Broadway House Chambers

Alexander Modgill

Employment law; general civil law, including ancillary relief, personal injury and commercial law; family law, including ancillary relief and private law Children Act proceedings.

Anthony Hajimitsis

Anthony is recognised as a leading practitioner within the financial remedy jurisdiction. His practice solely focuses on financial remedy proceedings and is regularly instructed on cases in the £10M - £20M bracket. Anthony has conducted cases with an asset base up to £70M, and is regularly instructed on cases in the £10M - £20M bracket. his typical caseload involves cases with a focus on businesses/farms/ trusts/ overseas resources. In the last 18 months Anthony has alongside his practice as an advocate, provided his services as a private FDR evaluator. Anthony has an evaluator, assisted parties to resolve their proceedings in c 25 cases to date.

Asma Chaudhry

Since being called to the Bar, Asma’s practice has predominately been in Asylum, Immigration and Human Rights. She has extensive experience in Nationality and EEA Law, and has first-hand experience of initial application stage, appeal preparation and representing clients before the Tribunal. Asma has long standing experience of presenting complex Asylum, Immigration, EU Law and Human Rights appeals, including Deportation and Bail. She has experience across the spectrum dealing with very varied and unique cases. She is accessible for early instructions from solicitors and keen to work them advising on how best to prepare cases to achieve the best outcome for clients. She is a true believer that preparation is key to success. Asma has practical experience of appearing before the First Tier and Upper Tier Tribunal.  She takes instructions in drafting grounds for permission to appeal to and undertakes judicial review work, and is also regularly instructed to present cases on behalf of the Secretary of the State for the Home Department. Asma has invaluable experience and skill in representing vulnerable clients and victims of modern slavery, torture and children. She has a particular interest in representing females, and a focus on representing their Human Rights issues.

Christopher Rowe

Chris is a members of Broadway House Chambers Family Team, Business, Property and Probate Team and Criminal Team. Christopher has a multi-disciplinary practice which allows him to grasp and advise on the range of legal issues which may arise in each case. He is equally comfortable advising in conference and in writing, as he is in representing clients at all stages of court proceedings. 

Christopher Styles

Christopher joined Broadway House Chambers in September 2015. He is an established family law practitioner, specialising in Children Act and public law work and is routinely instructed in cases of gravity – including those involving inflicted injury, sexual abuse, cruelty and systemic neglect. Christopher is an experienced trial advocate and can be relied on to forcefully advocate for clients both in writing and in court. He has a reputation for rigour, with a busy paper practice advising on complex matters of jurisdiction and safeguarding. Christopher understands the sensitivity and uniqueness of the family jurisdiction. He is trusted by solicitors and lay clients to approach matters with both sensitivity and tact.   Christopher is also a busy junior criminal practitioner, specialising in defence jury work. He is routinely instructed in serious and complex criminal cases. He has recently acted as counsel in cases of wounding, robbery, forgery, violent disorder, child abuse and kidnap. Christopher can be relied on to robustly advocate for clients, and to subject the Crown’s case to the firmest possible forensic scrutiny. He is in particular known for the quality of his legal argument, with a track record of successful exclusion, dismissal and abuse of process applications. Christopher has acted as junior counsel in a series of heavyweight criminal cases, including Operation Kellerabbey (child sexual exploitation), Operation Dollbridge (large scale public disorder) and Operation Munroe (international child abuse.) He can be relied upon to attend to matters with diligence and a focus on the client’s overall objective.

Clare Walsh

Clare prosecutes and defends in all areas of crime, both in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts, as well as in the Youth Court. She is a CPS Grade 3 prosecutor. She regularly deals with cases involving domestic violence and is often instructed in matters involving young and vulnerable witnesses. Clare’s experience in the Crown Court ranges from cases involving assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglary, robbery and benefit fraud to s.18 wounding with intent, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, the supply of drugs, possession of firearms and possession of indecent images. Clare also has experience representing clients accused of breaching SOPOs and SHPOs as well as those accused of sexual offences against children under 16.During pupillage with Sophe Drake, now HHJ Sophie Mckone, Clare gained experience in working on some complex and high profile cases, a large number of which involved serious sexual offences.

