Family: children and domestic abuse

Leading juniors
Rising stars

Leading Juniors

Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.

1

Christopher Adams

St Philips Chambers

‘Chris is an exceptional advocate, vastly knowledgeable, meticulous and authoritative. His strength is in his command of complex matters and his calm, focussed and persuasive advocacy. He works collaboratively and supportively with professional clients, and is much sought after and respected.'

1

Matthew Brookes-Baker

Harcourt Chambers

'Matthew is one of the most effective and committed advocates around. He is clear and focused with every line he takes - a real force to be reckoned with.'

1

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Kristina is an excellent advocate who is always thoroughly prepared and ensures that clients cases are articulately and persuasively argued. She is sensitive to the needs of the client, and is approachable and calm and measured in her manner, in often very difficult situations.'

1

Michelle Christie

St Philips Chambers

‘Michelle is a force to be reckoned with. She is a great advocate with strong advocacy skills and her knowledge of the law is excellent.'

1

Victoria Clifford

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Victoria is a powerhouse whose advocacy commands attention. She is passionate in her arguments and will always ensure a just outcome is received.'

1

Harcourt Chambers

1

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Michele is among the best private law children counsel around without exception. She is strategic in her approach and beyond robust in her advocacy. She cares about clients and her instructing solicitors.’

1

Kirsty Gallacher

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Kirsty is a superb, fearless advocate. She is always well prepared and an absolute pleasure to work with.'

1

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Orla is a hugely capable junior. She is a bold advocate who uses her intellect and tenacity to excellent effect. Her attention to detail is second to none - assimilating vast amounts of material and distilling the same to meet the brief in any particular case. Orla is extremely diligent and also blessed with excellent client care.'

1

St Ives Chambers

‘Tom is a real aster of oral and written advocacy. His preparation is second to none. He is the perfect blend as an advocate; approachable but authoritative. He has an amazing knowledge of case law and uses it to enormous effect. He fights every case with commitment and goes that extra mile. He is a force to be reckoned with.'

1

St Philips Chambers

‘Carolyn is a formidable advocate. She is brutally effective in cross-examination. A real leading light at the Birmingham family Bar.’

1

St Ives Chambers

‘Tracy is a highly expert advocate who is instructed and relied upon in those very cases which require individual and exceptional skills to successfully manage. She has always demonstrated an ease in understanding the importance and influence of evidence. Tracy has a natural ability to put clients who are extremely anxious at ease.’

1

Justine Lattimer

St Ives Chambers

‘Justine is an impressive and effective advocate. She particularly specialises in cases with vulnerable witnesses. Her ability to cross-examine in a polite, calm, and unflappable way is just brilliant. She is the strongest junior around.’

1

‘Nicola is a exceptional barrister. She is thorough, amazingly professional, sensitive to clients needs and will give everything to each case. She is a pillar of strength – robust in court and realistic and sensitive in her approach.’

1

Matthew Maynard

St Ives Chambers

‘Matt is a huge presence when he is in court. He has the ability to be the focal point for the whole case. Matt has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law. He is adaptable, can be charming and gentle but can also be the bludgeon who batters down the doors.’

1

Harcourt Chambers

‘Hannah is a fantastically skilled and knowledgeable advocate. Her advocacy is first class and she puts forward arguments clearly, effectively and politely. Hannah is always polite, courteous, available to have conferences, proactive, and efficient.'

1

Yolanda Pemberton

St Philips Chambers

‘Yolanda has an exceptional ability to drill down into the key issues in any case to be able to identify key strengths and weaknesses. Her approach is forensic and she is able to distil into an easily and accessible chronological format significant amounts of complex factual and medical information. Yolanda is a force in cross-examination but empathetic with vulnerable witnesses.'

1

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

'Kathryn is an excellent barrister. She is unflappable and cool in a crisis and makes everything look effortless. She is very good at changing her style to suit the needs of the case. Kathryn is destined for great things.'

1

Christopher Watson

St Philips Chambers

‘Christopher is a skilled and persuasive advocate who fights his clients case with great determination. His experience, expertise and detailed knowledge of the law means that he can present even the most difficult legal arguments with a lightness of touch.'

