Family: Children

She is the crème de la crème of family silks. Her judgement is spot on, she is empathetic, she is adored by clients, she is a first-class advocate and she goes the extra mile in every case.

Deborah is a safe pair of hands when it comes to all things children-related. Clients are instantly reassured by hearing from Deborah and her advice is both practical and tactical.

Deborah is one of the absolute stars of the Bar. She is a superb advocate, and clients adore her. Her judgement is first rate.

She provides a much-needed shot of common sense to emotive matters, talking the client with her in an authoritative but empathetic way.

She is fully committed to guiding her clients through the process and achieving the right outcome. She consistently delivers.

The best money junior at the bar.

Richard Castle is my absolute go-to barrister for financial remedy. He is incisive, clever and direct with clients in a way that carries authority.

His advice is superb. He is easy to work alongside and his written work is a dream to read. He can make the most convoluted issues in a case easy to understand - judges love him for this.

Richard has excellent judgement. He reads judges well and advances his case thoughtfully but robustly.

Alex is a creative and intelligent advocate who dazzles in the courtroom. He has impeccable judgement and is a formidable opponent.

Alex is razor sharp and very quick on his feet. He is good with clients and gets the job done.

Alex has an ability to distil legal issues into a language any client can understand. He does not mind having difficult conversations and is robust when you need him to be.

Alex is superb - sharp as a tack with good humour and charm to boot.

A highly numerate and compelling advocate.

Anna is the gold standard for private children work, bringing to bear the wealth of experience she has from her public law practice.

Anna McKenna is professional, insightful and brilliant with clients.

Anna McKenna consistently delivers robust and pragmatic advice while remaining sympathetic to her clients' situations.

An impressive advocate. She doesn’t give up.

A total dream to work with.

Her approach has always been extremely empathetic and patient. She offers parents a Rolls-Royce service in an otherwise failing court system.

Catherine is incredibly talented, thoughtful and convincing to both judges and clients alike. She is excellent at predicting outcomes and at steering a case back on course.

She is always able to take the long view and doesn't allow a desire for a short term win to get in the way of the longer-term best interests of the client.

Working with Catherine is always a pleasure; she is brilliant with clients and gets to grips with even the most complex cases at speed.

Catherine's reputation is well-earned, particularly when it comes to handling intricate relocation cases, and my experience with her confirmed why she is considered one of the best.

He consistently delivers exceptional results in high-net-worth family disputes, and has a level of legal insight and strategic mastery that is simply unmatched.

Charles is a superb advocate and a great negotiator.

Charlotte is a force to be reckoned with. She has a lovely manner and a fierce intellect.

Personable, clever and someone whose notes are of such high quality that you can just forward them on to the client.

Charlotte is super bright, brilliant with clients and a pleasure to work with.

A supremely clever and dynamic advocate who is adored by her clients.

Hard-working and has an excellent way with clients.

A go to for complex/ultra-high value work.

His advice is spot on and his skills as an advocate back that up. It feels as if you've already got the outcome you want when you first enter the courtroom with him.

Harry Oliver stands as the ultimate authority, consistently delivering exceptional results that define excellence in the profession.

He gives realistic and measured advice, and will always seek out opportunities for a resolution.

The most financially numerate barrister.

Harry is a superb tactician and advocate, who is completely on top of his client's case. He imparts huge confidence, and clients trust him and his judgement implicitly.

Harry Oliver is exceedingly numerate, highly strategic and someone with the ability to absorb the detail of the most complex litigation.

He is brilliant on paper, he understands the needs of the client and he is a great advocate with strong courtroom presence.

When you go to him you can have the confidence that he will be forensically prepared.

He is renowned for his exceptional ability to handle the most complex and high net worth cases with an unparalleled combination of legal brilliance and strategic foresight.

James is a dream family law silk. There is nothing too difficult for him to handle. He is a go-to London silk for high value, high-conflict money work.

