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Family: Children And Domestic Violence

1
3PB
Pump Court Chambers
St John’s Chambers
2
Albion Chambers
KBG Chambers
No.18 Barristers Chambers
3
College Chambers

Leading Silks

Susan Campbell KC – Magdalen Chambers ‘Susan is a tenacious advocate. She is balanced and calm in incredibly sensitive cases.’
Lucy Hendry KC – 3PB ‘Lucy has faultless attention to detail and is an excellent advocate for witnesses with vulnerabilities. She is skilled in assimilating complex medical evidence.’
Penny Howe KC – Pump Court Chambers ‘Penny is extremely knowledgeable and can break down complex matters in simple terms when advising my vulnerable clients. Her advocacy skills are excellent.’
Leslie Samuels KC – Pump Court Chambers ‘Leslie is exceptionally well prepared and can digest huge amounts of material and appear on top of it all.’
Christopher Sharp KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Christopher is very professional and helpful.’
Claire Wills-Goldingham KC – Colleton Chambers

2023 Silks

Lucy Reed KC – St John’s Chambers ‘Lucy is a supremely excellent advocate who prepares thoroughly and takes control of the court room. She is a confident, authoritative and highly skilled advocate who ensures she covers every aspect of the case in detail.’

Leading Juniors

1
Abigail Bond – St John’s Chambers ‘Abigail is a fantastic advocate. Her down-to-earth and approachable nature with clients perfectly matches her intelligent and eloquent advocacy. She is calm under pressure and unflappable on her feet. Her written work is concise and persuasive.’
Judi Evans – St John’s Chambers ‘Judi is an exceptional and competent lawyer, especially in complex care matters. Her attention to detail is a strength.’
Emma Harman – 3PB ‘Emma is a first-class advocate and meticulous in her preparation for every case. Her written work is outstanding, with superb advocacy skills. Her creative and innovative thinking puts her in a class of her own.’
Steven Howard – 3PB ‘Steven is incredibly organised, and his attention to detail is second to none. He has exceptional knowledge of the law and can provide clear advice on several issues.’
Elisabeth Hudson – 3PB ‘Elisabeth is a very experienced barrister, thorough in her preparation and drafting of documents. She is a persuasive advocate who is concise in putting her best points.’
Susan Hunter – St John’s Chambers
Jennifer Swan – Pump Court Chambers ‘Jennifer is a robust advocate, dedicated to fighting for the right result for the client.’
2
Charlotte Ash – KBG Chambers ‘Charlotte is very well prepared and knows her case and her law. She is formidable when required and has great empathy and understanding when representing parents who are in very difficult circumstances.’
Laura Baines – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Laura is an excellent barrister on every level. She has a fabulous way with people in that she can relate to everyone, whether professional or lay client. She has an enviable knowledge of the law, and her advocacy is skilled and articulate.’
Gemma Chapman – 3PB ‘Gemma has a good manner with clients. Her advocacy skills and getting to grips with the key issues of a case are her strength.’
Nigel Cholerton – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Nigel is a determined, effective advocate. He is always thoroughly well-prepared.’
Hugh Cornford  - Colleton Chambers  ‘Hugh is a strong advocate, and his preparation is thorough. He has an affable demeanour in court.’
Sally Daulton – Devon Chambers
Caroline Elford – St John’s Chambers ‘Caroline is an excellent barrister who is also always well-prepared and able to identify the key issues in the case. She is a real fighter and knows her stuff.’
Fiona Farquhar – Albion Chambers ‘Fiona is a very strong and assertive advocate. She is always very empathetic to the client's needs and pragmatic. She will go over and above to assist.’
Nicola Frost – 3PB ‘Nicola has excellent client care. Her advice is clear and firm yet delivered sensitively and with empathy. Her preparation and advocacy are excellent.’ 
Caroline Hartley – Pump Court Chambers
Tracey Hennessey  – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Tracey is a fantastic advocate. She shows particular strength in dealing with complicated cases or where clients have additional needs.’
Katherine Henry - Henry Chambers ‘Katherine is a first choice for children’s work. She offers empathetic and practical advice to clients. She is robust in her negotiations and advocacy with a child-focused approach.’
William Higginson  – KBG Chambers ‘Bill is an extraordinary advocate. He is compelling, assured, and empathetic. He is composed in difficult circumstances and is a dream to instruct.’
Victoria Hoyle – Devon Chambers ‘Victoria is an extremely experienced senior junior barrister. She is a real team player, fantastic at meeting the needs of her clients. She is an excellent junior barrister.’
David Josty –Pump Court Chambers ‘David can get to grips with the most complex cases and is a forceful advocate, providing prompt attendance notes and always willing to go that extra mile for clients.’
Sarah O’Hara – 3PB ‘Sarah is an excellent advocate, sensible, efficient and easy to deal with.’
Sarah Pope – Albion Chambers ‘Sarah is a tenacious advocate who makes clients feel she is fighting their corner. She is extremely well prepared both in her paperwork and advocacy.’
