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Family: Children And Domestic Violence

Harcourt Chambers

1 Crown Office Row, Brighton

Leading Silks

Nick Goodwin KC –Harcourt Chambers 'Nick is an incredibly able barrister. He is always thoroughly prepared for his cases. He has a calm and amiable manner in court.'

Jonathan Sampson KC –Harcourt Chambers 'Jonathan is assiduous in his preparation and has a great eye for detail.'

John Vater KC –Harcourt Chambers 'John has a very acute intellect. His forensic commands of a bundle are exemplary. He has the breadth of knowledge of different personality types to disseminate the evidence and communicate with whomever he is cross-examining.'

Aidan Vine KC –Harcourt Chambers 'Aidan is a very effective advocate with an excellent grasp of the case. He can break down complex evidence and present it simply and understandably. He has the ear of the court and can be trusted in the most difficult of cases.'

Leading Juniors

Katharine Ferguson –Fenners Chambers

Alex Forbes –Harcourt Chambers

Sara Granshaw –Harcourt Chambers 'Sara is an excellent communicator in cases before the judge and in pre-hearing discussions. She is collegiate and will aim to ensure that forward momentum is maintained in her cases.'

Simon Johnson –Pump Court Chambers ‘Simon has an incredible knowledge of the subject combined with significant experience. He is able to deal with most difficult and vulnerable clients when at court, putting them at ease and explaining the court process to them in clear terms they can understand.’

Nicola Martin – 3PB 'Nicola is a tenacious advocate. She responds quickly to all queries and is happy to chat through cases where necessary. She is highly professional and able to advise on case strategy where necessary.'

Kate Miller –East Anglian Chambers 'Kate is a strong advocate who is robust and tenacious. She is approachable and always clearly articulates her argument during submissions.'

Simon Miller –Harcourt Chambers

Stefanie Wickins –Trinity Chambers 'Stefanie has a wonderful rapport with clients. She manages expectations brilliantly and maintains a strong, decisive presence in advocacy.'

Louisa Adamson –Becket Chambers 'Louisa is very professional and very thorough, with good drafting and advocacy skills.'

Cecilia Barrett –Harcourt Chambers ‘Cecilia is phenomenal, kind, calming and humane and exactly what her clients need. She knows the case details, which involved very technical and complicated scientific evidence, inside out. She is responsive and very easy to work with.’

Eleanor Battie – 1 Crown Office Row, Brighton ‘Eleanor is a go-to barrister for Children Act matters. She is a formidable advocate who is always extremely well-prepared. Her position statements are always first-class. She immediately builds a rapport with the client. She is unflappable in court and always approachable.’

Timothy Bergin – 1 Crown Office Row, Brighton

Debra Gold –Fenners Chambers

Jason Green – Harcourt Chambers ‘Jason is a very skilled advocate. He is amazing in court and judges listen to him. He is excellent at cross-examination, and his written work is brilliant. He is incredibly supportive of the client and is a reassuring presence.’

Fiona Griffin –Guildford Chambers ‘Fiona is efficient, provides constant updates on a case to keep the solicitor informed and goes out of her way to advise on steps to assist the client’s case following the hearing. She is knowledgeable in care proceedings matters and does her best for her client.’

Christine Julien –Guildford Chambers

Edward Kirkwood –Harcourt Chambers 'Edward is very approachable and knowledgeable and prepares the cases well. He is flexible in his approach to instructions and is happy to go that extra mile if asked.'

Emily Rayner –Harcourt Chambers ‘Emily is excellent in both financial remedy and Children Act proceedings. She has an excellent manner with clients and gives clear and robust advice. Her preparation for hearings is brilliant.’

Claire Shrimpton –Guildford Chambers

Nigel Sleight –Regency Barristers Chambers

Emma Gatland –Harcourt Chambers

Graeme Harrison –Pallant Chambers 'Graeme is a calm, determined and most capable advocate who brings civility and occasional good humour to often tense exchanges.'

Eleanor Howard –Harcourt Chambers

Kirsten Japp –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton 'Kirsten always goes the extra mile on a case. She is extremely able, very supportive of clients and manages expectations calmly and kindly. She is persuasive in her advocacy style and has the judge's ear.'