Dornier Whittaker

With over 25 years under her belt, Dornier has a wealth of experience in complex relocation cases, intractable children disputes and is recognised for her knowledge in high value financial relief cases, especially those involving companies, partnerships, farms and “hidden wealth”. She has a reputation for robust advocacy and is a firm believer in practical, no-nonsense advice which is often praised by the Judiciary. She prides herself on her open and easy to approach manner with both solicitors and clients.   Dornier’s practice involves all aspects of financial remedy, and she has extensive experience representing business owners, professionals, third parties and their spouses, with a particular interest in corporate and farming cases where the assets are up to £10m. She also regularly appears in cases  involving significant property portfolios, non-matrimonial inheritance assets, significant pension assets, and assets located outside of the jurisdiction including company and family trusts.   Dornier also has extensive experience in all aspects of private children disputes representing mothers, fathers and other family members. She has a particular interest in the relocation of children whether within this jurisdiction or overseas, parental alienation cases and fact finding hearings involving serious allegations of domestic abuse. Her case load also regularly involves private disputes as to child arrangements including ‘live with’ and ‘spend time with’ orders, as well as specific issue orders, re-schooling and medical issues.

Emily Ward

Emily is Deputy Head of the Family Team and has a strong, busy practice both on and off the North East Circuit. She is a particularly sought after in matrimonial finance and cohabitation disputes, as well as complex children cases. Emily is an established matrimonial finance specialist and is highly sought after in financial remedy and schedule 1 cases. She acts for clients from pre-issue, where focus is primarily upon strategy, settlement and advice as to evidence, through to final hearings and on appeal. Her case load comprises high net worth clients with large incomes and substantial capital, business, trust assets and/or extensive pension provision, as well as difficult cases where needs exceed the available assets. Emily is experienced in advising in cases where the issues include pre-acquired wealth, inheritance, complex business and trust structures, liquidity issues and nuptial agreements. She is also often approached to advise in cases where there have been substantial personal injury awards.   In addition, Emily’s family practice encompasses all areas of private children law. She advises and represents clients in a wide range of applications, and she is a favourite in cases involving intractable contact disputes, implacable hostility and vulnerable individuals. She is frequently praised for her sensitive yet sensible approach with clients, having dealt with a significant number of cases in which there has been a parent death or terminal diagnosis of a parent. Emily also represents clients in cases involving domestic abuse, including coercive and controlling behaviour allegations and also cases where false allegations of abuse against parents and/or children have been made.   Emily’s civil law practice incorporates a range of matters, including land and trust disputes, to which she brings extensive legal knowledge from her authorship and editorship in leading practitioner cohabitation texts, Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 claims, and bankruptcy and insolvency in a family law context. Given her family law practice, Emily has particular specialism in civil and chancery matters with a family element, including advising in professional negligence issues stemming from family law proceedings/advice and land and trust disputes in a family setting.

Gillian Irving

Guy Swiffen

Guy has been at the Bar since 1991 and has practised exclusively in the field of children law for over 20 years. He began his career in London and then moved to the North of England in the late 1990s. Since then he has forged a heavyweight practise which takes him to all parts of the North of England dealing with many of the most complex cases being heard in the region. Having been described as a “bright and stunningly good junior”, Guy is known to be an incisively devastating cross examiner. Over the years his practise has taken him to developing the forensic skills to challenge the analyses and opinions of medical experts in the witness box. Complimenting his forensic skills is an excellent knowledge of the legislation and case law. He is happy to operate at all court levels: he has had the experience of taking a case all the way to the House of Lords. He prides himself on having a friendly and approachable relationship with clients and solicitors alike. In care proceedings, he has extensive experience in representing local authorities throughout the North of England in complex proceedings, including against Leading Counsel. He also has a substantial body of work representing parents and other family members, including those with physical and learning disabilities, as well as Guardians and the Official Solicitor. His practise often deals with child fatalities as well as physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Guy also has a substantial practise in all aspects of private children work. This includes applications to remove children from the jurisdiction, child abduction, and applications for Child Arrangement Orders, including internal relocation. He has extensive experience in making emergency applications, often before High Court Judges, as well as dealing with issues of a jurisdictional complexity. He often acts against QCs as a leading Junior, leading both Junior Counsel and solicitors.

Harry Wiltshire

Ian Howard

All types of criminal work but particularly cases involving fraud, drugs, sexual offences, serious violence and the mentally disturbed. Exclusively a criminal practitioner but also experience of dealing with matters arising from criminal charges at judicial review. Experienced in: all types of fraud investigation, including multimillion-pound conspiracy charges; all types of drug investigations, up to and including large-scale conspiracy charges; all types of sexual offences investigations, including historical allegations; all types of violent offences, including high-profile and multi-handed homicide allegations; representing the seriously mentally ill charged with offences of all types, including murder.

