St Ives Chambers

Mr Starks is a Barrister specialising in Family – Finance (private law).

Nicholas is a senior junior counsel with over 25 years' experience, specialising in family financial provision, principally upon divorce but also under TLATA, IPFDA, Schedule 1 Children Act, civil partnership proceedings.

Nicholas frequently deals with high net worth claims, involving business, farming and overseas assets.

Nicholas was recently voted ‘Barrister of the Year, 2019’ by the Worcestershire Law Society.

Year of Call: 1988

Nicholas is a senior junior counsel of over 30 years’ experience, specialising in family financial provision principally upon:

but also under:

Nicholas frequently deals with high net worth claims, involving:

He was commended by the Court of Appeal for his “lucid argument” in Kaur v Matharu [2010] EWCA Civ 930 and recently appeared in the nationally publicised case of Colborne v Colborne [2014] EWCA Civ 1488. He is a keen contributor to legal publications and as a CPD speaker on circuit.

Notable Cases: 

Kaur v Matharu [2010] EWCA Civ 930

Colborne v Colborne [2014] EWCA Civ 1488

Recommendations:Voted ‘Barrister of the Year, 2019’  by Worcestershire Law Society.

Chambers & Partners 2019:“He is able to absorb a huge amount of detail but also give clear, understandable advice. He is extremely good with clients and puts them at ease.” “He has a very good eye for detail and is exceptionally thorough.”

Legal 500 2018:“He has exceptional knowledge of matrimonial finance matters.”

Chambers & Partners 2018: “He knows his stuff and is so thorough and well prepared.” “Really excellent and hugely forensic. When he gets the bit between his teeth he doesn’t let go and runs with the points until he get a satisfactory conclusion.”

Legal 500 2017:  “Extremely perceptive with a flexible approach.”

Chambers & Partners 2017: “His legal knowledge is second to none on financial matters, he is very experienced in ancillary relief and achieves excellent results.” “Outstanding attention to detail and excellent case preparation. He has strong strategic skills when looking at cases and communicates well with both solicitor and lay client.”

Chambers and Partners 2016 (Band 1): “An excellent advocate who continues to impress with his detailed approach to cases and thorough preparation.  He largely focuses on multifaceted financial provision cases.  He is regularly instructed on disputes of a high-value and complex nature.”

Legal 500 2016: "He is a ferocious cross-examiner and achieves outstanding results."

Chambers & Partners 2016: “He is absolutely first-rate in his technical knowledge, and his ability to perform in court is second to none.” “He is a top-class advocate with an incredibly good eye for detail. He is brilliant in court and the judges love him because he presents things in a user-friendly way. He is incredibly good with clients and he has a way of explaining things in a way they can understand.”

Legal 500 2015: "Very intelligent, and has great attention to detail."

Chambers & Partners 2015: “He has been up against a few silks and has wiped the floor with them. He is absolutely superb and has a lot of gravitas.”

Legal 500 2014: “Adept at identifying strengths and weaknesses of each case.”

Chambers & Partners 2014: Wins strong praise for his expertise in family law matters, with sources noting his ability to handle complex cases with ease and to reassure lay clients. “Nick has the ability to put clients at ease, combined with a first-class attention to detail. He knows his papers inside-out and this gives clients the reassurance that their case is incredibly important to him.” “He handles difficult cases with enthusiasm and determination.”

Chambers & Partners 2013: Another of the set’s family law experts is Nicholas Starks, who “is always incredibly well prepared and knows his set of papers inside out.” He draws praise from instructing solicitors, who note that not only is “his knowledge of the law second to none,” but he is also a strong advocate who “easily stands up to difficult opponents and puts in first-rate court performances.”

Legal 500 2012: Nicholas Starks is "thorough in his preparation."

Chambers and Partners 2012: Nicholas Starks comes highly recommended for his expertise in ancillary relief. Interviewees describe him as a “down-to-earth fighter with buckets of charm.”

English

Family Law Bar Association

LLB (Hons)