She has brilliant client skills, particularly when working with those that are vulnerable.

Her ability to grapple with complex issues and to then distil matters down in a way that is understandable to clients is very impressive.

Jenny is an extremely capable and formidable advocate whom you want on your side. She is very practical and realistic in the advice she provides to clients, assisting them to make informed choices.

An intelligent and thoroughly prepared advocate, who has excellent judgement and a lovely bedside manner. A true lawyer's lawyer.

Jennifer Palmer is great with clients and solicitors alike, and is always willing to help.

Katherine Kelsey demonstrates an exceptional ability to navigate the most complex children matters with clarity and precision.

Katherine is highly persuasive and has amazing judgement.

She offers pragmatic and sound advice accompanied by exceptional advocacy. Clients have absolute faith in her.

Katherine is great with the clients and so lovely to work with. She's always able to answer emails very quickly and I really appreciate that as a solicitor.

She is a safe pair of hands. Her client management skills are excellent, particularly when dealing with difficult clients going through a stressful situation.

One of the most knowledgeable lawyers for jurisdictional disputes. Katy is strategically brilliant, incredibly kind, hard-working and supportive.

Katy was a class act; resolutely professional and tenacious but always compassionate with the client.

Katy is a rare talent. She is an expert at children law work, particularly international children law, and complex money cases.

Katy Chokowry is an expert in the field and one day set to be a leading silk in the area of international child abduction.

Nicola Fox is one of the best senior juniors at the Bar, and more than a match for any silk. She has huge gravitas and experience and is a brilliant tactician and advocate.

She's an incredibly forceful advocate on children work.

Nicola brings a wealth of experience to her matters and clients feel very secure and supported. She's one of the leading juniors at the London family law Bar.

Her attention to detail and advocacy skills are superb. She is very in control and her judgement is second to none.

Peter is a hugely talented financial barrister, who is highly numerate.

Peter's attention to detail is second to none and he prepares cases meticulously. He is client-friendly and responsive.

He has a tremendous eye for detail and is incredibly thorough. His prompt responses make all the difference in preparing a case to best effect.

Peter is a great junior for complicated financial work.

Peter is very experienced and is able to astutely present a client's case.

Philip has always been very reliable and has incredible attention to detail.

Philip is a very well-respected senior silk.

Philip Marshall is hugely experienced and pragmatic.

His advocacy is spot on - he gets the tone right, he's confident and he has the judge's ear.

A true professional with emotional intelligence to match his legal ability. He is an excellent choice for both modest asset cases and big money, multi-jurisdictional work.

Both an intellectual and a master tactician, he deals with the most complex of cases with a calmness and ease. He is a sought after barrister for complex finance and complex children work.

Stephen is one of the very best senior juniors now practising. He is equally strong across both children and finance work, and he is a calm, focused and strategic force for those working with him.

Stephen is outstanding. He advises on both complex children and financial matters, which separates him from the crowd.

He quickly grasps the core issues in a case and is concise and succinct in his summary and indications.

Alexander is very approachable and very down to earth with the client.

Alexander Chandler is charming, thorough, pragmatic and thoughtful.

A phenomenal operator and way ahead of much of the competition. One of the smartest silks money can buy who leads on many of the biggest ticket and highest profile cases.

Deepak Nagpal has exceptional knowledge of the law.

Elizabeth Selman is an outstanding children advocate, who has encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and huge tactical skill. She is a calming, empathetic and down-to-earth presence with clients.

Elizabeth's client communication skills are top tier. She has the ability to gain a client's trust and respect quickly, and present difficult matters in a clear and tactful manner.

Liz is able to calmly and succinctly make her point for her client in a reasonable manner without unduly escalating the tensions in what can be emotionally fraught and sensitive cases.

Liz is great at reading clients and adapting to issues faced at trial. Clients love her and feel reassured that their case is being presented as it should be with no stone unturned.

Elizabeth just has that gravitas that means there's no posturing. She is warm with clients and inspires great confidence.

