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Family: Children And Domestic Abuse

St John’s Buildings

18 St John Street Chambers

Deans Court Chambers

7 Harrington Street

Nine Chambers

Cobden House Chambers

Hundred Court Chambers

Central Chambers

Kenworthy’s Chambers

Leading Silks

Kate Burnell KC – St John’s Buildings 'Kate is well prepared in every case and meets any challenge thrown at her. She is a highly skilled and knowledgeable advocate who has the ability to build a great rapport with her clients.'

Lorraine Cavanagh KC – St John’s Buildings

Julia Cheetham KC – Deans Court Chambers

Nick Goodwin KC - Harcourt Chambers

Susan Grocott KC – Deans Court Chambers 'A titan of family law: one of the most experienced silks on the circuit with an unbelievable capacity to digest large volumes of documents and evidence and formulate an astute tactical approach to every case. Her written work is of the highest quality, as are her oral submissions. She speaks, and judges listen.'

Frances Heaton KC – St John’s Buildings

Michael Jones KC – Deans Court Chambers

Joseph O'Brien KC - St John’s Buildings

Karl Rowley KC – St John’s Buildings 'Karl is a first-class advocate. He has the enviable skill to present his written submissions succinctly but no less powerfully. His oral advocacy is equally persuasive with an easy style, which captivates the tribunal and is a joy to listen to.'

Johnathan Sampson KC – Harcourt Chambers

Shaun Spencer KC – St John’s Buildings ‘

Leading Juniors

Joanne Barnett – Exchange Chambers ‘Joanne is approachable and clear with clients and is an authoritative and clear advocate in court. She has a good manner with judges and a firm questioning style.’

Rehana Begum – Central Chambers 'Excellent advocacy and case management skills. Provides superb support in extremely complex cases. Liked by instructing solicitors and highly regarded by the judiciary.'

Kirstin Beswick – Central Chambers 'Kirstin is a very strong advocate; she is quick on her feet in court and good at identifying technical issues and raising them, which makes clients feel that she is on the ball with their case.'

Samantha Birtles – 18 St John Street Chambers

Kate Bramall – 18 St John Street Chambers

Julie Forsyth – Exchange Chambers

Patrick Gilmore – Deans Court Chambers

Carl Gorton – Hundred Court Chambers 'Carl is a formidable advocate; he is clear, concise, and has a good grasp of the law and the realities that many clients face. In terms of strengths, Carl is personable, compassionate, and extremely experienced - there is little that comes across his desk that he hasn't dealt with previously, and this gives him an advantage and puts clients at ease. Carl is particularly good with vulnerable clients; he has a genuine desire to do well for them.'

Yvonne Healing – Central Chambers

Fiona Holloran – 18 St John Street Chambers

Sarah Kilvington – Nine Chambers 'Sarah is very intelligent and a robust courtroom advocate, willing and succeeding in challenging the status quo while balancing that with an objectivity that enables her to advise and guide lay clients through complex situations.'

Kalsoom Maqsood – Nine Chambers

Pauline McHugh – St John’s Buildings 'Pauline is one of Manchester's most effective advocates. She is always well prepared, passionate about her work and representing her clients, and dogged in pursuing the best possible outcome to a case.'

Nazmun Nisha Ismail – Central Chambers

Margaret Parr – 7 Harrington Street

Peter Rothery – Deans Court Chambers

Anna Warters – 18 St John Street Chambers

Paul Wright – 7 Harrington Street

Kate Akerman – Deans Court Chambers 'Kate is an excellent advocate. She is always fully prepared and has all of the relevant information at her fingertips. She is very good with the clients and puts them at their ease in conference to elicit meaningful conversation and instructions. She is also very approachable and is happy to give ongoing advice to instructing solicitors on complex cases involving multiple experts during the course of proceedings.'

Leonie Caplan – 18 St John Street Chambers

Lisa Edmunds – Unit Chambers

Megan Gilchrist – 7 Harrington Street

Molly Giles – Deans Court Chambers 'Molly is an outstanding advocate who demonstrates unwavering commitment to her clients. She is consistently well-prepared, with meticulous attention to detail that underpins the quality of her work and advocacy. Molly is a robust and knowledgeable advocate who is able to think quickly on her feet and adapt well to the needs of the client.'

