4 King's Bench Walk

Private Client: Trusts and Probate; Family; Civil and Commercial

Barrister, Joint Deputy Head of Chambers, Head of Property and Head of Family

Called 2003; Gray's Inn. Joint Deputy Head of Chambers, Head of Property, Head of Family. Visiting Fellow, University of Bedfordshire (2011). Ethics and Advocacy Trainer, University of Law (2011-2018). Elected Member of Bar Council (2016-18). Member of Bar Council Ethics Committee (2016-2018).  Numerous publications including Social Media in the Workplace: A Handbook (2015, Jordan Publishing) and articles in New Law Journal; Family Law; Solicitors' Journal; Counsel magazine; Journal of Information and Communications Technology and others.

Chris has built a busy practice across the range of the common law and has been involved in cases up to and including the Supreme Court. Chris has a particular interest in Chancery and Commercial Litigation, Family (primarily Financial Remedies and Private Client), employment, Property, Housing and Landlord and Tenant work, and Company and Insolvency law.  He is frequently called upon to act in matters which cross over multiple areas of his expertise. He now practises principally in the financial and trust aspects of family law, particularly financial remedies and TLATA, and in contentious probate work, the principles of which are closely linked. Chris has acted in numerous contentious probate cases and disputes over wills that involve property, including allegations of lack of capacity, undue influence, want of knowledge and approval, fraudulent calumny (on which he was published in 2020 in the Family Law Journal) and donationes mortis causa. He has been instructed on many occasions in High Court actions arising out of contested wills, capacity issues, the replacement of trustees, claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, and secret trusts.

Chris also has an extensive paper practice covering pleadings and advice on all areas of the law and is able if necessary to provide oral or written advice at short notice.

Chris has also gained significant experience of mediation and alternative dispute resolution and is regularly instructed at an early stage in proceedings for his ability to assist in negotiated settlements or at round table or mediation meetings.

Chris has gained a reputation for diligence, hard work and an ability quickly to identify the important aspects of a case. He is approachable and available for advice both formally and informally and is known fearlessly to promote the interests of his clients.

Property Bar Association; Family Law Bar Association; Public Access Bar Association (Vice Chair and Treasurer); Bar Council Direct Access Panel (Chair); Bar Council Legal Services Committee (Member); Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

Sevenoaks School; Magdalen College, Oxford (Jurisprudence MA(Hons)); University College, London (LLM); BPP Law School (BVC)