Kate Kochnari – 42BR Barristers 'Kate is resourceful, organized and has an incredible eye for detail. She has a fantastic manner and communicates effectively and efficiently with clients, putting them at ease. Her cross-examination is clever. She frames questions appropriately and gets the answers she needs. She always knows the papers thoroughly.'

James Legg – 3PB 'James is very knowledgeable, and clients feel easy around him. He fights the client's case.'

Colin Morgan –Pallant Chambers 'Colin is quick to get to grips with a huge volume of complex factual and medical evidence and develop the most perfect strategy.'

Dylan Morgan –Pallant Chambers 'Dylan always has an excellent and professional handle on cases. His knowledge is vast and he is realistic and honest about case prospects.'

John Nee – Anvil Chambers ‘John is fantastic at getting to grips with complicated and extensive papers. He is a very safe pair of hands in court. He is a superb advocate and very skilled in his written work. He is very persuasive and able to manage difficult situations.’

Adam Smith –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton 'An outstanding junior.'

Christopher Wall –Becket Chambers

Richard Ager –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton

Mavis Amonoo-Acquah –Harcourt Chambers ‘Mavis is very client-friendly, with a sympathetic ear and clear advice to guide clients through the difficulties of litigation both in the conference and at hearings. Her advocacy is clear and confident.’

Andrew Austin –Guildford Chambers 'Andrew has clear written and verbal communication skills. He is well-liked by clients and solicitors and builds rapport easily. He has strong negotiation skills and aims to resolve disputes at the earliest possible stage.'

Akta Chipalkatty –East Anglian Chambers

Clare Ciborowska –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton ‘Clare is an extremely diligent and hardworking advocate who will go over and above. Her strengths are her detailed preparation and understanding of a client’s case and their particular needs.’

Amanda Clarke – Westgate Chambers

Adam Clegg –Pump Court Chambers

Amy Connell – Pump Court Chambers ‘Amy is always prepared and organised. She is a very robust, passionate and well-experienced barrister.’

Patrick Freer –Regency Barristers Chambers

Dominique Gillan –Guildford Chambers 'Dominique is quick to grasp the key issues in all cases. She is always well-prepared and very approachable. Her drafting of position statements and orders is good, and she is quick to build a rapport with any clients she represents.'

Rachel Gimson –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton 'Rachel is a wonderful advocate, very knowledgeable and good with the clients. She will spend time explaining to the clients what is happening, evaluating the evidence and assisting inside the courtroom and outside.'

Martha Gray –Harcourt Chambers 'Martha has a fantastic manner with difficult clients and is tenacious in court on their behalf.'

Katrina Hambleton –Pallant Chambers 'Katrina is a delight to instruct: responsive, has excellent client care skills, and she is a natural and compelling advocate both in terms of her written work and orally.'

Suzanne Kelly –Guildford Chambers 'Suzanne has a sympathetic but direct way of working. She is comfortable in challenging opponents and is a strong advocate, obtaining good results for her clients.'

Zosia Keniston –Pallant Chambers

Annie Sayers –Harcourt Chambers 'Annie is an excellent communicator and particularly good with vulnerable clients. Her approach is gentle and empathetic, ensuring that the client has given realistic advice. She is very approachable and is very knowledgeable.'

Sarah Taite – Westgate Chambers

Nadia Tawfik –Pallant Chambers

Shabnam Walji –Regency Barristers Chambers

Michael Allin –East Anglian Chambers 'Michael is a sound advocate. He is compassionate towards clients in difficult situations which put the client at ease during complex fact-finding hearings.'

Daniel Attridge – Trinity Chambers 'Daniel can quickly analyse material and find practical and realistic ways forward to suit his client’s needs. He provides clear, user-friendly advice supported by considered authoritative guidance. He is an extremely formidable and effective advocate and meticulous in his preparation and presentation.'

Laura Bayley –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton 'Laura Bayley is outstanding.'

Matthew Brookes-Baker –Harcourt Chambers

Emma Griffiths –3PB 'Emma is a conscientious, hard-working and extremely able barrister. Her preparation for cases is detailed but focused on the core issues. Her work enables cases to run efficiently but effectively for the client.'

Maria Hancock –Westgate Chambers

Alice Newton –Trinity Chambers ‘Alice is quick on her feet, clear, concise and fights her client’s corner. She is hard to rattle.’