Emma Greenhalgh – Nine Chambers

Rebecca Gregg – Deans Court Chambers

Clare Grundy – St John’s Buildings

Jonathan Mark Jackson – 18 St John Street Chambers

Christine Johnson – 7 Harrington Street

Natasha Johnson – 7 Harrington Street 'Extremely personable and knowledgeable, with a very good client care manner.'

Sarah Johnson – Kenworthy’s Chambers

Eleanor Keehan – St John’s Buildings

David Maddison – Cobden House Chambers

Joanna Moody - Deans Court Chambers

Beth Morten - Deans Court Chambers

Sophie Smith – Hundred Court Chambers 'Sophie is a barrister of the highest calibre. Intelligent, a skilled advocate, and a warm, kind individual, she consistently delivers results and represents vulnerable clients to the highest standards. Sophie thoroughly prepares cases; her written work is clear and persuasive, and she is extremely good with clients.'

Rachael Wake – 7 Harrington Street 'Rachael is strong across all areas. She is always very well prepared, practical, and polite. She can think on her feet and is a very impressive advocate.'

Sasha Watkinson – Deans Court Chambers

Ginny Whiteley – St John’s Buildings 'Ginny has excellent attention to detail and dedication to each case, and she is well regarded among the profession and can be relied upon when dealing with particularly difficult cases. '

Esther Agamemnon – Cobden House Chambers

Farah Ahmed – 18 St John Street Chambers

Fergal Allen – 18 St John Street Chambers

Danish Ameen – 18 St John Street Chambers

Callum Brook – St John’s Buildings 'Callum is a well-prepared, knowledgeable, and articulate advocate who strongly presents his client's case.'

Michelle Burley – St John’s Buildings 'Instructing solicitors can quite literally breathe a sigh of relief when entrusting her with a brief, confident that the case will be prepared meticulously and presented with care and authority. Her advocacy is calm, measured, and assured; she demonstrates an excellent command of the papers and deploys the facts with precision. '

Matthew Carey – St John’s Buildings 'Extremely conscientious and always delivers the best for the clients. Always available to discuss cases and goes above and beyond for clients. Excellent advocacy and rapport with clients.'

Sarah Cook – Kenworthy’s Chambers 'She is very strong on her feet and good with the clients.'

Alexandra Cracknell – 7 Harrington Street

Toby Craddock – Deans Court Chambers 'Toby always knows the papers inside out and can point to any particular reference immediately. He is knowledgeable, thorough, and approachable, providing an easy forum for case discussion, particularly in unusual and complex cases.'

Julie Ann Doyle – Cobden House Chambers

Christian Durham Hall – St John’s Buildings 'Christian has a high level of knowledge and an in-depth understanding of the law. He also delivers compelling, clear, and concise oral arguments in court. Christian builds a great rapport with clients at the outset of their case, and clients feel comfortable with him.'

Olivia Edwards - 18 St John Street

Suzanne Hargreaves – Cobden House Chambers

Kerry Holt – St John’s Buildings 'Kerry is excellent. She is exceptionally knowledgeable, always fully prepared, carefully analyzes written work, and is a compassionate advocate.'

Deanna Hymanson – Cobden House Chambers

Amjad Kadhim - Unit Chambers

Rebecca Kocerhan – Central Chambers 'Rebecca is always well-prepared and methodical. She presents the cases with clarity and has a way of helping the judges with tricky areas of the law.'

Emily Landale – Nine Chambers

Joseph Lynch – Central Chambers 'Joe is a well-regarded practitioner on the Northern Circuit, who is not afraid to present his clients' case in a robust fashion. Joe will work incredibly hard to secure a favorable outcome for his clients.'

Clodagh Maguire – St John’s Buildings 'Clodagh is a composed and crafty advocate who is unflinching in the face of adversity, able to steer discussions in an appropriate manner.'

Ian McArdle –Hundred Court Chambers 'Ian is an incredibly talented barrister. He is approachable, knowledgeable, and always prepared. He is wonderful with clients.'

Joanne Oakes – Nine Chambers 'Joanne is intelligent and able to apply complex law to the facts of any given case. She is able to forensically analyze the cases she deals with and is an adept cross-examiner. She is fair and measured in her approach to cases and judges trust her and respect her.'

