Barrister specialising in matrimonial finance, Trusts of Land Act, Married Women’s Property Act 1882, Schedule 1 of the Children Act, Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, and private law children work; drafting ante-nuptial contracts.

Richard is in the top category of Silks for Chambers and Partners; The Bar there are only four Silks in that category. (He is also top ranked in Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific) The Legal 500 also places him in their highest category; Tier 1. He has been top-ranked by these guides for a decade. Nobody at the Bar is ranked higher than Richard.

Notable cases:

R v M & Ors [2024] EWHC 720 BR v BR [2024] EWFC 11  Williams v Williams [2024] EWHC 733 (Fam)  Standish v Standish [2024] EWCA Civ 567  EK v DK [2023] EWHC 1829 Simon v Simon & Anor [2023] EWCA Civ 1048  HAT v LAT [2023] EWFC 162  ADK v ASI [2022] EWHC 2610 (Fam)  LSG v LYAG [2022] HKFC 114 RV v AA [2022] HKCA 89 Ravendark Holdings Ltd v Rotenberg & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 1661 (10 November 2021) LS v PS (Rev1) [2021] EWFC 108 (23 December 2021) Simon v Simon & Level (Joinder) (Rev1) [2022] EWFC 29 (21 March 2022) Simon v Simon [2022] EWFC 35 (01 April 2022) FRB v DCA (No. 2) [2020] EWHC 754 (No. 3) [2020] EWHC 3696 and (No. 4) [2021] EWHC 116 FRB v DCA [2019] EWHC 2816 C v C (Jersey) [2019] UKPC 40 LYYC v. CHL AND CSMS, THE EXECUTRICES OF THE ESTATE OF CGSK ALSO KNOWN AS CSKG, DECEASED [2019] HKFC 7; FCMP 223/2017 (8 January 2019) LYYC v. CHL AND CSMS, THE EXECUTRICES OF THE ESTATE OF CGSK ALSO KNOWN AS CSKG, DECEASED [2019] HKFC 39; FCMP 223/2017 (15 February 2019); CLARK QUANTUM KENT v. HAI TIN LTD AND OTHERS [2019] HKCFI 1145; HCA 961/2017 (2 May 2019)(Court of First Instance; 2 May 2019); LYYC v. CHL & CSMS, THE EXECUTRICES OF THE ESTATE OF CGSK ALSO KNOWN AS CSKG, DECEASED [2019] HKCA 521; CAMP 31/2019 (14 May 2019) (Court of Appeal; 14 May 2019); AK v. MYNT [2019] HKCA 562; CAMP 43/2019 (23 May 2019) (Court of Appeal; 23 May 2019) GM-SA ALSO KNOWN AS DG,M S v. DDPJ [2018] HKCA 1009; CAMP 171/2018 (28 December 2018) Court of Appeal; WGL v. ASB [2018] HKCA 203; CAMP 27/2018 (11 April 2018); WGL v. ASB [2018] HKCFI 519; HCMP 489/2013 (9 March 2018); GMSA ALSO KNOWN AS DG, M-S v. DMP-J [2017] HKCA 384; HCMP 1052/2017 (14 September 2017); Chai v Peng  7th April 2017 A v B [2017] HKFAMC 15 DX v LN (No 2) [2017] HKCA 71 CYYC v TVKT [2017] HKFAMC 7 DX v LN (No 1) [2017] HKCA 66 CWG v MH and ors [2016] HKCA 276, 277 and 279 A v B [2016] FCMC 10937/2013 Al Baker v Al Baker [2016] EWHC 1720 Z v Z and Ors [2016] EWHC 1720 Roocroft v Ball [2016] EWCA Civ 1009 NR v AB & Ors [2016] EWHC 277 (Fam) (22 February 2016) LYAG v YSG [2016] HKCFI 1908 and 1945 Chai v Peng (No 5) [2015] EWCA Civ 790 AVT v VNT [2015] HKCA 611 Quan v Bray & Anor [2015] EWCA Civ 1401 (14 December 2015); Quan v Bray & Anor [2015] EWCA Civ 1253 (04 December 2015) Hopkins v Hopkins [2015] EWHC 812; Fok Chun Benjamin v Fok Chun Wan Ian et al [2015] HKCA 61 and [2016] HKCA 28.

Publications:

Since 1989 Richard has been the co-author of “Practical Matrimonial Precedents” (2 Volumes), Sweet & Maxwell. It is now in its 55th release (2024).

Richard also co-authored, “Essential Family Practice” (2 Volumes), Butterworths and “At Court”, FT Law & Tax.

Richard is also an Editor of Jowitt’s Dictionary of English Law.

Together with his wife, Elisabeth (also a member of chambers) he is co-author of “Relationship Agreements” Sweet & Maxwell (2013).

He has also had published articles in Family Law, Family Matters, The Family Law Journal and The Lawyer. He has occasionally contributed to The Law Society’s Legal Network Television.

In 2000 he was shortlisted (list of four) for UNICEF’s Lawyer of the Year for his work on the law relating to paternity disputes.

Called 1988; Silk 2009

General Council of the Bar (elected Senior Barrister category 1998). FLBA (Executive Committee 1998). Prosecuting Counsel for the Bar Standards Board. Member of the Advisory Committee to the Law Commission (“Ante-Nuptial agreements” (2011) and “Separate Property Regimes and the General Review of Financial Remedy Applications” (2013)). He has been the annual guest lecturer at Cambridge University and at the Law Society’s Annual General Meeting. Richard is a bencher of Middle Temple. Richard was appointed a Recorder in 2010 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2016 (which was renewed in 2022).

Royal Hospital School, Holbrook; Trinity College, Oxford (1987 MA Jurisprudence).

Travel; historical study (English civil wars 1641, 1647, 1688, 1775, and 20th century).