Sophia O’Hagan –Guildford Chambers ‘Sophia is an extremely skilled and persuasive advocate who goes the extra mile for her clients. She is tenacious and dedicated and achieves fantastic results through her calm but robust approach. Her preparation is impeccable, with meticulous attention to detail.’

Alex Perry –Harcourt Chambers 'Alex is always very well prepared and well appraised of the legal framework and case law relevant to the matter he is dealing with. His written documents are clear and comprehensive and are an effective advocate.'

Benjamin Phillips – Fenners Chambers

Oliver Powell –Harcourt Chambers

Matthew Stott –Harcourt Chambers 'Matthew is a strong advocate who puts his client's case firmly. He has excellent cross-examination skills demonstrating his thorough preparation, grasp of the papers and ability to identify the key issues. He is an impressive advocate.'

Elaine Strachan –3PB 'Elaine is thorough and efficient with her preparation. Her advice is always realistic and clear. She is sympathetic to clients and will always fight the client's case. She creates constructive ways to deal with matters and is a highly professional advocate.'

Alison Williams – Harcourt Chambers 'Alison is approachable and knowledgeable. She prepares well, has a detailed grasp of the papers and provides helpful advice. She is an excellent advocate - setting out the case clearly and effectively and remaining focused throughout.'

Rising Stars

Samuel Davis –42BR Barristers 'Samuel gives clear, robust advice in a way which is sensitive. He always makes sure that the clients understand their role and the strengths and weaknesses of their cases.'

Jodie Drummond –Fenners Chambers

Nicole Jennings –Becket Chambers 'Nicole is an awesome junior advocate. She is always well-prepared and thorough in her approach. She always puts clients at ease and is also unafraid to tackle difficult issues head which she does with enormous tact and skill.'

Natasha Miller –Harcourt Chambers 'Natasha has a razor-sharp intellect. She is a formidable opponent yet approaches her cases with charm, compassion and great care.'

Sam Pentony –3PB 'Sam can get to grips with a case quickly and provide constructive advice delivered in a way the client fully understands. He is always well-prepared and has impressive advocacy skills. He will go the extra mile to try and get the best outcome for a client wherever possible.'

Emily Quinn – Trinity Chambers

Anogika Souresh –1 Crown Office Row, Brighton 'Anogika is approachable, knowledgeable and conveys advice with a confidence that helps put clients at ease.'

Family: children and domestic violence in Regional Bar

Tier 1 sets

Harcourt Chambers

‘Excellent set’ Harcourt Chambers garners praise from instructing solicitors for ‘offering a great number of talented and skilled counsel of varying levels of experience’. Nick Goodwin KC is ‘phenomenal with complex cases where there are contested scientific or medical issues’. Sara Granshaw and Alex Forbes focus on public law children cases, while Simon Miller specialises in matters involving medical issues. Rising star Natasha Miller handles cases involving alleged physical child abuse, among others, and in some matters has represented interveners.

Les références

‘The clerks room is the best. The team is friendly, professional, and very responsive. Matt Molloy and Laurie Amron particularly stand out.’

‘Matt Molloy, in particular, is always helpful and friendly.’

‘First-rate clerking team. Matt Molloy particularly bends over backwards to provide counsel at competitive prices and resolve issues with availability immediately and practically.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

1 Crown Office Row, Brighton

1 Crown Office Row, Brighton is praised as a ‘go-to set when it comes to children matters’, with expertise in both private and public law matters. Eleanor Battie specialises in handling matters related to child arrangement, domestic abuses and parental alienation and is ‘able to get across a difficult point to emotional clients without losing their confidence’. Rising star Anogika Souresh counts public law child work as part of her practice.

Les références

‘David Bingham leads a great clerk team. The clerks go the extra mile to help local solicitors.’

‘The clerks are truly excellent. They are extremely responsive and go out of their way to help. They do go the extra mile and are friendly, polite and professional. David Bingham, head clerk, is particularly great to deal with.’

‘The set is an excellent choice of really good family barristers.’