Frank is truly one-of-a-kind and it has been an absolute pleasure to have worked with him on my matters.

One of the brightest men at the Family Bar. He's really charming and persuasive in court.

She has phenomenal energy and is a clever negotiator.

Juliet is extremely knowledgeable and has impeccable judgement. She has a lovely manner with clients - they trust her advice implicitly.

Juliet Chapman is exemplary. Smart, decisive and someone who understands the nuances of a case, she is a go-to barrister for financial work.

Juliet has worked with me on very complex matters and she is just a superb advocate.

Juliet is super stylish and very bright. A highly persuasive barrister, who makes her arguments in an elegant fashion, she's a real diamond.

Kate goes above and beyond my expectations. She manages tricky cases well and delivers her advice in a way which is tailored to the individual client based on their needs and expectations.

Kate has a commanding presence in the courtroom and reads a judge well. She thinks on her feet and tailors her advocacy to the judge which means that she is extremely effective.

Kate displays very impressive legal knowledge and her ability to grapple with complex, high value matters is excellent. Kate is able to distil down nuanced points in a clear and concise way.

She is strategic in her approach and a fierce advocate. That said, she is also empathetic with clients and provides pragmatic advice which makes her an extremely trustworthy choice.

She is well-liked by the client and is able to deduce when to collaborate with the other side and when to fight.

A pleasure to instruct and a fantastic advocate and judge.

Laura is incredibly intelligent. She provides reassurance and support to the instructing solicitor, and has a very kind, caring manner with the clients.

She cuts through to the core and is quick to grasp the issues in a case, no matter how small they are within the context of highly complex cases.

Extremely client friendly, she has an excellent bedside manner even with the most difficult clients. She is an exceptional barrister.

She was incredibly empathetic to a distressed client and delivered difficult to hear advice in a clear but understanding way.

Mandy practices in cases beyond her call. She is often the sought-out junior for cases with complex dynamics, particularly those involving trusts and intervenors.

Mandy excels at what she does and puts the client at ease straight away. She is supportive throughout when assistance is needed in between hearings.

Mandy's written work is prepared with effortless mastery of the papers and is supplemented by advocacy worthy of a silk. She is just a pleasure to work with.

She makes the most complex arguments understandable for clients.

She's really empathetic but at the same time is able to give firm advice. She's able to do that because she's got a really good grasp of the law.

Naomi is a fearless advocate who often works on cutting edge cases, securing justice for those she represents.

Nick has a tremendous ability to cut to the heart of the most complex of cases. His strategic decisions are faultless, and he manages to be a very pleasant opponent in the most acrimonious of cases.

A superb all-rounder. One of the cleverest, most approachable and nicest members of the family Bar.

Nicholas Anderson is incredibly well respected and a safe pair of hands for both international children and money matters.

Nicholas is a master tactician who achieves great results. He is strong at both complex finance and complex children work.

Tom makes clients feel their case has been incredibly fought for. He is sensible in his advice and always has one eye on the end goal.

He is a capable advocate who is willing to engage and give direct answers to questions. He cuts straight to the heart of the matter and is someone a judge can rely upon.

Thomas Dance is able to distil really complex issues into their fundamental parts.

Tom is a force to be reckoned with and an exceptional advocate, who is both simultaneously incisive and charming. He is empathetic, dedicated and incredibly hard-working.

Tom is a powerful and measured advocate with skill far beyond his years. He consistently seeks out constructive and creative outcomes for clients.

Anita has an incredible grasp of the facts in the most convoluted and complex cases and is able to pull them together into a coherent structure to pursue effective lines of cross-examination.

You can really appreciate the effort she puts in and she's not scared to give robust advice if needed.

She has impressive knowledge and excellent advocacy skills, resulting in positive outcomes for her clients.

She has a certain gravitas in court and judges listen to her.