Daniel Swan – KBG Chambers ‘Daniel is an exceptionally compelling advocate and is always well-prepared. He is calm in every situation and delivers skilled cross-examination of even the most challenging witnesses.’
3
Helen Brander  – Pump Court Chambers
Alice Darian – Albion Chambers 'Alice is a very good advocate with an impressive eye for detail.'
Victoria Ellis –Pump Court Chambers ‘Victoria is a calm and reassuring presence to clients. Her advocacy is meticulous, and her cross-examination is tailored to the witness to get the best possible outcome. She thinks outside the box as required to progress the case forward. ’
Andrew Grime – Pump Court Chambers ‘Andrew is an experienced and skilful advocate. His legal knowledge is outstanding and wide-ranging. His manner with vulnerable clients is second-to-none.’
Anthony Hand – College Chambers ‘Anthony is extremely knowledgeable and can very quickly assimilate lots of often complicated information. His medical knowledge and meticulous attention to detail are invaluable. His advocacy skills are excellent, and his advice is always balanced and considered.’
Corinne Iten – Pump Court Chambers ‘Corinne is intelligent and knows the law inside and out. She puts clients at ease and is very patient, explaining things to them.’
Joanna Lucas – Albion Chambers ‘Joanna is an exceptionally good advocate, thorough and meticulous in her preparation. She is a very safe pair of hands for a wide range of clients..’
Emma Southern – 3PB ‘Emma is competent, thorough, and communicative with all clients. She is very efficient at providing attendance notes and communicating the outcome of cases.’
Jonathan Wilkinson – Albion Chambers
4
Ruth Armstrong -Queen Square Chambers 'Ruth is an outstanding counsel, with lots of attention to detail and great analysis of the evidence. She is well-prepared and excellent in court. She is great with clients and builds a good rapport.'
Gemma Borkowski  –Albion Chambers ‘Gemma has extraordinary attention to detail and is very meticulous. She is a fierce advocate, her legal knowledge is second to none, and her cross-examination skills are spectacular.’ 
Sara Chalk  – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Sarah is a brilliant advocate. She is always well-prepared and puts the clients at ease at their very first meeting.’
Yasmine El-Nazer –Albion Chambers ‘Yasmine is excellent at keeping her instructing solicitors up-to-date in cases. She has the right approach with vulnerable clients, being empathetic but giving them firm advice. She is thorough when dealing with issues in the courtroom.’ 
Emma Favata -KBG Chambers 'Emma has meticulous attention to detail. She has a very nice, reassuring manner with clients, providing realistic advice about the likely outcome.' 
Hayley Griffiths – Albion Chambers ‘Hayley is a first-class advocate. Her cross-examination is highly skilled. She is calm, approachable and very measured.’
William Heckscher – Albion Chambers ‘William is very knowledgeable. He has very calming manners with clients and is a strong advocate.’  
Sophie Smith-Holland -St John's Chambers 'Sophie is always thoroughly prepared. She has an eye for detail and robustly represents clients in court. Her advice is always clear and concise.'
Claire Hook -No.18 Barristers Chambers 'Claire is an exceptional barrister. She is brilliant with clients and puts them at ease straight away. She goes above and beyond her duties to ensure that the client is supported.'
Sarah Jennings – 3PB
Amy Lush – 3PB ‘Amy is a brilliant barrister. She is thoughtful, considerate and always well-prepared.’
Fiona McCreath – College Chambers ‘Fiona is an excellent barrister and has a superior level of expertise.’
Caroline Middleton – Albion Chambers ‘Caroline is very emphatic whilst being pragmatic with clients where necessary. She is a strong advocate, passionately putting forward a client’s case.’
Ryan Morgan  – St John’s Chambers ‘Ryan is a very hands-on and experienced barrister. His drafting skills are impeccable, and his advocacy is one of his many strengths.’ 
Amy Oke – College Chambers ‘Amy is incredibly fastidious in her preparation and is a formidable advocate. She is adept at identifying the real issues in the case.’
Francis Payne -No.18 Barristers Chambers 'Francis is a brilliant barrister. He makes the clients feel safe and listened to. He has a strong advocacy and is always willing to fight for his clients.' 
Emma Pearce –KBG Chambers ‘Emma is very thorough in her work. Her advocacy skills are concise and persuasive, often obtaining the outcome sought.’ 
Olivia Pike – St John’s Chambers ‘Olivia is well-prepared, pragmatic and genuine.’
Richard Pinhorn -Queen Square Chambers
Jessica Price -College Chambers 'Jessica is a class act and her qualities exceed her call. Her preparation and written advocacy is excellent, and she really inspires confidence to both her instructing solicitors and the lay client.'
Laura Searle – Walnut House ‘Laura has a real attention to detail, and she is a very effective advocate. She manages difficult clients opponents remarkably well.’ 
Charlotte Street – Pump Court Chambers
Kingsleigh Viollet –College Chambers ‘Kingsleigh is very calm and caring with his clients, taking the time to listen to their concerns, and can pick up key information swiftly.’
Cordelia Williams  – Pump Court Chambers ‘Cordelia is very approachable and clear in her advice and approach. She quickly builds trust with the client and solicitor and is meticulous in her preparation.’

