Family: children and domestic abuse

'Jo’s advocacy is empathetic, authoritative and persuasive. She has a firm grasp of the complexities and provides a simple view through the difficult issues.'

‘Deborah is an absolute powerhouse of authority, knowledge, tactical and strategical brilliance and a rock of reassurance for her clients. Her tactical and strategic positioning of her client's cases to win is spot-on and unrivalled.’

Charles Geekie KC

‘Charles is a calm and measured advocate who can fight his corner when required. He is a preeminent children's silk, and his written work is of a high standard. He is a careful strategist who understands all facets of the case. He is also regarded as a wise and respected arbitrator.’

‘Charles is a powerful and persuasive advocate with considerable emotional intelligence and confidence. He is a go-to in complex children’s matters, particularly with cross-jurisdictional complexities. He is charming and knowledgeable with lawyers in other jurisdictions, leading with significant gravitas and a pearl of worldly wisdom.’

Richard Harrison KC

‘Richard is always meticulously prepared and has excellent client care skills. He is well-liked and highly regarded by his peers and the judiciary alike. He has an excellent sense of humour and is very likeable.’

Piers Pressdee KC

‘Piers is an excellent advocate and is known as one of the stand-out children’s law silks at the family Bar. He is a fair and friendly opponent.’

Henry Setright KC

‘Henry is superb at technically detailed cases and those with complex jurisdictional issues. His knowledge and depth of understanding of international family law are immense, and he is a go-to silk on international cases. He is a great tactician. His style, intellect and persuasiveness always impress.’

Paul Storey KC

29 Bedford Row Chambers

‘Paul is a real master of oral and written advocacy with an incredible understanding of the medicine and personal dynamic of cases. A real champion of disadvantaged and underprivileged clients.’

William Tyler KC

The 36 Group

‘William has the ability to handle and present complex fact-finding material with a lightness of touch that belies the amount of work invested in making the task appear effortless. He has a degree of gravitas and composure in his presentation that commands authority in court.’

Alex Verdan KC

‘Alex is always very well-prepared and the clients love him. He has a great bedside manner and is able to explain relatively complex issues in a very easy-to-understand way.’

Barbara Connolly KC

7BR

‘Barbara is one of the leading silks in complex public law children cases. She has a gravitas, capacity to absorb and synthesise information, and her understanding of the law and strategy is second to none.’

Tina Cook KC

‘Tina is a very strong cross-examiner of experts and parents. She is always on top of the papers and a good tactician.’

‘Alison’s advocacy is second to none. She advocates with clarity and authority, and her ability to think on her feet to respond to anything her opponent or the judge may say is simply first-rate. Her powers of persuasion in the courtroom are world-class.’

Christopher Hames KC

‘Chris is approachable and clearly communicates legal principles. He is quick on his feet and empathetic when dealing with clients in complicated situations. He is very client-focused and willing to go the extra mile to prepare thoroughly.’

Charles Howard KC

‘Charles is the best cross-examiner. He is tenacious and has a brilliant forensic mind. He can absorb papers at a phenomenal rate and never loses his cool.’

Sam King KC

‘Sam stands out amongst her peers as a stellar advocate. Her oral advocacy is incisive and compelling. When she cross-examines lay witnesses, there is no escape when she has a particular point to make. When she cross-examines expert witnesses, it is clear that she has an excellent understanding of complex medical issues.’

Cyrus Larizadeh KC

‘Cyrus’ advocacy skills are extremely good, and he goes above and beyond for his clients. He is friendly and approachable and always makes clients feel at ease.’

Hannah Markham KC

The 36 Group

‘Hannah is a tenacious, skilled advocate who fights her client’s corner and has incredible judgement in the trickiest cases. She inspires faith and confidence and is thoroughly decent while running a case. She is impressive and persuasive on her feet, and the tribunals listen to her.’

Andrew Norton KC

‘Andrew is measured, restrained and effective as an advocate. He is always on top of the papers and takes a sensible and proportionate approach to all cases.’

'A superb advocate, both in terms of oral argument and written work. Right at the top of his game. Mark commands the judges' respect due to his highly tactical approach to his cases. Devastating in cross-examination and formidable in legal argument. An all round class act.'

Francesca Wiley KC

1 Crown Office Row

'Francesca Wiley is the most amazing King's Counsel - my go to counsel where you want the very best.'

Catherine Wood KC

‘Catherine is a brilliant advocate. She makes everything look effortless. She rolls her sleeves up, listens to the client and solicitors and then gets on with it. Judges listen to her too. She is not afraid of a fight but is so pragmatic.’

Deirdre Fottrell KC

‘Deirdre has an incredible capacity to tread a path through litigation that is both sensitive to the issues but strategically robust. She reads the situation and has incisive judgement. A hands-on silk who has the respect of all her peers.’

Anna McKenna KC

‘Anna demonstrates a profound understanding of the nuances of private child litigation, bringing to bear her extensive experience in the public sphere. She fits seamlessly into any team and is a supremely accessible silk to work with.’

Richard Anelay KC

‘Richard is extremely knowledgeable about the law relating to children. He is a calm, charming and robust advocate who gets to the point in a way that everyone can understand.’

Andrew Bagchi KC

‘Andrew is simply unflappable. He cuts through the detail and can simplify complicated issues with ease. He is one of the most personable and down-to-earth barrister. He is a go-to silk for children matters.’

