‘Go-to’ set St Ives Chambers is ‘firmly established within the Midlands’ and has experienced significant growth, with a number of barristers from KCH Garden Square joining the set in September 2024, and subsequently a new Nottingham office was opened in March 2025. Having previously worked as a child protection social worker, Elizabeth Isaacs KC is exceptionally well-placed to handle both complex private and public law proceedings, and she is ‘restless in her pursuit of justice’. Timothy Bowe KC is ‘extremely intelligent and has an excellent knowledge of the law’, and he has appeared before the High Court and Court of Appeal on behalf of local authorities, parents, and children in cases surrounding allegations of sexual abuse, fabricated and induced illness, and fatal injuries. Among the juniors, Justine Lattimer is a key name to note as an ‘absolutely unshakable’ practitioner with significant experience in cases surrounding forced marriages, FGM, and sexual abuse allegations, as well as deprivation of liberty. Family law specialist Matthew Maynard, who is ‘always impeccably prepared’, predominantly practices in public children law, especially complex care proceedings, with expertise in human trafficking and severe injuries to children. Tom Lawal is joint head of the private family law team and exclusively represents parents, grandparents, and children through guardians. David Payne, as was, is now a Circuit Judge.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'The clerks provide an excellent service. They are highly responsive and user friendly. Stuart Walker and Nick Burdon are standouts.'
'Clerks are superb. Nick Burdon in particular will aways do his utmost to help even in an emergency.'

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.

Elizabeth Isaacs KC

‘Elizabeth is a powerhouse at the family Bar. She has a deserved reputation for a forensic approach to her cases and leaves no stone unturned, and you know that she has considered every possible permeation in the evidence and can persuade the tribunal with her knowledge of the facts and law.’

Timothy Bowe KC

‘Timothy is very much a measured advocate. As a junior silk he has quickly established himself as a go-to silk for thorough understated representation which enables him to stand out above more flamboyant advocates, as judges listen to him.'

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.

Tracy Lakin

Matthew Maynard

‘Matthew is always impeccably prepared for his cases and a robust but measured advocate. He will approach the case in a balanced and fair way but exploit all appropriate avenues in his client's interests.'

James Cleary

Louise Sapstead

‘Louise is very capable and strong advocate. She always is well-prepared, organised and thorough, she always presents her case with admirable clarity and persuasiveness, and her cross-examination is focused and highly effective.’

Matthew Fiddy

‘Matthew is always extremely well prepared, he is calm and thoughtful even on the most complex of cases, and he is able to put the local authority’s position to the court in a convincing manner. He has excellent client care skills and ensures that full details of the hearing are sent to those instructing in a timely manner.’

Moira Ashton-Walsh

'Moira demonstrates exceptional skill and professionalism in her work. She quickly grasps the complexities of cases, showing both empathy and understanding, which allows her to offer clear and realistic counsel, and her meticulous preparation and ability to present accurate, well-balanced statements ensures that legal terminology is effectively used without overwhelming the audience.'

Sian Waldron

‘Sian has a wealth of experience within public and private law matters and she is regularly instructed for her sensible, caring and meticulous approach to her work. She is a thorough and well prepared advocate, she knows every brief inside out and has thoroughly considered the issues in the case as a whole beyond what has been briefed.’

Ben Chapman

Anthony Finch

‘Anthony is an excellent barrister who works extremely well with clients and other professionals to achieve the very best outcome for his clients. He is articulate and well respected by the judiciary, preparation of his cases is second-to-none, and he posses the skills of a very experienced barrister whilst maintaining the skills to get on the client's level and understand their individual needs.’

Gregory Rogers

‘Gregory's strength is his preparation and presentation in complex cases. He is a very well-respected advocate who is regularly instructed by all parties in family public law cases, he is known for his straightforward and informed approach in complex and sensitive care cases, and he is one of the best in his field and parties always want to instruct him before others do.'

Lawren Dobson

‘Lawren is a tenacious advocate and extremely hard working, she fights every case with passion and commitment, and she also works incredibly well with vulnerable clients, accommodating their additional needs with great care and skill. She remains calm in a crisis and any client is fortunate to have her representation as she always goes the extra mile.'

Malvika Jaganmohan

‘Malvika is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her advocacy. She knows the facts of the case inside out, has a careful ear to every intricate detail of the other party's case, and her way with the client is personable, creating a great rapport with the client and explaining matters in a way that is understandable to them, in what is generally a very stressful time.'

Rebecca Cross

‘Rebecca's advocacy consistently stands out for its clarity, strategic approach and the ability to adapt under pressure. Her position statements and skeleton arguments are meticulously prepared, legally sound and persuasive, often framing the case in a way that significantly influences judicial thinking from the outset, and she presents arguments with confidence and precision, remaining composed under judicial scrutiny and can pivot effectively in response to unexpected developments.'

Samuel Coe

‘Sam is an excellent barrister, and his standards have always been consistent since the first instruction to the most recent. He excels at every stage and goes above and beyond, his communication is detailed and prompt, and his client care is understanding and approachable.'

Thomas Bramall

Tom Lawal

'Tom is an exceptional barrister, he has an extremely caring nature, putting the client at the heart of everything, and the advice given is proactive, realistic and robust. He is not afraid to highlight the weaknesses of a clients position but will readily advise on how to counter such a problem, and his advocacy skills are exceptional, he fights clients corners and strives for the best possible outcome.'

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.

Thomas Duggan

Zara Mahmood

‘Zara is a passionate and dedicated barrister, who prepares her cases excellently and has a strong attention to detail and firm advocacy skills. She has consistently achieved very good outcomes for the clients, going the extra mile to ensure their case is well represented, and she provides accurate and sensible advice, maintaining the focus on the key issues to ensure the best results and client satisfaction.'

George Smith

‘George is a very capable and confident junior who often punches above his weight in terms of year of call. He is extremely well-prepared for every hearing, and having been led by leading juniors and silks on several big cases, he has learned a lot about how to handle complex proceedings.'

Holly Hilbourne-Gollop

‘Holly is an exceptional advocate in every way. Her preparation is always meticulous and her client care is exemplary. Holly always goes the extra mile in supporting both the client and instructing solicitor and will make herself available for any urgent queries that may come up as part of the case, and she is extremely confident and impressive in terms of her advocacy and will always fight on the client’s behalf.’