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Leading Private FDR Judges And Arbitrators

Nicholas Allen KC – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Nicholas is an excellent PFDR/ENE judge and arbitrator. He delivers indications in a way that always draws upon his immense experience and knowledge of the law, while maintaining a sensitivity and respect for the parties, which is always hugely appreciated.’
Janet Bazley KC – 1GC | Family Law ‘As well as having a sizeable and impressive legal brain, Janet has the ability to deal with people in an empathetic but no-nonsense fashion. She is cool, calm and collected, she manages parties perfectly, and it is a pleasure to be a part of the process with her.’
David Burles – 1GC | Family Law 'David has a delightfully urbane manner which instils great confidence in the clients as well as counsel. He is thoughtful, considered and even-handed in his appraisals.'
Alexander Chandler KC – 1 King’s Bench Walk 'Alexander's judgement is second-to-none.'
Ben Fearnley – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Ben brings together the three most important qualities in a private FDR judge: he listens to clients in a way that makes them feel heard, even if he does not agree with them; he is so on top of the detail that whatever view he gives acquires significance; and, perhaps most importantly, he comes up with practical solutions that all sides can buy into. He is a number one choice for private FDR judges not in silk.
Geoffrey Kingscote KC – 1 Hare Court ‘Geoffrey's preparation is formidable and his indications detailed and authoritative, his approach and style is open and facilitating, and he is the go-to private FDR judge.’
Barbara Mills KC – 4PB 'Barbara is simply the best arbitrator of children disputes in London. She is fair, measured and principled and it goes without saying that she is meticulously prepared.'
Christopher Pocock KC 1 King’s Bench Walk 'Christopher is first-class with numbers and his worldly experience makes him a very valuable judge to have on a case. There is very little he has not seen before.'
James Roberts KC – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘James is one of the best and most sought after PFDR judges. His standing as an experienced silk, a recorder, and chairman of the FLBA lends serious authority to his indications, and his authority, gravitas, style of delivery, and clarity provide clear reasoning.’
Andrzej Bojarski KC – The 36 Group ‘Andrzej has it all; he is knowledgeable, patient, charismatic, and completely accomplished as both a barrister, PFDR evaluator, and arbitrator. Whichever role he is in, he is constantly impressive.’
Tom Carter – 1 Hare Court ‘Tom is a fantastic PFDR judge, as his preparation is meticulous, he is calm and measured with clients, and he is clear and definitive with his recommendations and his reasons for the same. He manages not to alienate either side, yet still gives a firm and clear steer which leads to an early resolution.’
Richard Castle – 1 King’s Bench Walk 'As an FDR judge, Richard is exceptionally well prepared, both in his knowledge of his cases, but also in preparing documentation to help the clients and advocates on the day of the FDR. He is balanced and fair, he is committed to helping the parties resolve issues, and his reasoning is eloquently laid out.'
Katie Cowton KC – Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB) 'Katie is an exceptionally well prepared and thorough judge, she is always on top of the case and ready to offer sound and pragmatic advice, as well as balanced appraisals of the competing cases.'
Nicola Fox – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Nicola is one of the best PFDR judges on the circuit. Her preparation is second-to-none, she brings a wealth of experience to the day and all involved can have the upmost confidence that her indication will be thorough, reasoned, and fair.’
Nichola Gray KC – 1 Hare Court ‘Nichola is shrewd and an impressive choice as a KC, and she is rated highly as an FDR judge. She is good at coming up with an evaluation that enables both parties to settle, even if it is strongly in favour of one party rather than the other, because of the way she handles the delivery of her views.’
Tristan Harvey Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB) 'Tristan is one of the best barristers for private judging. He gives careful thought to the delivery of his indication, which is well reasoned and client-friendly, taking out the jargon.'
