2 Dr Johnson’s Buildings

Mark is Head of Chambers and has held that role for over twenty years and has a substantial family practice.

Biography

Mark was called to the Bar in 1979

Mark is Head of Chambers and has held that role for over twenty years. During that period he has been responsible for moving the chambers to larger premises in Dr Johnson’s Buildings and there are now more than twice as many full time tenants as when he became the Head of Chambers.

Mark’s practice was initially in Common Law with principally criminal and family mix.

In the last fifteen years that has shifted to almost exclusively family law.

He now undertakes all aspects of family law work split between Financial Remedies and Public and Private Law Children.

His practice with respect to children includes Adoption, including International Adoption and Child Abduction.

Supplementary to his core family law work Mark undertakes instructions in Probate, Inheritance Act 1975 and Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and regular appears in the Court of Protection.

Mark’s work with respect to Public Law care proceedings has particularly involved Non-Accidental Injury, Fabricated Illness and Sexual Abuse. He is instructed to act on behalf of Local Authorities, Parents and Children.

Mark is known for his approachability, thoroughness of preparation and his courteous but determined court skills. ‘Unflappable with a cordial pugnacity’

Mark regularly leads junior members of the bar in more substantial and serious cases.

Through a life long passion in natural history Mark has maintained an interest in Environmental and Animal Welfare Law and for three years he left private practice to be the Legal Director of the RSPCA and has continued to provide advice and undertake advocacy for the RSPB and RSPCA . He has also served as a Trustee of the Mammal Society and provided legal advice to the British Trust for Ornithology.

With that background he is regularly instructed in criminal proceedings relating to offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Some of the more notable family cases that Mark has undertaken are listed below:

Forced Marriage – West Sussex County Council and Others v F, M, N, P and T [2018] EWHC 1702 (Fam) Opposed Adoption – Royal Borough of Greenwich v Adopters [2018] EWFC 87 Adoption (Hair Send Testing, reliability) – R (A Child - Care Order) [2017] EWHC 364 (Fam) Abduction, Contempt of Court – Brown v Davies [2013] EWHC 3523 (Fam) Contact – Re K (Children: Refusal of Direct Contact) [2011] EWCA Civ 1064 Interim Care – Re B (Interim Care Orders: Renewal) [2001] Fam Law 802 Care Proceedings (Shaken Baby Syndrome) - Islington London Borough Council v Al Alas, Wray and Al Alas-Wray (Through her Children's Guardian) [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam) Wardship - Re W and X (Wardship: Relatives Rejected as Foster Carers) [2003] EWHC 2206 (Fam)

Mark has undertaken the training to accept Direct Public Access work and in limited circumstances undertakes direct instruction

On behalf of 2DRJ, Mark has regularly provided training seminars to other lawyers in aspects of Family law and for a number of years provided Court Room Skills tutoring to medical professionals who undertake the examination of child and adult victims of sexual abuse. He is annually invited to Forensic Medical Symposia in the United States where he chairs sessions usually devoted to the interface between law and medicine in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences.

Mark is a member of the Family Law Bar Association and has a BSc in Chemistry from University College London the discipline he studied before undertaking a transition to Law through Parts I and II of the Bar, completing the Bar Final at the Inns of Court School of Law.

Mark is a member of the Family Law Bar Association.

Gray's Inn

Inner Temple

Mark has a BSc in Chemistry from University College London, the discipline he studied before undertaking a transition to Law through Parts I and II of the Bar, completing the Bar Final at the Inns of Court School of Law.