George is notoriously user-friendly and someone who will really apply himself thoughtfully and effectively to his cases. He's someone that I would trust with deeply complex issues.

George is highly intelligent, meticulously prepared and someone with supreme client skills who also has the judge's ear. The full package.

George can very capably handle difficult matters well beyond his level of call.

Clients are immediately put at ease with George; he exudes confidence and is a fountain of knowledge. You know that you are in excellent hands with him.

Judith Murray provided an excellent level of service. My client completely trusted and respected her and felt supported and understood.

Judith is exceptionally supportive to solicitors - she is loyal and has great integrity.

She is just a really safe pair of hands when you need someone who is an experienced litigator who is going to be unfazed by difficult cases or sets of facts.

Judith is incredibly well-prepared and her attention to detail is meticulous. She is extremely organised.

An exceptional barrister who is wise beyond her years and has now seen everything. She can tackle any complex legal issue.

Julia’s exceptional ability to navigate intricate child custody disputes, adoption cases and child protection matters sets her apart as one of the foremost authorities in the field.

Julia is absolutely superb - a joy to work with and just loved by clients. She is meticulous in her preparation and brilliant on her feet.

Julia s simply excellent and tireless in her efforts to do the best for the client. She adopts a lovely, calm approach and her instincts are always spot on.

Kelan is dedicated, efficient, resourceful, quick on his feet, eloquent and always the most prepared. He is the barrister's barrister and a total professional.

Kelan has a lightness of touch that is uncommon in finance barristers. He always keeps the big picture in his mind, even when required to leave no stone unturned, which he does with aplomb.

Kelan has a fantastic manner with clients. He views his cases with real pragmatism and always tries to find a sensible way through, whilst also being tough and prepared to fight if necessary.

He is a highly skilled advocate with a powerful and nuanced style that stands him apart from his peers.

Kelan has a good way with clients, reassuring them in an instant. His ability to read the room and narrow down the issues is outstanding.

A fantastic advocate, who is appealing to judges and clients due to his calm and authoritative manner.

Max can cut through all the detail and come out with a clear solution to the problem.

An excellent barrister who is committed to his cases. Max is great with clients and tenacious in court.

Max presents matters in a way that clients can comprehend. He is authentic in his delivery of advice and in his general approach.

He is very kind and caring, and he has a good knowledge of the law.

Millie has a commanding presence in the courtroom because of her incisive submissions. Judges cannot but help be persuaded by her arguments.

Millie Benson is kind with clients but tough in court.

Samantha is really conciliatory in her approach which is a breath of fresh air.

Samantha is a wonderful barrister to work with on matters. Her knowledge and skill in complex private children work is exemplary.

Sophie has a remarkable ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and is always incredibly well-prepared. Her attention to detail is meticulous.

Sophie is a superb, well-rounded barrister. She is incredibly intelligent, all over the detail in complex cases, brilliant with clients and someone who displays immaculate attention to detail.

Sophie brings great energy. She is lightning fast in assessing a case and is excellent at responding on the spot.

Sophie has a special ability to build an instant rapport with the client. She makes them feel secure and then produces superior advocacy.

If it comes to a real fight, you want Sophie on your side. She is super brainy and a fearless advocate.

Victoria is an exceptional barrister, who has an extensive knowledge in Children Act proceedings.

Victoria is a very strong advocate, who fights hard for her clients to secure good outcomes.

A fantastic advocate who navigates her work well.

Andrea is an excellent all-round barrister, with great technical skills. She she is a persuasive advocate with excellent communication skills who has the ability to get to the crux of the issue.

Andrea is empathetic, caring and clients always love her as they feel she really listens to them. She goes the extra mile for clients and her advocacy skills are fantastic.

Very good professionally and a real pleasure to work with. She's also good at mentoring younger lawyers

A very good and fearless advocate.

She had the client's trust almost immediately and was excellent on her feet.

She can get to the crux of a complex matter promptly and, whilst she has a sensitive and supportive approach to clients, she is fierce and robust with opponents.