1

The Barrister Group

1

Samantha Reddington

St Albans Chambers

2

Moira Ashton-Walsh

St Ives Chambers

2

St Philips Chambers

‘Gemma is a tenacious and confident advocate. She has an understanding and sensitive bedside manner with extensive knowledge. Gemma has a wealth of experience and her advocacy skills are to be admired. She is a very safe pair of hands.'

2

St Philips Chambers

‘Nick is one of the most determined barristers on the circuit. He is a personable and popular barrister but once his game face is in place, there it remains. He is an intelligent and thoughtful advocate, whose submissions are measured, pertinent and carefully crafted.'

2

‘Nicola is a determined and fearless advocate and strong cross-examiner. She has exceptionally good client skills and as an advocate is always very down-to-earth, pragmatic and sensible.'

2

‘Lucy is pragmatic but personable. She prepares in great depth; she is robust both on paper in skeleton arguments and position statements, and in court. Lucy has a strong presence in court but also provides sensible advice to clients. She goes above and beyond.’

2

St Ives Chambers

‘James is a barrister for complex or unusual cases. He provides clear and robust advice and clients are happy to place trust in him. He is an extremely competent advocate. He is very approachable and is willing to go the extra mile when needed.’

2

Mark Cooper-Hall

St Ives Chambers

'Mark is an intellectually outstanding barrister who carefully crafts cross-examination and persuasive submissions. He is able to deal with complex medical information quickly and is able to provide user-friendly advice and guidance to solicitors and vulnerable clients.'

2

St Ives Chambers

‘Kirstie is a formidable but approachable advocate. She is forensic in her approach to cross-examination. Kirstie is able to give clear advice when needed even when that is in relation to the prospects of her case.'

2

Lucy Fairclough

Harcourt Chambers

‘Lucy is an incredible advocate. It is a skill that seems to come so naturally to her and her style is both effective and disarming. She is meticulous with her preparation and she fights fiercely for her clients and is able to build rapport with the most vulnerable clients incredibly quickly as she is both down to earth and sincere.'

2

‘Aimee is a formidable opponent. She is sharp as a razor and calm under pressure. Aimee quickly gets to grips with complex issues and instinctively handles the most sensitive of situations. She is a pleasure to work with and skilled beyond her call.'

2

Lawrence Messling

2

St Ives Chambers

‘David is a skilled advocate, who is always calm and measured in his approach, with a real eye for detail. His preparation of a case is always extremely thorough and he gets to grips with the issues in a case very quickly.'

2

‘Laura is very thorough in her preparation and knowledge of cases. She is an excellent advocate, always well prepared and ready to argue a case when necessary, with a fantastic knowledge of the law and case law in support. She is fabulous with clients, putting them at ease very quickly and explaining each and every step before and after hearings.'

2

Daniel Sheridan

Harcourt Chambers

‘Daniel is fantastic at analysing vast amounts of evidence and focusing on the overarching issues without losing the importance of the finer details. He has great client care and is sensitive and thoughtful of the client's situation.'

2

Margaret Styles

Harcourt Chambers

‘Margaret has great attention to detail, is a great negotiator, goes the extra mile, is brilliant at drafting and great on her feet. She is also a strong and brilliant advocate.'

2

St Philips Chambers

‘Abigail is brilliant with vulnerable clients and she approaches every case with empathy and sensitivity. She is a tenacious advocate who has a firm and measured style. Her attention to detail and preparation is meticulous!'

2

2

St Mary’s Chambers

'Judy is one of the most well-respected barristers on the circuit to be trusted in complicated matters and contested hearings. Her communication with and advice to clients and solicitors alike is always clear and considered, and her advocacy measured and effective.'

2

St Mary’s Chambers

'Sara is a highly skilled advocate who shows strong commitment and dedication to the cases on which she is instructed. Sara is always thoroughly prepared and goes out of her way to assist with any questions or queries to ensure the smooth running of a case. She has excellent client care skills and always provides clear and straightforward advice.'

2

St Mary's Chambers

‘Zoe is one of the best juniors around. She is extremely clever and melds together technical acumen with pragmatism to deliver remarkable results. Zoe also has a very kind and supportive approach to how she works with others.’