Kate Branigan KC

‘Kate is an exceptional barrister. Her strength lies in her encyclopedic knowledge of the law and medicine, with her empathetic approach to her clients. She is excellent at mastering the most difficult cases and has every page of her papers at her fingertips. Her advocacy is a masterclass in cross-examination.’

Nkumbe Ekaney KC

‘Nkumbe is a class act. He has a charming manner and cross-examines complex evidence with ease. His submissions are of the highest standard.’

Damian Garrido KC

‘Damian is an excellent advocate - unhurried, cerebral and detail-focused. He effortlessly commands a courtroom whilst also having an excellent manner with clients. He is a popular advocate both with clients and the court.’

Nick Goodwin KC

‘Nick is an intellectual powerhouse and has an enviable ability to jump around the papers to pull the rabbit from the hat to drive an argument home. His ability to marshall fact and law to the most powerful effect is a silk masterclass.’

‘Rachel is a force of nature. She is passionate about her cases but never loses sight of the big picture and always meticulously prepared. Her advocacy is to the point, forceful, courteous and highly effective.’

Barbara Mills KC

‘Barbara is extraordinarily insightful and has an unmatched ability to identify the real issues in a case and address them head-on. Her written and oral advocacy is forceful and persuasive, and she always has the respect and ear of any tribunal.’

Sam Momtaz KC

'He is a robust advocate, with good legal and forensic understanding.'

Cleo Perry KC

‘Cleo has an incredible depth of knowledge which she deploys with razor-sharp precision. Her advocacy is commanding and considered.’

Gemma Taylor KC

Damian Woodward-Carlton KC

‘Gemma’s integrity and independence of mindsets are a standard few can match. She carries herself in court with a quiet confidence that commands everyone’s respect and attention.’

‘Damian is a consummate advocate. He is unfailingly well-prepared. His calm demeanour in court belies a steely determination.’

Shiva Ancliffe KC

Coram Chambers

'Shiva is authoritative, skilled with judges, and is a powerful force as a trial advocate.'

Denise Gilling KC

‘Denise is very clear in her advocacy and has a way of getting to the heart of an issue in her cross-examination of witnesses. She is a personable advocate who prepares her cases in great detail.’

Martin Kingerley KC

The 36 Group

‘Martin is very hardworking and has an excellent knowledge of the law. He is a calming influence in court and is always appreciated by the court.’

Ruth Kirby KC

‘Ruth is a force of nature. She quickly grasps the most complex matters – absorbing the paperwork like a sponge. She goes the extra mile in court to pursue points for her clients, and her advocacy is slick, persuasive and, when needed, fiery.’

Brendan Roche KC

7BR

‘Brendan is a fantastic silk, succinct and unflappable. His advocacy style is distinctive and highly effective, and he has a towering presence in court.’

Jonathan Sampson KC

'Jonathan is one of the most intelligent advocates. His grasp of expert evidence, in particular, is extremely impressive.'

Sally Stone KC

‘Sally is meticulous in preparation, exacting her standards with an incredible capacity to absorb and retain detail to develop a rapport with lay clients.’

John Vater KC

‘John is an extremely experienced advocate. He is highly skilled when it comes to cross-examination and achieves outstanding results for the clients.’

Aidan Vine KC

‘Aiden is keen and has impressive legal analytical skills. His arguments are extremely well-researched and presented calmly and expertly advanced to the court.’

Amanda Weston KC

Garden Court Chambers

'Amanda is extremely passionate about her client's cases and works very hard to achieve a just outcome. She always goes the extra mile.'

2022 Silks

Joy Brereton KC

‘Joy is a superlative advocate who can take a case by the scruff of the neck and turn it around. She is empathetic, user-friendly and the total package.’

Laura Briggs KC

‘Laura is well-liked and respected in equal measure. She is a respectful opponent, and very approachable with clients, including those who are extremely vulnerable. She is meticulous in her preparation, a masterful tactician and an extremely impressive advocate. She is so impressive in cross-examination and gets so much more out of witnesses than many others. She is able to read people and situations brilliantly.’

Gemma Farrington KC

‘Gemma is hard-working and thorough. She is organised and persistent, and her advocacy is persuasive. She is unafraid to take on tough points.'

Michael Gration KC

‘Michael is an exceptional barrister who marries natural talent with industry. He is highly respected by the judiciary as he knows his subject inside out. He is able to guide the court on the law. He is also extremely persuasive in the manner that he presents his cases. He very often makes the outcome that he is seeking appear to be the attractive, logical outcome.’

Tim Parker KC

Deka Chambers

‘Tim has a reassuring and calm manner in court. He is eloquent in cross-examination, detailed and persuasive. He is able to deal with expert witnesses when their evidence is not favourable to his client. He is highly regarded in the profession.’

2023 Silks

Dorothea Gartland KC

‘Dorothea is always loved and trusted by clients. Her down-to-earth manner is refreshing and puts clients at ease. She is excellent in court. She is tenacious and will fight her client's corner to the bitter end.’

Mark Jarman KC

‘Mark is straightforward to deal with, gives thoughtful and considered advice that has been strategically very sound and is an excellent advocate. He does not shy away from addressing difficult issues but can present them to the court in a way that makes it clear the solution he puts forward is the obvious route for the judge to follow. He has an excellent legal brain and an exceptional knowledge of international matters. His preparation and organisation are meticulous.’

Louise MacLynn KC

‘Louise is extremely careful and thoughtful in her analysis and is an exceptionally clear advocate. She considers the views of others and is excellent at working collaboratively.’

Judith Murray KC