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England - Regional Bar • South Eastern Circuit
2

Family: children and domestic abuse

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42 Bedford Row

More information
Public law children proceedings are a staple of the work undertaken at 42 Bedford Row, which has ‘lots of fantastic barristers to offer’, including Gemma Farrington KC, who is well-equipped to represent clients in complex care proceedings, including those surrounding allegations of physical and sexual abuse; she also undertakes private children law proceedings, and she is lauded for her ‘analytical and forensic legal skills’. The ‘exceptionally hard working’ Lydia Slee exclusively represents parents and family members, intervenors, and children within care proceedings that encompasses serious injuries to children, sexual abuse, and fabricated or induced illnesses. Kate Kochnari is particularly active in care and adoption proceedings, as well as private law matters, and her ‘cross-examination is second-to-none’. Joanne Porter regularly appears before the County Court and High Court in cases surrounding child fatalities and neglect. Samuel Davis is another key name at the set, and he is praised as a ‘highly accomplished advocate’ who is ‘excellent in conference with clients’.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Tim Dockrill is excellent.'
  • 'Luke Goodman at 42BR works very hard to promote the chambers ethos, is quick to respond and very helpful.'
  • 'James Tidnam is always helpful and excellent and has a very good team of clerks.'
  • 'Tim Dockrill and James Tidnam are great to deal with, they are pleasant, always happy to try and accommodate particular requests and very good at promoting the family barristers in the set.'
  • 'Luke Goodman is a particular asset to the clerking team, he is always quick to respond and will do all he can to assist in urgent cases to source counsel.'
  • 'Excellent chambers with individuals with high standards of advocacy.'

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.

3
Kate Kochnari
‘Kate is kind and calm and incredible with vulnerable clients, her cross-examination is second-to-none, and she is clearly a silk in the making. Kate has developed a High Court practice many years above her call, meaning that she has had the opportunity to learn from her peers, and it is clear that she has put this into practice in everything she does.'
3
Lydia Slee
‘Lydia is a star of the Bar and the go-to junior on complex non-accidental injury cases, particularly those involving allegations of head trauma and infanticide. Her knowledge of all medical specialisms involved with family law are as good as any King’s Counsel.’
4
Philip McCormack
‘Philip is highly respected with legal and all other professionals. He has the ear of judges and is a very skilled advocate in court and outside, and he is always well prepared and forward thinking.'
4
Joanne Porter
 is able to think outside the box and knows how to get the job done.’
4
Samuel Davis
 is innovative and will often think of ideas that are outside of the norm to ensure that he gets the best results for his clients and families.'
4
Jennifer Youngs
‘Jennifer is an exceptional barrister who is able to grasp complex matters quickly without compromising on thoroughness and accuracy and whilst maintaining a calm and collected manner.'
5
Vanessa Wells
‘Vanessa is meticulous in preparation and a very articulate, calm advocate. As a junior, she is fantastic at producing helpful and comprehensive preparation.’
5
Jeremy Hall
5
Ruth Webber

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.

1
Philippa Thomas
'Philippa is not only a very strong advocate, but she builds an excellent report with the client, whether they are a parent or a Guardian. She is well respected by Guardians in the local area and having represented them for a number of years, and she also has an excellent knowledge of legal aid.'