2

St Mary’s Chambers

‘Claire is highly experienced in complex public and private law children matters. She is an astute and confident advocate who focuses on the key issues in the case. Claire is an accomplished cross-examiner and has an engaging manner with witnesses that teases out strong evidence.'

2

St Mary’s Chambers

‘Anita is an exceptional barrister, in both her advocacy and case preparation. She works incredibly hard and is dogged in her determination to put the very best case for her client. Anita is a brilliant advocate, she is confident and measured under pressure and she is very good at thinking on her feet.'

2

St Mary's Chambers

‘Steven is a very able barrister. He is fluent and engaging as well as creative in making his arguments to advance his client’s case. He is particularly adept in cases involving complex medical evidence.’

2

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Heather is tenacious and pays excellent attention to detail. She is clear and concise with her advice and is really good with vulnerable clients. Her advocacy is on point in an articulate and persuasive manner.'

3

Stephen Abberley

‘Stephen is a first-rate junior and rivals his silk colleagues in his case analysis, paperwork and cross-examination. His case preparation and analysis is second to none. He is a first choice for complex children matters, particularly when physical abuse is an issue.’

3

‘Amy is a fantastic barrister. She has a calm and considerate manner with clients. She is extremely well-prepared and can be relied upon to have read all her papers and prepped the case thoroughly. She works collaboratively with instructing solicitors which is always a positive. She gives sage and commercial advice, but is also a tenacious advocate in court.'

3

3

KCH Garden Square

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Tom is a superb advocate. He is always well prepared and very persuasive in court but his manner puts clients at ease.’

3

‘Nathalie's particular strength is for having compassion and empathy for clients whilst also providing clear and concise legal advice. Her written documents are well structured and she is able to explain complex legal matters simply. Nathalie is persuasive and unwavering but in a respectful and considered way.'

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Ben has the ability to provide clients with clear and robust advice, whilst doing so with sensitivity. He is a skilled advocate with an acute attention to detail.’

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Sam is an excellent barrister. He is approachable, knowledgeable and his attention to detail is fantastic. He is a highly skilled and compelling advocate.’

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Rebecca is excellent. She is extremely personable and approachable, and achieves excellent results yet balances that with compassion and understanding. Rebecca’s advocacy is top-notch; she makes her points clearly and decisively.’

3

Frida Dahlqvist

‘Frida is extremely approachable, professional and personable. She is always well prepared and incredibly thorough: an experienced and effective advocate with clear communication skills.’

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Lawren is a very thorough, diligent and capable barrister. She handles complex and heavily contested issues in a calm and efficient way and with grace under high pressure. She is personable, friendly and a passionate advocate who develops a good relationship with clients and she is willing to work in a cooperative and collaborative way to achieve the best outcome for the client. She is highly skilled and a very capable pair of hands.’

3

‘Andrew is a formidable advocate. His written advocacy is exceptional and always drafted with precision and care. He is always up to date with developments in the field of children law and never shies away from a legal argument. Andrew has a reputation for excellent oral advocacy; he is persuasive, tenacious and suitably adaptable depending on the witness.'

3

‘Samantha is very knowledgeable in her practice area and has specific expertise in complex care proceedings. She is a safe pair of hands and goes over and above to check evidence and is always well prepared for hearings. She is a strong advocate and ensures she fights for her client in a professional way.'

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Matthew is an excellent barrister. He manages the most difficult cases with grace and precision. Matthew is a superior advocate who calmly but firmly takes the witness to where he wants to go.'

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Anthony is a thorough and thoughtful barrister with an ability to make his clients feel safe and secure. He also has the skill to pick out the evidence required to assist the court and can cut through voluminous documents. He is an excellent draftsman ensuring complex schedules are easily understandable to the lay clients especially in cases where emotions are running high.’

3

‘Adeo never appears fazed by anything or intimated by anyone and has an ability to instill confidence in clients. He manages to carefully balance complex legal proceedings with a human and empathetic touch and is an excellent advocate, even amongst the toughest opponents.'

3

'Paul is a veracious advocate whose attention to detail is excellent. He also is empathetic and thoughtful and he gives a voice to those who often feel that they have none, Paul has represented children who genuinely for the first time feel that they have been given a voice and most importantly have been listened to because of his first class advocacy. '

3

St Philips Chambers

‘Molly is outstanding in both private and public law. She is a tenacious and compelling advocate who quickly grasps all of the issues. She is much respected by professional clients and loved by lay clients, who appreciate her kind but pragmatic approach.'