Fiona Hay – Harcourt Chambers 'Fiona is highly recommended, as she is incredibly diligent with a wonderful manner with lay clients. She is swiftly able to digest complex business information and break a case down into clear categories, balancing out competing arguments and encouraging negotiations.'
Claire Heppenstall1GC | Family Law ‘Claire has truly carved out a niche for herself as a go-to arbitrator, and rightly so. She is one of the very few leading barristers who is as comfortable with a complicated finance case as a complicated children case, and she instills confidence and is super bright and efficient.’
Katherine Kelsey – 1 King’s Bench Walk 'Katherine is the absolute gold standard for PFDR work with superlative judgement, immense gravitas, and an expert ability to read a case and deliver an indication that is respected and accepted by both parties. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to move seamlessly between financial and children work, and approach all of her cases in a holistic way, which is a great advantage to her work as a barrister, but is also a great strength to her work as an arbitrator, mediator, and ENE/ PFDR judge.'
Peter Mitchell KC – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Peter is an extremely able private FDR judge; he is one of the best. His preparation is formidable and his indications are detailed and authoritative, but delivered in a sensitive way.’
Lucy Owens – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Lucy is a trusted tribunal for both private FDRs and arbitrations for very good reason; her judgement is impeccable and her manner and approach in hearings makes even the most demanding of clients feel listened to. She is able to cut through to get to the true issues of the case whilst always remaining patient and courteous.’
Gavin Smith – 1 Hare Court 'Gavin is an immensely skilled, personable and capable arbitrator who makes clients feel that every aspect of their case has been carefully considered and weighed in the balance. Gavin has an excellent eye for the detail of a case whilst always keeping in mind the bigger picture and the need to achieve an outcome that is fair to both parties.'
Justin Warshaw KC – 1 Hare Court ‘Justin is a skilled private FDR judge. He is very considered and detailed in his determinations, striving for bringing about settlement discussions between the parties, and he is sharp and has a charm that resonates with clients.’
Nicholas Anderson – 1 King’s Bench Walk 'Nicholas is universally respected by those who go before him. He treats parties with patience and dignity and he has a thorough working knowledge of the law; as an FDR judge, he has helped parties reach settlement in even some of the most polarised cases.'
Jude Allen – 1 Hare Court ‘A go-to private FDR judge, Jude is extremely sensible, pragmatic and also very hard working. Her indications are always spot-on and the clients trust everything she says, and she has a skill of making complex topics seem straightforward.’
Phillip Blatchly – 1 Hare Court ‘As a PFDR evaluator, Phillip is measured, fair and persuasive, helping cases to settle very swiftly due to his thorough and thoughtful indications.’
Edward Boydell KC – Pump Court Chambers 'Edward is a true expert in his field, and he easily picks up complicated financial information and has a great manner in private FDRs. As a consequence, everyone pays very close attention to his indications and he causes many cases to settle.'
Nicholas Chapman – 29 Bedford Row Chambers 'Nicholas is very obviously a highly experienced practitioner and it really shows. His review of parties' cases is thorough, fair, and clearly articulated.'
Katherine Cook – 1 Hare Court 'Katherine is brilliant with a deep knowledge of the law and she combines her unassuming but effective advocacy with a humanity that makes her a pleasure to work with.  She is sensitive to client needs and she is an outstanding private FDR judge.'
Elizabeth Darlington – 1 GC | Family Law 'Elizabeth is excellent in her evaluation of matters, and has an ability to facilitate and judge matters to provide the fair and right answers.'
