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Guildford Chambers

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England - Regional Bar • South Eastern Circuit

3

Family: children and domestic abuse

Guildford Chambers is home to a number of notable family law barristers. For public law proceedings involving injuries to children, Christine Julien is a go-to practitioner with ‘a high level of integrity’, frequently representing children and parents with learning difficulties, mental health issues, or a history of substance abuse. Fiona Griffin undertakes both private and public law proceedings; on the private side, she has expertise in disputes surrounding contact orders, and on the public side, she handles care and adoption proceedings often involving sexual and physical abuse allegations. Dominique Gillan ‘is committed to client care of the highest standard’ and is highly experienced in Children Act proceedings. Andrew Austin exclusively practices in family law, and he represents clients in cases of internal and international relocation of children with ‘an exceptional knowledge of law, practice and procedure’.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

'Gavin Street is a very helpful and friendly clerk. He is efficient.'
'Gavin Street is brilliant and really helpful.'

Lawyers

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.

Christine Julien

‘Christine has an exceptional knowledge of law, practice and procedure, which is clearly shown in her written advice and oral submissions in court. She is always on point and applies the appropriate regulations and the law, she goes beyond what one would expect from a barrister, and she has a human touch which is outstanding and clients and professionals warm to this.'

Fiona Griffin

‘Fiona has always demonstrated a high level of integrity, she has an independence of mind and has always shown to be fair, realistic and makes legally sound decisions. She always has a practical stance in her thinking and approach to the law, and she also demonstrates the ability to consider the law relevant to the facts, acts without bias or prejudice and makes clear decisions and advice.'

Dominique Gillan

‘Dominique is committed to client care of the highest standard, she has a pragmatic approach but deals with clients in a sensitive and friendly way, and these are great assets when dealing with highly sensitive matters. She prepares cases very thoroughly and has a real attention to detail.'

Suzanne Kelly

‘Suzanne's prior solicitor experience gives her significant insight into how clients work and think, and what their priorities and concerns will likely be. Suzanne therefore approaches her cases very much with that support in mind, and she advocates cases with thought.'

Nicola Holland

‘Nicola is always meticulous in her preparation of a case. Her position statements are well written, her drafting of orders are comprehensive and always consider the nooks and crannies of the matter, and she is robust in her advocacy whilst showing empathy to clients.'

Sarah Moon

‘Sarah is not only incredibly knowledgeable but also deeply committed to achieving the best possible outcome for her clients. Sarah's level of care and empathy is second-to-none, and she is able to keep clients informed and updated in a lay-person friendly manner.'

Sophia O’Hagan

‘Sophia is a very knowledgeable advocate for children, she is well-versed in the law, and she prepares her cases meticulously. She presents excellent cases in court and this is due to her focus on the fine details and elements of the case.'