Mark Cooper-Hall is a Barrister specialising in Public Law Children.
Mark practises exclusively in family law and specialises in matters relating to children. He has a busy practice and a reputation for providing excellent client care and being thoroughly prepared. Mark aims to provide realistic and pragmatic advice whilst always being prepared to fight his client’s case.
Mark is the Secretary of the West Midlands Family Law Bar Association.
Year of Call: 2009
Public Law Children
Mark is a public law specialist and is regularly instructed to represent parents, children, local authorities and interveners in care proceedings. He is also experienced in representing vulnerable adults and older children who are competent to provide their own instructions.
Mark has experience of cases involving:
death of a child; serious head injuries, resulting from skull fractures and shaking; fabricated or induced illness (FII); multiple inflicted injuries; sexual abuse; female genital mutilation (FGM); forced marriage; inter-sibling sexual activity; torture; trafficking; and other forms of significant harm to children.Mark is regularly led by King’s Counsel in complex and often lengthy care cases. He also undertakes such cases as a single junior.
Reported cases:
Re CD [2021] EWFC 112
Re YY (Conduct of the Local Authority) [2021] EWHC 749 (Fam)
EF, GH, IJ (care proceedings) [2019] EWFC 75
Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27 (01 May 2019)
Re D & Ors (Children) [2017] EWFC B87 (06 April 2017)
Gloucestershire County Council v M & Ors [2015] EWFC B177
Recommendations
Chambers & Partners 2022: “Mark goes the extra mile with his client care and has sound legal knowledge. He is passionate about those he represents and is eloquent in his oral presentation and drafting.” “Mark brings to his advocacy brilliant writing skills and sensible, clear advice.”
Legal 500 2022: “Mark is adept at grasping big cases quickly. His ability to distil a complex case is impressive and indicative of his intellect.”
Chambers and Partners 2021: “He prepares extraordinarily well and has a wonderful client manner. It does not matter whether it is the most sophisticated person or the most vulnerable person that he is representing, he has the ability to talk to them in a language that they understand.” “He is graceful and calm on the surface but you know that he has put the work in to get to that point. I am always impressed with the speed of his work and the quality of his position statements.”
Legal 500 2021: “A well-rounded barrister who goes above and beyond for his clients.”
Chambers and Partners 2020: “He is personable, extremely well prepared and very focused on the right outcome.”
Legal 500 2020: “He provides first-class client care.”
Chambers and Partners 2019: “Calm and compelling, he grasps the issues in a case and wins the confidence of judges.” “His cross-examination has a pinpoint accuracy which leaves the court in no doubt as to who is in control of the case.”
English
Midland Circuit
Family Law Bar Association
Secretary of the West Midlands Family Law Bar Association
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
Birmingham City School of Law Advisory Board
Local Family Justice Board (representative for the Bar)
FreeBar
MA (Oxon)
Graduate Diploma in Law, Manchester Law School
Bar Vocational Course, Manchester Law School