Victoria Domenge – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘Victoria is a first-class private FDR judge and she is always in total command of factually very complex cases and is able to distill them down to their core components. She genuinely wants the parties to settle, but equally does not pull her punches when it comes to indicating how a court would interpret the issues in the cases.’
Eleanor Harris – 1 Hare Court ‘Eleanor is an excellent Private FDR judge. She is focused and fair, and will consider the case in detail to provide a clear and measured indication, and she has an excellent manner.’
Charlotte Hartley MCIArb – 1 King’s Bench Walk 'Charlotte has an outstanding reputation and it is well deserved. As a PFDR judge, she is brilliant, displaying meticulous preparation, a thorough understanding not only of the facts and figures, but the temperature and non-tangibles of the case, and she commands respect from and trust of the lay clients and the professionals she works with.'
Laura Heaton – 29 Bedford Row Chambers ‘In the competitive PFDR market, Laura stands out as one of the best senior juniors doing this work. She is meticulously prepared and delivers indications with calm authority and aplomb, and she is a regular top choice.’
Geoffrey Kelly – Pump Court Chambers ‘Geoffrey is an excellent barrister and private FDR judge. He knows exactly what he is talking about, he has a very calm but authoritative manner, and he is inquisitive and can really get to the root of the issues quickly and effectively.’
Laura Moys1 King’s Bench Walk 'Laura is a brilliant pFDR judge and she conducts her cases with authority and gravitas and provides a reasoned and considered indication. She is helpful and considerate and extremely good with the clients.'
Peter Newman1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Peter is an excellent choice for those looking for an approachable, competent and reliable PFDR judge. He provides excellent indications, which are presented in a way which make it easy for the lay client to understand and absorb, and his judgement is spot on.’
Rebecca Carew Pole KC – 1 Hare Court 'Rebecca is one of the most able private FDR judges, as she brings a brilliant combination of intellectual ability, close attention to detail, and an empathetic and fair demeanour, which is so important for the clients who are asked to trust her judgement on the potential outcome of a case. She is not afraid to be robust when needed but does so always with a keen sense of the impact on clients of this kind of litigation.'
Elizabeth Selman MICArb – 1 King’s Bench Walk ‘Elizabeth is an excellent arbitrator and she is always on the list of suggested judges as she can be relied upon to thoroughly, competently, and creatively, if necessary, sort out the case.’
Rachel Spicer – 1 Hare Court ‘Rachel is a brilliant PFDR judge and she offers indications that draw upon her immense experience and legal knowledge, but are always delivered with a humanity and respect for the parties which makes the process really positive and her settlement rate is high. Would highly recommend.’
Rhys Taylor – The 36 Group 'Rhys is one of the most experienced mediators, private FDR judges and arbitrators in the country. He is highly recommended for any case due to his impressive knowledge and expertise.'
Alex Verdan KC – 4PB 'Alex is a go-to in everything he does and arbitration is no different. He has impeccable judgement and is reassuring in a tribunal, as he builds confidence in the parties, and he is also a good listener.'
Annie Ward – Pump Court Chambers ‘Annie is particularly good with clients and she is insightful and always well-prepared with an excellent grasp of the issues in any case. Her manner with clients is relaxed and good humoured, and she is razor sharp and persuasive.’
Simon Webster KC – 1 Hare Court 'As an FDR judge, Simon is shrewd, thoughtful and decisive. He explains his early neutral evaluation carefully and convincingly and clients feel that they have been listened to, and as a result are much more likely to accept his evaluation.'
Nicholas Yates KC – 1 Hare Court ‘In the same way that he shows great technical knowledge, empathy, and judgement in his work as a barrister, Nicholas is a truly excellent private FDR judge. He always masters the papers and produces very helpful documents summarising his guidance with full supporting schedules to explain his advice, and he is very good at putting the clients at ease and making sure they get the best out of a difficult day.’