Natalie Oakes – Nine Chambers 'Natalie is an incredibly hardworking and diligent barrister. She is always thoroughly prepared, will represent her clients robustly, and is extremely empathetic. Her technical knowledge of the law is excellent, and her written work is of an extremely high standard.'

Hannah Phoenix – 18 St John Street Chambers

Sandi Pope – Nine Chambers 'Sandi is an excellent barrister. She is extremely hardworking, diligent in her preparation of cases, and her client care is exceptional. She presents her cases effortlessly and is incredibly skilled in cross-examining witnesses.'

Natalie Powell – St John’s Buildings 'Natalie has a determination to achieve the appropriate result for her client, a practical and pragmatic approach, an in-depth knowledge of the appropriate and relevant areas of law, and an ability to explain difficult issues in a concise and accessible manner. She is very supportive of other professionals involved in cases and tries to work in a collegiate manner with other parties' representatives and the court.'

Matthew Rogan – Exchange Chambers

Annie Sayers – Deans Court Chambers 'Annie's advocacy is notable for her quiet authority. Her submissions are always delivered with clarity and precision, and she is a steady and assured presence in court. While always courteous with her professional colleagues, she will hold her ground on contentious issues and will maintain her arguments without unnecessary embellishment.'

Paul Im Thurn – Kenworthy’s Chambers

Alex Walker – 18 St John Street Chambers

Sarah Watters – 7 Harrington Street

Emma Whelan - 18 St John Street Chambers

Hannah Whelan – Deans Court Chambers 'Hannah is always excellently prepared, and even in delicate situations, she deals with clients so professionally that they instantly feel they are in a safe pair of hands. Her calm and prepared manner ensures that this instills confidence in clients. Her advocacy is excellent, and attention to detail is brilliant.'

Helen Wilkinson – Deans Court Chambers 'Helen is a pleasure to work with; she is pragmatic and gets right to the heart of the matter.'

Rebecca Costello – 18 St John Street Chambers

Lucinda France-Hayhurst – St John’s Buildings

Georgia Griffiths - 18 St John Street Chambers

Kathryn Hughes – Exchange Chambers

Teleri Jones - Hundred Court Chambers

Yasmin Kauser - 18 St John Street

Stephen Mallinson – Exchange Chambers

Arlene Milne - Hundred Court Chambers

Daniel Reilly – 7 Harrington Street

Leszek Andrzej Szczesniak - 7 Harrington Street

Gemma Thomas – 7 Harrington Street 'Gemma is always extremely well prepared. She has strong advocacy skills. She really fights for her client and is passionate about her cases.'

Bethany Wilson - 18 St John Street

Hannah Wood – St John’s Buildings

Rising Stars

Chloë Booth – 15 Winckley Square

Helen Crowell – St John’s Buildings 'Her advocacy is particularly impressive. Helen presents arguments in a structured, confident, and persuasive manner and is able to remain composed and effective even in highly contested hearings and when appearing before particularly robust judges. '

Daniel Currie – St John’s Buildings 'Daniel possesses great intellectual ability. He always prepares for cases meticulously, and he has an incredible ability to retain key facts and dates. He is articulate and persuasive. He is very good with vulnerable clients who have been subjected to serious domestic abuse. He puts them at ease and presents their position to the court exceedingly well. He is an excellent barrister.'

Emily Fildes – Cobden House Chambers 'Emily is very conscientious and always prepares well, including drafting skeletons and other documents for the court. She is a clear and effective advocate.'

Liam Kelly – Deans Court Chambers 'Liam is a charming barrister inside and outside of the courtroom. He is highly skilled with a fantastic manner for the client; he keeps in touch and enjoys continuity of representation, and he is a great advocate who is dogmatic with his points without alienating the court.'

Bethany Pitt – Cobden House Chambers 'Bethany is a firm but fair advocate; her cross-examination is focused. She provides clients with realistic advice and expectations. Bethany is a safe pair of hands for vulnerable clients. She has empathy and puts clients at ease.'

