Steven Ashworth

Steven specialises in family law in relation to children. He is regularly instructed to represent parties in public and private law children cases at all levels of court, including the High Court, and has appeared successfully in the Court of Appeal.

Steven has extensive experience of complex care proceedings, in which he acts for local authorities, parents, children and extended family members. He is instructed in cases involving: vulnerable parties; alleged parental culpability in child death; serious inflicted injury including fractures and catastrophic head injuries; allegations of FII; allegations of sexual abuse; complex international issues including placements of children in foreign jurisdictions; radicalisation; and a broad range of appeals.

Steven is often instructed in cases involving King’s Counsel, either acting alone, as a led junior or a leading junior.

Steven regularly acts for parties in private law proceedings (including at arbitration) for child arrangements, prohibited steps and specific issue orders, especially in cases where the children are separately represented, where there are international issues, and where there are serious safeguarding concerns requiring fact-finding hearings.

Alongside this, Steven represents parties in applications for injunctive relief. He has experience in proceedings concerning applications for forced marriage protection orders and FGM protection orders.

Steven accepts public access instructions in appropriate cases.

Steven was appointed as a Recorder in 2024, sitting in the Family Court on the South Eastern circuit.

LLB (Hons) Bachelor of Laws

BVC – BPP Law School, London

Sir Geoffrey Veale Scholarship (The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple)

Call: 2006