Family: private FDR judges and arbitrators in London Bar

1 Hare Court


‘Top financial remedy set‘ 1 Hare Court is well-renowned for its alternative dispute resolution services, and is notably home to Nigel Dyer KC, who exclusively acts as a PFDR judge. ‘The very measured and considered‘ Geoffrey Kingscote KC predominately focuses on matrimonial financial remedy matters, and is particularly strong in cases surrounding nuptial agreements, offshore trusts, and issues of non-disclosure. Joint head of chambers Nichola Gray KC is lauded as an ‘excellent strategist and tactician‘, and frequently sits as a PFDR judge; she boasts particular strength in cases surrounding trusts and hidden or offshore assets. Among the set’s juniors, Gavin Smith is a key name as an ‘excellent‘ family financial arbitrator and PFDR evaluator, and Tom Carter also specialises in financial remedy cases, with a particular emphasis on complicated asset structures, offshore trusts, and allegations of non-disclosure; he is praised as ‘a fantastic PFDR judge‘.

Les références

‘Steve McCrone is exceptional, as is Daniel Barnett. Both are always very responsive and helpful.’

‘Daniel Barnett is excellent.’

‘A first-rate service from a first-rate clerk’s room. All are helpful and informative.’

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1GC | Family Law


The ‘excellent‘ 1 GC | Family Law houses a variety of members who are active across arbitration, mediation, PFDR, and ENE. One such member is family law specialist Janet Bazley KC, who boasts expertise in both children and financial remedy cases and is praised as ‘empathic‘. David Burles specialises in financial remedy cases, including divorce and Schedule 1-related proceedings with a ‘delightfully urbane manner‘. ‘Extremely fair-minded‘, Claire Heppenstall sits as a private FDR judge in cases surrounding financial remedy and children-related ENE cases, and she is also a qualified family mediator. All three named barristers are IFLA arbitrators.

Les références

‘Paul Harris is brilliant. Extremely personable and helpful and just gets the job done.’

‘Great. Very impressive clerking.’

‘Very supportive.’

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1 King's Bench Walk


1 King’s Bench Walk is lauded as ‘the best set to provide a mixture of finance and children counsel‘, and is home to Alexander Chandler KC, whose ‘judgement is second-to-none‘; he is skilled in financial remedy and co-habitee matters, and frequently acts as a PFDR evaluator and arbitrator. Joint head of chambers Christopher Pocock KC is sought after as a PFDR judge on account of his expertise in high-value matrimonial finance cases, especially those involving corporate and business assets, as well as those with cross-border elements. Chair of the Family Law Bar Association and joint head of chambers James Roberts KC is another notable silk at the set as an early proponent of family-related alternative dispute resolution, and ‘is outstanding in the role of PFDR judge‘. Turning to the juniors, ‘sound and effective PFDR judge‘ Richard Castle boasts expertise in cases surrounding complex corporate and tax dimensions, while deputy district judge and ‘one of the best PFDR judges on the circuit‘ Nicola Fox is well-equipped to handle arbitrations engaging both finance and children law, either separately or concurrently.

Les références

‘Excellent. Chris Young is standout.’

‘Excellent. Mark Betts and Chris Young and both are really helpful and responsive.’

‘1KBW is an excellent set and indeed a preferred set for finances and often for children matters too. They are always ready to help and do excellent lectures and offer seminars.’

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29 Bedford Row Chambers


29 Bedford Row Chambers is home to a number of qualified arbitrators, ‘brilliant advocates and FDR judges‘, and practitioners who sit in high-profile and high-value matrimonial finance cases. Alexis Campbell KC exclusively handles financial remedy claims, and she is noted for her expertise in both domestic and international mandates. Another key silk at the set is Deputy High Court Judge, qualified arbitrator, and ‘top-class evaluator‘ Nicholas Allen KC, whose practice also heavily leans towards high-value financial remedy cases. The ‘thoroughly prepared‘ Peter Mitchell KC is another key name at the set with expertise in all matters surrounding pre and post-nuptial agreements, as well as matters with jurisdictional queries. Turning to the juniors at the set, Lucy Owens is ‘excellent with clients‘ and increasingly active in PFDRs and arbitrations, while mediator and arbitrator Ben Fearnley is lauded as ‘incredibly intelligent‘, and has a broad ranging practice that encompasses civil partnership dissolutions, divorce, and the parting of couples who are unmarried.

Les références

‘Really good clerks; Julie Holcombe and Ben Cross especially.’

‘Really impressive number and variety of counsel.’

‘Family team at the set is strong and experienced.’

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Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB)


Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB) boasts ‘a very talented collection of barristers‘ and is sought after for its particular expertise in relationship breakdowns and the related financial remedy proceedings. Among its silks, Katie Cowton KC is lauded as ‘an exceptionally well prepared and thorough judge‘, and is notable for her experience as a qualified financial arbitrator; she frequently handles both financial divorce cases as an PFDR judge, as well as Schedule One children cases. Tim Amos KC is also a key silk at the set. Turning to the juniors, ‘superb mediator‘ Tristan Harvey has strengths in both children and matrimonial matters; he handles mediations and arbitrations, and he often undertakes PFDRs, as well as ENEs. Former senior clerk Howard Rayner retired in March 2025, and Jon Bartlett has taken over this role.

Les références

‘The QEB clerks are extremely helpful and flexible.’

‘QEB are a very talented collection of barristers.’

‘A great clerking team and high-end facilities for hosting PFDRs and arbitrations.’

Principaux dossiers