Principaux dossiers

Guildford Chambers

Guildford Chambers is ‘a strong set with a range of counsel with varying call years and the clerks who go above and beyond to utilise counsel and provide availability wherever they can’. Fiona Griffin is instructed in cases involving serious child injuries, sexual abuse and domestic abuse, while Christine Julien similarly is active in public law child work.

Les références

‘Gavin Street is a shining star and will do his utmost to assist clients when needed, particularly when needing urgent cover or when cases have been listed at short notice. He is always able to help and is extremely flexible, which assists given the nature of the work.’

‘Simon Morris and Gavin Street work hard to provide an excellent service within chambers as the first point of contact.’

‘Guildford Chambers always tries to accommodate clients’ requests for representation (even at short notice) and has a good quality range of advocates. They do offer training courses as well.’

Principaux dossiers

Tier 3 sets

3PB

3PB is home to specialist practitioners across the spectrum of this area, including care proceedings and private child law. Nicola Martin is recommended for complex care cases, while James Legg garners praise for having a ‘fantastic eye for detail and the issues which matter in cases’.

Les références

‘Dan Tidman is proactive in trying to help find the right counsel for the case.’

‘Patrick Robson and Patrick Steptoe deserve a special mention. All around, the clerking team remains very hard to equal.’

‘3PB is a go-to chamber with a good selection of counsels who are very knowledgeable, capable and personable.’

Becket Chambers

Becket Chambers‘ members are adept at advising across the full range of both private and public children law issues. Specific areas of expertise include physical and sexual abuse, parental alienation, relocation of children and child arrangement orders. Louisa Adamson is highly regarded for her excellent track record in advising on complex care cases. Nicole Jennings is often instructed in cases involving parental alienation and allegations of serious abuse.

Les références

‘Paul Eaton and Arron Smith are very helpful and efficient.’

‘Aaron Smith and Paul Eaton are always on hand to provide suitable barristers wherever possible.’

‘Becket Chambers is a brilliant set of barristers and offers barristers covering all aspects of family law.’

Pallant Chambers

Pallant Chambers' team has a solid track record in representing parents, guardians and local authorities across a wide range of cases involving allegations of serious physical and sexual abuse, poisoning and neglect, among other areas. Colin Morgan, who heads up the team, has established strength in advising on complex cases of alleged serious child abuse, in which Graeme Harrison is also singled out for his experience. Dylan Morgan is also recommended.

Pump Court Chambers

Pump Court Chambers - which boosted its South Eastern circuit presence following its absorption of Stour Chambers as its Canterbury office - has a strong group of family law juniors, who continue to represent a range of parties in complex cases across the region across the full range of public and private law matters. Simon Johnson is praised by clients as ‘an exceptionally thorough and diligent barrister’ while Amy Connell is known for providing ‘clear and robust advice’ and is an ‘extremely competent advocate’.

Les références

‘Pump Court Chambers is efficient and will assist in any way that they can. They are very organised and ensure that all paperwork is provided to assist the barrister.’

‘Pump Court Chambers is a very good set with a range of seniority and all areas of law covered.’

‘Pump Court Chambers is a go-to set for local hearings. It has several experienced counsellors. It always endeavours to ensure continuity of counsel when possible.’

Trinity Chambers

Trinity Chambers is ‘a go-to set’, with barristers praised for having ‘skills and knowledge required for all aspects of a family case’. The team regularly instructs clients on child law cases involving allegations of sexual abuse and fabricated or induced illness. A ‘formidable advocate’, Stefanie Wickins is ‘extremely thorough with case preparation, and provides clear and concise advice’. Alice Newton is ‘very knowledgeable and hardworking’, and her ‘advocacy is tenacious and determined’.

Les références

‘Keith Willmore and Ben White are always extremely helpful.’

‘James Adcock is always incredibly helpful in arranging conferences or moving matters to try and assist me.’

‘Trinity Chambers has a number of reliable and extremely competent family law barristers. They commit to their clients’ cases making themselves available whenever possible. They offer an annual seminar providing very valuable updates.’

Westgate Chambers

Westgate Chambers team is very experienced in handling the full range of public and private child law matters, including physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence and factitious inducted illness. Maria Hancock leads the family department and regularly acts for clients in complex cases involving serious life-threatening injuries and sexual abuse, while Sarah Taite regularly acts for parents in care proceedings.

Classements par PratiqueRegional Bar