Her ability to communicate complex matters to a client in simplistic terms is very impressive. She is a pleasure to work with.

She is able to think outside the box, and has first class depth of knowledge and ability, ensuring she achieves the best outcome for the client.

Helen always delivers an excellent service. Her ability to convey complex matters to clients, whilst reassuring them as to the legal processes and what to expect going forward, is very impressive.

Razor-sharp, excellent on her feet and someone with very strong knowledge of her practice areas. She's a delight to work with and a firm favourite with clients.

Helen is a formidable advocate and a force to be reckoned with, who absolutely smashes it in the courtroom. Client and solicitors love her.

Helen is a master of both children and finance work, which is a huge asset to have when you're faced with multiple proceedings.

Jay is an exceptionally detailed barrister. He's extremely methodical in his approach and in his application of the law.

His cross-examination is some of the best out there and he will fight his client's corner and run that case to the end.

Brilliant across the board. Lucia's preparation is fantastic and she is extremely effective in court.

Lucia is wonderful with clients and her preparation of cases cannot be faulted.

A quick-witted and tenacious advocate.

Lucia is beyond brilliant and a joy to instruct. She quickly grasps the most complex matters, she works exceptionally hard and she will always make time for you.

Lucia is tenacious but empathetic. She is always prepared and does nothing but get the best for her client.

Martha is always a pleasure to work with as she combines tenacious advocacy with excellent judgement.

She is extremely experienced and can be trusted to achieve a great outcome in difficult cases. Her knowledge of case law is amazing and she goes the extra mile for clients.

Martha is an expert barrister in children law matters, especially those with an international dimension.

Martha is an excellent all-round barrister, with great technical skills. She is a persuasive advocate with excellent communication skills, who has the ability to get to the crux of the issue.

The quality of her work and advocacy is excellent, and she is brilliant at representing vulnerable clients.

Perican always has excellent judgement on case strategy. She is tenacious, quick-witted, passionate and hugely empathetic to her clients.

She is a very reassuring presence to the clients and offers truly compassionate client care.

Perican easily thinks on her feet. Her written work is outstanding and her ability to recall case law within submissions is second to none.

I instruct Victoria Halsall for her impressive expertise and experience in family law, particularly in children matters. She excels in handling complex cases.

She gives really balanced advice but is totally unafraid to put forward a point with genuine oomph.

A very good advocate whose preparation is excellent.

Victoria takes the time to really understand each case and is not afraid to be fierce in cross-examination and submissions when required.

She is as emotionally intelligent as she is intellectually bright, and the client really benefited from her gentle approach in conference and her robust presentation in court.

Elle Tait is able to dig deeper into matters, not just considering what is on the surface, but the greater issues that lie below.

Elle is very able and confident when dealing with international children cases in the High Court. She is great in conference with clients and strong on her feet in court.

Elle's advocacy, both written and oral, is always clear and well formulated.

Elle Tait is a future star, who was brilliant with my client in a complex children case. She was well prepared and able to build a good rapport with my client quickly.

Emma is a wonderful barrister to work with.

Emma Wilson is robust, highly detailed and someone with excellent client care skills.

She is charismatic, extremely intelligent, strong-minded and empathetic with clients. The court and clients love her because she is just excellent.

Emma's excellent legal acumen and profound understanding of law were evident from the outset. Her ability to distil complex legal issues into understandable language was clear for all to see.

It is his advocacy and dialogue with the judges that make him an absolute standout. His oral advocacy and presentation are impactful and compelling, and he hits the right tone every time.

His client skills are exceptional as are his legal knowledge and advocacy.

Tadhgh is an outstanding advocate whose experience is well beyond his year of call. He shows care and dedication to each and every case before him.

His impeccable written work is backed up by his authoritative and convincing manner in court. He leaves no stone unturned in his search for the best outcome for his clients.

An impressive barrister and a strong tactician.