Jake Ellis

Jayne Beckett

Jayne Beckett is a Grade 4 Crown Prosecutor and has experience as a trial advocate in respect of most types of criminal matters. Jayne has dealt with a large number of offences involving rape and serious sexual offences and is experienced in the handling of child witnesses and vulnerable complainants. She has a working understanding of problems particular to these cases such as third party disclosure in relation to complainants. In addition, Jayne is regularly instructed in cases involving extreme violence. Her experience goes beyond the handling of serious assaults. She has frequently dealt with matters such as those involving child or infant complainants as well as serious armed robberies. Jayne has been led on several occasions in cases of murder.

Jayne Pye

Jayne has over 30 years experience of practising family law. She was a partner and head of the family law department in a large firm of solicitors before being called to the Bar in 1995. As well as undertaking cases for clients, Jayne sits as a Deputy District Judge and Recorder determining private and public law family cases. She was Chair of the Yorkshire Family Law Bar Association for 10 years. Jayne has worked in all areas of public and private law matters relating to children. She has conducted complex cases which involve issues of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect and complicated and/or conflicting medical evidence. She is currently primarily specialising in private law children matters. Jayne is highly regarded for her ability to manage extensive paperwork and complex issues in a thorough and efficient manner with an eye for the relevant detail; covering extensive issues in a succinct manner. She is a formidable advocate and has a commanding presence and style in court.  Jayne relates well with her clients, gaining their trust through her sensitive and straightforward approach. She represents clients in the Court of Appeal, High Court, County Court and Family Proceedings Court and is regularly instructed by Local Authorities, parents – including young parents, children and extended family members. She also leads junior barristers and instructing solicitors in cases against QCs.

Jenna Chaplin

Joanne O'Shea

Kerry Barker

Kerry Barker is a barrister who specialises in Family Law. A former solicitor of over ten years’ experience, she practices exclusively in this area and represents clients in private law, public law and financial remedy matters. As a solicitor Kerry was a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel and also held her higher court advocacy rights; recognising her position as an experienced solicitor-advocate.Since Kerry joined Broadway House Chambers’ highly-rated Family Law team in March 2013 she has developed a busy practice exclusively in family law. As a family law specialist for over 15 years Kerry has built up extensive knowledge in all areas of family law.Kerry is well known for providing clients with realistic and sensible advice at all stages of proceedings and for conducting hearings in a measured manner. Kerry’s friendly and approachable manner make her a popular choice for vulnerable clients.Kerry regularly delivers seminars and lectures to groups of solicitors, many of which are CPD accredited. Kerry is also involved in delivering seminars to Local Authority solicitors on key areas of law.Kerry is able to accept instructions under the Direct Access Scheme.

Laura McBride

Laura is regularly instructed to represent both the defence and the prosecution. She been involved in many high profile criminal cases including the Rotherham Child Sexual Abuse Trials and ongoing prosecutions relating to the Hillsborough disaster. She has experience dealing with a broad range of offences, including: Offences against the PersonBurglary and TheftPerverting the course of JusticeDrugs offencesSexual offencesRoad traffic offencesPublic order offences%MCEPASTEBIN%

Lydia Pearce

Matthew Rudd

Specialises in employment, family (ancillary relief, children private and public) and trusts of land.

Nicholas Power

A family law specialist whose practice centres upon the financial consequences of relationship breakdown together with complex disputes over children. His financial remedy practice encompasses both married and unmarried families where he regularly represents professionals, business owners and their spouses and where the asset base incorporates multiple properties, company and trust structures and pension portfolios. In disputes over children, he represents those involved in contested adoptions, international relocations and complex private law disputes,

Paul Smith

Paul Smith is a member of Chambers’ employment law team who has been recommended by the The Legal 500 every year since being in practice. He also undertakes commercial law work arising from the employment relationship and matrimonial finance work within the family law sphere. Employment law: Paul has appeared in employment tribunals across the country and is a popular choice for solicitors across the range of employment disputes, from unfair dismissal and discrimination cases to part-time workers, wages claims and TUPE issues. Paul successfully appeared in Hershaw v Sheffield City Council. Since 2008 Paul has been an accredited employment representative at the Free Representation Unit in London and he accepts referrals through the Bar Pro Bono Unit. Civil and commercial law: the focus of Paul’s work in this area is on civil disputes arising from the employment relationship, principally concerning restrictive covenants. He is a regular commentator on developments in restrictive covenant case law for a national employment law bulletin service, and has advised and represented corporate and individual clients in the High Court in urgent injunction applications. He has appeared in both the Chancery and Queen’s Bench divisions on behalf of commercial clients in cases worth up to £5m, and also advises lay and professional clients in respect of alleged professional negligence in employment tribunal litigation. Family law: Paul has developed a firm grounding in Family Law and has a busy practice in this area. With a focus upon matrimonial and cohabitation-related financial matters, Paul accepts instructions in financial remedy applications and in property disputes under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996. He has experience of cases with foreign elements and has represented spouses in complex applications for freezing orders and the setting aside of property transactions. Paul has also acted in cases involving high net-worth and well-known individuals (including professional footballers and golfers), in cases involving vulnerable people, and in enforcement and variation applications.