Rising Stars

Samuel Castlehouse – KBG Chambers ‘Samuel is always well-prepared and knows the details of his case thoroughly. He is a pleasant, articulate, thoughtful negotiator who can see all points of view. He is a clear, concise and fair advocate.’
Rachel Chapman – No.18 Barristers Chambers ‘Rachel is a down-to-earth advocate who can communicate well with professional clients and vulnerable parents. Her knowledge of the law is extensive, and she is always practical and sensible in her approach.’
Jade Corden – KBG Chambers ‘Jade is always incredibly well-prepared and articulate. In court, she has a steely determination and confidence. With clients, she has a wonderful manner, kind and thoughtful.’
Emma Cross – Magdalen Chambers ‘Emma builds an instant rapport with clients and is clear with her advice and guidance. Her advocacy is sharp, and she picks up swiftly on the complex points of a case.’  
Simranjit Kamal –Albion Chambers ‘Simranjit is a very strong advocate for her client’s case.’
Anita Noerr – Colleton Chambers
Kellie Salter –3PB ‘Kellie demonstrates great technical knowledge of the relevant law and procedures, combined with an ability to quickly and accurately understand issues from the client's perspective.’
Georgina Swinglehurst -St John's Chambers 'Georgina is wise beyond her years. She is excellent with clients in the most difficult situations and deals with matters sensitively, resulting in great confidence and trust in her representation.'

Family: children and domestic abuse in Regional Bar

3PB


3PB is ‘a very large multi-circuit and multi-centre set with a good reputation’ that offers advice on all areas of family law. ‘Excellent advocate’ Lucy Hendry KC frequently handles children’s cases related to both public and private law with specific expertise in challenging sexual abuse cases. Emma Harman has expertise in representing vulnerable clients, with specific expertise in challenging sexual abuse cases and is described as a ‘maestro in Children Act matters’. An ‘exceptional and incredibly talented barrister’, Steven Howard has a track record of representing local authorities in serious public law cases. Elisabeth Hudson is ‘an excellent advocate with good personal skills which help the client feel at ease’ and regularly represents clients in difficult domestic and international children cases.

Les références

‘Tom Cox is helpful, easy to deal with and will always do his best to assist.’

‘Sarah Jenking goes out of her to be accommodating and is super responsive. Rob Leonard is extremely personable and good at managing difficult situations.’

‘Sarah Jenking is always helpful and willing to assist.’ 

Principaux dossiers














Pump Court Chambers


Pump Court Chambers is ‘an excellent set of barristers spanning a wide range of experience’ who cover the full spectrum of family issues in both public and private sectors. Penny Howe KC is ‘an excellent and tenacious advocate’ who focuses on public law proceedings related to death or serious harm to children, while Jennifer Swan garners praise for ‘excellent, detailed, and thorough case preparation’ and expertise in cases with an international element. Leslie Samuels KC was instructed by a local authority seeking the transfer of control of children’s mobile phones from their father. David Josty is a ‘very strong advocate who prepares thoroughly’ and regularly acts for vulnerable parties with learning disabilities or mental health conditions.

Les références

‘Tony Atkins is a superb senior clerk. He is an excellent mentor and leader for the clerks, approachable, professional and excellent at his job.’

‘Albert Morgan and James Collier always go above and beyond.’

