Family: private FDR judges and arbitrators

Leading Private FDR Judges and Arbitrators

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

1

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.’

1

Tim Amos KC

Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB)

1

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.’

1

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.'

1

Alexis Campbell KC

29 Bedford Row Chambers

 

1

Alexander Chandler KC

1 King’s Bench Walk

'Alexander's judgement is second-to-none.'

1

Nigel Dyer KC

1 Hare Court

1

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.

1

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.’

1

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.'

1

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.'

1

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.’

2

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.’

2

Duncan Brooks KC

Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB)

2

Tom Carter

1 Hare Court

2

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.'

2

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.'

2

James Ewins KC

Queen Elizabeth Building (QEB)

2

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.’

2

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.’

2

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.'

2

Fiona Hay

Harcourt Chambers

2

Claire Heppenstall

1GC | 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.’

2

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.'

2

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.’

2

Harry Oliver KC

1 King’s Bench Walk

2

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.’

2

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.'

2

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.’

3

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.'

3

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.’

3

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.’

3

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.'

3

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.'

3

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.'

3

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.'

3

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.’

3

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.’

3

Charlotte Hartley MCIArb

1 King’s Bench Walk

s 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.'

3

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.’

3

Geoffrey Kelly

Pump Court Chambers

e is inquisitive and can really get to the root of the issues quickly and effectively.’

3

Laura Moys

1 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.'

3

Peter Newman

1 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.’

3

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.'

3

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.’

3

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.’

3

Rhys Taylor

The 36 Group

3

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.'

3

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.’

3

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.'

3

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.’