Paul Dormand

Peter Hampton

Peter Hampton is a criminal law specialist and experienced trial advocate who prosecutes and defends offences of the utmost seriousness and complexity. Regularly instructed in cases that are both complex and substantial, particularly multiple defendant/multiple complainant cases. He appears as junior alone, led-junior and leading junior. Peter’s practice incorporates homicide, child sexual exploitation (incorporating Operation Stovewood the National Crime Agency’s investigation into non-familial sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013), historic sexual offending, complex fraud and international cross-border conspiracies. Peter is also instructed to act in Coroners’ Inquests (including deaths in custody), Judicial Review and Regulatory matters. Appellate experience as both applicant and respondent.

Richard Pickering

Robert Cole

Robert Cole is a specialist Family Law barrister and is Head of Broadway House Chambers’ renowned group of ancillary relief practitioners. Having worked in accountancy, he is much sought-after for his analytical skills when dealing with high value and complex matrimonial finances and Schedule 1 cases. He has a renowned attention to detail and knowledge of accounts and is known for his ability to deal with complicated financial structures, including trusts, offshore investments and corporate structures. Robert regularly handles high value and high income cases.  Robert is often requested to lecture to the top legal firms in the north on all aspects of ancillary relief law and has recently spoken to the Judicial College on the approach to companies within financial remedy proceedings.  Robert is a qualified arbitrator and undertakes private FDRs.

Rodney Ferm

Highly skilled practitioner and one of Leeds’ best-known barristers. Became Broadway House Chambers’ latest high-profile addition on 18 June 2012 and joined the civil, family and criminal teams. Civil law: has a significant civil practice with over 30 years’ experience, which focuses on personal injury and professional/clinical negligence work. As a result he is regarded by solicitors as a barrister of first choice in difficult cases involving complex factual matters and points of law, and he holds the impressive accolade of having one of the largest personal injury practices on the North Eastern Circuit, having advised ib about 20,000 personal injury cases throughout his distinguished career. In addition, Rodney is also instructed in other civil matters and particularly in the field of commercial law. Experience in dealing with commercial contracts and property, consumer law, directors’ disqualification matters and partnership disputes, through to protecting business reputations in defamation actions involving newspapers and television. Has acted in judicial review applications in the Administrative Court, becoming an integral member of Broadway House’s group of JR practitioners, and also as counsel to inquests. Family law: Rodney is regularly instructed in high-value ancillary relief applications involving overseas assets, multimillion-pound spousal business ownership, elements of fraud and other acute issues. Rodney’s capability in ancillary relief has been recognised by the national legal directories, who recommend him as a leading junior. Criminal law: his experience extends not only to prosecuting and defending serious fraud and sexual offences, including indecency and rape, but to over 100 murder cases. The commercial element of his civil practice is also prominent in the criminal sphere and as such Rodney has a proven track-record in corporate crime, where he was instructed in the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 prosecution of the Channel Tunnel tunnel-boring machine manufacturers following an incident in which employees were killed. Notable cases, Court of Appeal (Civil Division): Rehill v Ryder Holdings Ltd [2012] AllER (D) 206 (May); Brown & anor v Fenwick [2001] EWCA Civ 1146; Archer v Archer [1999] 2 FCR 158; Worrall v British Railways Board (1999, unreported); Shaw & anor v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [1987] 3 All ER 405. Court of Appeal (Criminal Division): R v MacDonald [2007] All ER (D) 77 (Aug); R v Brazil & ors [2007] All ER (D) 213 (Feb); R v B [2004] AllER (D) 184 Oan). High Court of Justice Family Division: B v B [2012] EWHC 314 (Fam); Re T (a child) (DNA tests; Paternity) [2001] 3 FCR 577. High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division: Allen v Grimsby Telegraph [2011] AllER (D) 30 (Mar); R (on the application of Dawson & ors) v HM Coroner for East Riding & Kingstonupon-Hull Coroners District (2001 unreported). Appeal of David Fletcher (inconsistent verdicts) 2017; Rv Begum and Miah- Forced Marriage, Leeds Crown Court July 2018 and Court of Appeal December 2018.