‘James Collier is very helpful in suggesting barristers based on the needs of a case.’

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St John's Chambers


St John’s Chambers is a ‘first-class set of chambers that offers suitable counsel for a variety of cases’ related to family law. Lucy Reed KC is a ‘tenacious and extremely thorough advocate’ whose practice contains a mix of public and private children law cases, including adoption matters, while Judi Evans specialises in representing local authorities, parents and guardians in public law proceedings and garners praise for ‘excellent attention to detail’. Abigail Bond ‘inspires confidence in clients with her approachable and reassuring manner’ and has longstanding experience of handling care cases involving vulnerable witnesses and parents with learning disabilities. Caroline Elford is an ‘excellent and principled practitioner’ who regularly represents clients before all tiers of the family justice system in cases of serious physical and sexual abuse of children.

Les références

‘Marcus Harding and Luke Hodgson are very helpful.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore and Marcus Harding are fantastic and always available to help.’

‘Elaine Jewell-Moore and Marcus Harding are a credit to chambers.’

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Albion Chambers


Albion Chambers is ‘an excellent set of family barristers and the go-to set in Bristol’ for advice on complex childcare cases. Fiona Farquhar is a ‘tenacious advocate who commands the court room’ and specialises in complex fact-finding cases, while Sarah Pope is an expert at handling cases involving allegations of serious physical and sexual abuse. ‘Expert litigator’ Alice Darian specialises in public law proceedings, while Joanna Lucas is a ‘strong and focused advocate’ with specific expertise in cases concerning older children and legal issues surrounding deprivation of liberty.

Les références

‘Michael Harding and Julie Hathway are well-organised, efficient and helpful.’

‘All of the clerks are extremely helpful and accomplished. Michael Harding and Julie Hathway are excellent, knowledgeable, and always try their best to help.’

‘The family clerks are responsive and go above and beyond. Michael Harding knows the issues inside out and never loses his cool. Grace Northeast is able beyond her years and can calmly manage tricky issues.

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KBG Chambers


KBG Chambers  is a ‘strong set of skilled and pragmatic family barristers’ offering advice on the full range of family and children law matters. Charlotte Ash is ‘a safe pair of hands with impressive knowledge of the law and professionalism’ who handles both public and private law cases. The ‘skilful and robust’ William Higginson, and ‘expert cross-examiner’ Daniel Swan, specialise in public law children work, representing local authorities, parents, and guardians in fact-finding hearings and care proceedings.

Les références

‘Yvonne Simmons is amazing. Her attention to detail is first-class.’

‘Yvonne Simmons is committed, helpful, friendly and always goes the extra mile to support.’ 

‘Yvonne Simmons and Lizzie Crothers are stand-out clerks who know their barrister’s strengths and weaknesses and how best to match a case with the council. Ryan Ferguson is quickly learning the ropes and is a good addition to the team with a legal background.’ 

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No.18 Barristers Chambers


No.18 Barristers Chambers is a team of ‘good, helpful and efficient advocates’ experienced in areas of public law care proceedings and private children law. Laura Baines is an ‘extremely competent, patient and friendly advocate’ who regularly handles a variety of domestic abuse cases. Nigel Cholerton, known for his ‘calm demeanour and assertive nature’, regularly represents parents and children in private family law matters. Tracey Hennessey is ‘an excellent barrister known for her calm, reassuring and knowledgeable presence’ and her ability to work with clients with capacity issues.

Les références

‘Mark Windebank and Dan Fantham are always helpful, ensuring that hearings are covered, even at very short notice.’ 

‘The clerk service is very good. Mark Windebank and Dan Fantham are experienced and accessible and always do their best to work with their solicitors.’ 

‘Mark Windebank is amazing and will go above and beyond.’

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College Chambers


College Chambers is ‘a very solid set of chambers for family work across all levels of experience’.  Anthony Hand has longstanding experience of handling cases involving allegations of serious physical and sexual abuse and is ‘an incredibly safe pair of hands with the very complex and challenging of cases’. Fiona McCreath is ‘thorough in her preparation and identification of any issues in a case and particularly adept at building rapport with clients’, while Amy Oke is ‘an empathetic, robust and persuasive advocate’.

Les références

‘J-P Schulz solves problems, makes great recommendations for suitable counsel or cover, and is happy to negotiate.’

‘College Chambers has a polished, professional and friendly clerking team. J-P Schulz is always on hand to assist, even with challenging requirements or at very short notice.’

‘J-P Schultz is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.’