3

Harcourt Chambers

3

'Emma is a first-rate advocate and fully commits to any case she is briefed on. She is a delight to work with and demonstrates she values her solicitors' input. She is an excellent advocate and her written material is also excellent. She is a first choice of barrister for almost any case.'

3

Charlene Henderson

3

William Horwood

St Philips Chambers

'William is a very confident and well-prepared advocate which is backed up by his excellent grasp of statute and case law. He is incredibly approachable and is always happy to discuss matters. His advocacy style is measured and non-confrontational which proves highly effective.'

3

St Ives Chambers

3

Nicola McIntosh

‘Nicola is approachable, always very well prepared and highly knowledgeable. She is very skilled in dealing with difficult litigants in person and provides sensible and thorough advice. Nicola is an extremely competent advocate and her cross-examination is focused and thorough.’

3

Harcourt Chambers

‘Simon is a very safe pair of hands for even the most complex of care cases. He is always well prepared, his paperwork is exceptional, and he is compelling on his feet.'

3

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

'Arrin operates at a level far beyond her year of call. She is meticulous in her preparation and a tenacious advocate who always goes above and beyond for her clients. Her presentation in court is superb, she is clear and concise but will robustly pursue the issues that matter. Her client care is also fantastic.'

3

Harcourt Chambers

‘Oliver is laser focused and takes a meticulous approach. He is always well prepared and often explains complex facts and legal principles clearly and effectively. He is calm which is always well received and is truly a safe pair of hands.'

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Greg brings calm to every situation. He has excellent attention to detail, experience and a kind and compassionate manner - he is a pleasure to deal with both as an instructing solicitor and as an opponent. He has a professional manner with lay clients and professional clients alike.'

3

Louise Sapstead

St Ives Chambers

‘Louise is a strong advocate, with impressive client care skills. She has an ability to work with all types of clients whilst being able to put across their case with ease. She also has an impressive knowledge base and ability to implement such into her submissions to the court.’

3

'Susan is a phenomenal barrister - she is meticulous in her preparation and you underrate her at your peril. She really doesn't pull any punches in her fearless advocacy. She is super organised in her preparation and really makes her clients feel empowered, confident and above all aligned with the strategy.'

3

3

St Ives Chambers

‘Sian is a very hard working and diligent advocate. She fully prepares her cases and is a courteous opponent. She understands her clients and provides them with sensitive and realistic advice. She provides attendance notes promptly to instructing solicitors and highlights next steps to be taken.’

3

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Grace is a tenacious, no-nonsense advocate with a high-energy and approachable demeanour. She knows very intricate points of law and is able to effectively pull them off the top of her head. She is empathetic but not too lenient with clients and directs them well.’

3

3

Halcyon Chambers

‘Jonathan is very thorough and very helpful with advice on how to proceed.’

3

St Mary’s Chambers

‘Vickie is a superb advocate with considerable court presence. She has the respect of other advocates and the judiciary. Her cross examination and her submissions are particular strengths. You would not hesitate to instruct Vickie in a complex high court matter but she is equally at home at any level.'

3

St Mary's Chambers

‘Marie is professional yet very personable with clients. She is thorough, analytical and knowledgeable. Marie has an eye for detail and her advocacy is outstanding.’

3

St Mary’s Chambers

'Laura is an excellent barrister. She is always thoroughly prepared and has exceptional attention to detail. She will always set out her client's position robustly and in a skilled way. Her advocacy is highly skilled; she is persuasive, compelling, and tenacious.'

3

St Mary’s Chambers

‘Kathryn is a well-prepared, dedicated and thoughtful advocate. She is measured in her approach to cross-examining parents in public law care proceedings, and she is extremely well versed when it comes to preparing skeleton arguments for niche points of law.’

3

Cornwall Street Barristers

‘Amy is always clear in her advice and provides feedback in a timely way. She is happy to take time to explain complex matters to clients and is often keen to encourage conferences with client officers to ensure that everyone understands the legalities of the proceedings. Amy is also a tenacious advocate who puts forward the best possible case always, even if she is a lone voice.’