Roger Bickerdike

Roger is undoubtedly one of the North Eastern Circuit’s most experienced and highly regarded family law specialists. Practicing exclusively in family work, he is particularly renowned for his expertise in mid and high value financial remedy cases and private law children matters, including both internal and international relocation. Roger also has considerable experience of appellate work, especially in the Court of Appeal.

Semaab Shaikh

Semaab is a highly rated barrister and established family law practitioner. She has provided advice and representation from first instance to Court of Appeal level and has experience of making an application to the High Court for permission to “leapfrog” to the Supreme Court. She regularly represents and advises individuals, local authorities and children’s guardians. Areas of family law in which she specialises include: all aspects of private and public children law; domestic violence applications; removal from the jurisdiction; child abduction, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. She has a particular interest in cases with an international element. In addition to her practice, she provides training on children law, domestic abuse, the interplay between immigration and family law and related areas.

Stephen Wood

Stephen wood is a highly experienced and sought after advocate. He is Grade 4, RaSSO approved and a member of CPS serious crime panel. He is the only member of the bar on Circuit authorised to prosecute “Operation Recall” cases where prosecutions are brought following a ‘cold-case’ review. Stephen has a reputation for detailed preparation of his cases and exceptional advocacy. He is noted to be an especially effective cross-examiner. Judges on the NE Circuit recommended that the CPS approach Stephen to train in-house advocates on advocacy techniques. Stephen frequently acts in cases of murder, manslaughter, firearms, gang crime and major drug offences and is instructed in high profile cases. Stephen recently prosecuted the former frontman of the rock group Lostprophets for offences committed in prison. Stephen is also regularly asked by TV production companies to bring his expertise to bear in ensuring realism in television programmes involving court scenes. He worked on the acclaimed Channel 4 series "National Treasure" starring Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters.

Susan Sanders

Susan joined Broadway House in September 2016 after successfully completing a mixed pupillage. She practices family and immigration law and has a particular interest and expertise in the overlap between these two areas. She is qualified to undertake work on a direct access basis.   Susan regularly appears in the First Tier and Upper Tribunals and is committed to providing first class representation to those seeking asylum. She is often asked to advise and drafts judicial review claims as well as applications for permission to appeal. Before coming to the Bar, Susan worked for many years as a legal representative for asylum seekers at Refugee and Migrant Justice and in private practice. She is passionate about representing vulnerable individuals and carries out pro bono advocacy for the Manuel Bravo Project and Bail for Immigration Detainees. Susan also worked for human rights organisations as well as campaigning and carrying out research in Afghanistan for Amnesty International, and her experience working in Central Africa, Iran and Afghanistan provides invaluable background for her current work.   Susan also has a busy practice in all areas of family law and represents privately and publicly funded clients from directions hearings through to contested final hearings. She is regularly instructed in private law finding of fact hearings involving serious allegations, including rape, and in public law proceedings for the local authority. She is also involved in cases of domestic abuse, forced marriage, and those with an immigration element. She regularly advises local authorities in relation to immigration issues within public law proceedings. She is a sensitive and effective communicator. One lay client said she is “absolutely wonderful and very professional with her work, [a] fantastic lady with big experience and commitment”.

Tahir Khan

Criminal defence and prosecution work, environmental protection and national rivers work. Crime: has been instructed by both defence and prosecution in a number of high-profile cases and led by Queen’s Counsel. Cases include murder, manslaughter, gun crime, money laundering, fraud and environmental. Environmental: has been instructed in a number of significant cases and is a member of the chambers environmental law team and on the Attorney General’s A list of prosecutors undertaking the most serious and complex prosecutions by regulatory authorities. Notable cases: 2003 – £3m drugs conspiracy for Revenue and Customs; 2004-05 – £4m drugs conspiracy for Revenue and Customs; 2006 – £4m VAT evasion for Revenue and Customs; 2006 – £111m money-laundering case; 2008 – insurance fraud (defence); 2009 – multimillion-pound bank fraud (defence); 2010 – £2m mortgage fraud (defence), two attempted murder cases (prosecution), murder case (instructed to prosecute by CPS Leeds). In 2011, Tahir was appointed the first Muslim QC in the history of the Northern Circuit. 2011 – instructed to prosecute a double murder trial, which attracted national media attention.