Gates
Harry's advice is sensible and measured and you can have complete confidence that the advice that he gives to the client and his arguments in support of the client's position will be well received by the judge. He gives realistic and constructive advice to clients, and he is an iron fist in a kid's glove, unfailingly polite to his solicitor and also to his opponents, and it a pleasure to work with him.'
3
Julia Townend
 'Julia is a stupendous individual, is always beyond well prepared and manages to create novel ideas and conjure up routes to resolution even in the most torrid of circumstances. Julia's legal brain is huge and it seemingly never stops ticking, and her legal intelligence is equally matched by her emotional intelligence.'
3
Sophie Connors
 ‘ Sophie has a sharp legal mind, exceptional client care, and tireless dedication to securing the best possible outcomes. Her approach is thorough, strategic, and always client-focused, making her a trusted advocate in even the most complex and sensitive of matters.’
3
Rhiannon Lloyd
Rhiannon is a standout family law barrister with a well-earned reputation for her expertise in financial remedies work. She is regularly instructed in high-value and complex financial cases, often involving intricate trust structures, offshore assets, business valuations, and allegations of non-disclosure.’
4
Rosanne Godfrey-Lockwood
 
4
Stephen Lyon
4
Kate Van Rol
‘Kate is a standout-talent at the Bar, her work is marked by an intellectual clarity and strategic acuity that sets her apart in high-value, complex financial remedy proceedings often involving overseas assets and challenging disclosure issues, and she brings an enviable command of detail and an instinctive feel for the commercial realities that underpin family finance. Clients are in safe hands with Kate.’
4
Katie Wood
 'Katie is an exceptionally intelligent and empathetic barrister who brings both clarity and compassion to every case. Clients trust Katie implicitly, and rightly so; she is a calm and reassuring presence in even the most challenging situations, and her advocacy skills are exceptional.'
4
Anita Mehta
Anita is a formidable advocate in court, calm, precise, and persuasive, and always thoroughly prepared and able to present complex financial arguments with clarity and confidence. Her advocacy is focused and incisive, she always conducts herself with professionalism and respect, which is recognised by the judges.'
4
Harry Nosworthy
 'Harry is a delight to work with. His knowledge of the papers is seriously impressive and his drafting is impeccable.'