3

Cornwall Street Barristers

‘June is a fearless and highly skilled advocate. She gives practical and realistic advice and will seek to resolve issues by consent if possible. When this cannot be achieved, she is a tenacious advocate who has a forensic approach to documentation. She is always thoroughly prepared and fully conversant with the relevant legal principles and case law.’

3

Stephen Williams

St Mary’s Chambers

‘Stephen is an incredibly skilled advocate, exceptional at cross-examination and very forensic in his approach. Stephen is to be trusted in the most complex cases because he is such an excellent advocate.’

3

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Katie is a quietly spoken but forceful advocate. Her submissions are always persuasive and eloquent. Katie is technically excellent and always has a knowledge of recent case law.'

3

Karen Kabweru-Namulemu

1GC | Family Law

‘Karen is great with clients, putting them at ease, explaining things clearly and she really fights their corner. She is a pleasure to work with and always helpful. In court she is polite but tenacious.’

Rising stars

Rising stars at the Bar are defined as barristers between four and eight years’ call who are seen as up-and-coming members of the Bar in their respective practice areas by clients and peers alike. They will already be instructed in high-profile, complex, and high-value contentious and non-contentious matters, working with and opposite more experienced leading counsel.

Harcourt Chambers

‘Paige is an exceptional barrister. She is professional and diligent. Her position statements are a work of art and her preparation is superb. There are only a few barristers at the Bar like Paige, she is at the top of the game. She is already a leading specialist in the field at such young age.’

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Naomi is fast becoming a go-to counsel. She is approachable and efficient. She is able to withstand the rigours of the court arena in the company of far more senior advocates. She is well prepared and eloquent.'

St Ives Chambers

‘Thomas is a highly gifted advocate and deals with cases in a sensitive, humane and professional manner. His personal warmth, integrity and honesty are qualities which are appreciated by many.'

Holly Hilbourne-Gollop

St Ives Chambers

‘Holly is confident, approachable and extremely diligent. She is sensible in terms of advice, but robust and not afraid to run a case. She has an air of confidence and seems unflappable, which is really reassuring to anxious clients.'

Malvika Jaganmohan

St Ives Chambers

‘Malvika is an exceptional advocate. She is thorough and leaves no stone unturned. Her oral advocacy is excellent. She commands the room and is extremely persuasive.'

St Ives Chambers

‘Zara is extremely thorough. Her attention to detail is second to none. Not only is she an excellent barrister in legal terms, her personal touch with the clients is beyond compare.'

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

‘Rhianna is a very bright and articulate advocate. She is always very well-prepared and is very engaging with her lay and professional clients. She has steadily developed a very good reputation within the Midlands and indeed beyond. She is popular amongst solicitors and barristers as well as those on the bench.’

‘Eleanor's preparation is second to none and her advocacy is first class. She is very professional and courteous at all times and handles complex and difficult cases with ease. Her ability to remain calm in crisis and under pressure is amazing.'

Harcourt Chambers

‘Natasha is an exceptional advocate; she is compelling and persuasive with laser-like focus on the key issues.’

‘Sam is knowledgeable and robust as an advocate, whilst being extremely personable and empathetic towards clients and their needs. His advice is always measured and resolution focused. Sam is a fantastic negotiator.'

St Ives Chambers

‘George is always well prepared, even on a short notice hearing. He is a strong advocate as well as respectful with a clear consideration of getting his clients' instructions put across in court.'

Olivia Whitworth

No5 Barristers’ Chambers

'Olivia is a diligent advocate who is happy to discuss matters with those instructing her. She has a strong advocacy style, whilst still showing empathy and compassion to those to whom she is asking questions.'

St Mary's Chambers

‘Sarah is extremely approachable, personable, focused, and sharp. She has excellent client care skills and a firm grasp of the issues cases and is always able to explain complex issues in a way which is easy to understand and inspires faith and confidence when handling matters. Sarah is a calm, impressive and persuasive advocate.’

St Mary’s Chambers

'Charlie is incredibly skilled in all aspects of the job. His advocacy is excellent, he sets out his client's case in a calm yet assertive manner, he is clear, organised and thorough, with a quiet sense of authority. He is great with clients even in the most stressful of situations, and works collaboratively with instructing solicitors.'

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