Elizabeth Tait – Unit Chambers

Family: children and domestic abuse in Regional Bar

Tier 1 sets

St John's Buildings

St John’s Buildings is home to a number of silks who are highly experienced in children’s law. One such member of the group is Frances Heaton KC, who is notable for her expertise in handling some of the most complex and serious cases, including child deaths, gang-related family cases, and fabricated or induced illness, to name a few areas. Karl Rowley KC is highly skilled in the representation of local authorities, parents and extended families, and children in public law cases, while Lorraine Cavanagh KC boasts particular expertise in cases surrounding brain injuries and medically challenging fatal injuries. Kate Burnell KC is another name to note with strength in forced marriage and deprivation of liberty cases. Among the juniors, Lorraine Cavanagh is of note for her expertise in public law cases surrounding medically challenging fatal injuries.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 2 sets

18 St John Street Chambers

18 St John Street Chambers Fiona Holloran exclusively handles family law cases, including both private and public children law matters, and she is sought after to represent parents, children, and local authorities. Kate Bramall is another core member of the group with expertise in complex public law work. Previous head of the family team, Leonie Caplan, has made regular appearances in the High Court, and Jonathan Mark Jackson is highly skilled in handling allegations of sexual abuse and causing injuries to children, international cases, and abductions.

Principaux dossiers

Deans Court Chambers

At Deans Court Chambers, Michael Jones KC is a go-to silk for matters involving international elements, fabricated and induced illness, and complicated medical issues. Susan Grocott KC has specialised in family law on the Northern Circuit since the 1990s. Turning to the juniors, trained children’s law arbitrator Patrick Gilmore is often called upon to represent clients in cases surrounding allegations of domestic abuse. Rebecca Gregg exclusively handles family law work, representing parents and rule 16.4 children’s guardians in private law matters, and handling allegations of causing injuries to a child and sexual abuse. Sasha Watkinson has appeared before all levels of the courts sytemsin family law matters, and for Peter Rothery , cases revolving around death and serious injury to children, as well as sexual abuse, are key areas of activity.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 3 sets

7 Harrington Street

7 Harrington Street's Margaret Parr has appeared in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, and boasts notable expertise in cases revolving around allegations of physical and sexual abuse, child neglect, and parental drug use. Paul Wright handles both public and private law proceedings, with the former part of his practice encompassing care and placement orders, as well as forced marriage protection orders, and the latter involving representation in cases regarding child arrangement and special guardianship orders. Megan Gilchrist is another key member of the department with strength in representing parents, children, and local authorities throughout care proceedings. Natasha Johnson‘s practice encompasses cases involving allegaitons of the most serious abuse of children.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 4 sets

Nine Chambers

The children law practitioners of Nine Chambers are well-versed in handling both public and private law matters. Family law specialist Sarah Kilvington is often sought after to handle cases concerning the serious abuse of children, as well as private law cases pertaining to removing children from the country to non-Hague convention jurisdictions. Emma Greenhalgh is of note for her expertise in serious child abuse, High Court inherent jurisdiction matters, and factitious or induced illness cases, while Emily Landale frequently represents vulnerable clients in need of intermediaries. Kalsoom Maqsood handles cases of the utmost severity, including fatal and catastrophic injuries, as well as matters surrounding gender-questioning children. Joanne Barnett has a track record of cases involving allegations of parental alienation.

Principaux dossiers

Cobden House Chambers

The family law group at Cobden House Chambers is led by the highly experienced David Maddison, who exclusively practices in family law, as does Bethany Pitt, who has a particular focus on private children law cases, and she is highly skilled in working with domestic abuse victims. Emily Fildes is also a key leading associate at the set, with a growing practice encompassing cases featuring allegations of sexual abuse, substance misuse, and chronic neglect. Also of note are Suzanne Hargreaves, Julie Ann Doyle, and Esther Agamemnon.

Principaux dossiers

Tier 5 sets

Central Chambers

Central Chambers is home to Kirstin Beswick, who boasts expertise in representing local authorities, parents, children, and interveners in public law proceedings, while Rebecca Kocerhan is highly skilled in matters concerning the courts’ inherent jurisdiction for deprivation of liberty orders. Rehana Begum also specialises in public law matters and is highly sought after by local authorities. For Yvonne Healing issues of forced marriage, honour-based violence, and child abduction are all areas of strength. Joint deputy head of chambers Nazmun Nisha Ismail is highly experienced in handling cases involving individuals suffering with mental health issues and learning disabilities.

Principaux dossiers

Hundred Court Chambers

Hundred Court Chambers is home to a number of active children law practitioners. For department head Carl Gorton, care proceedings are a key area of expertise, and he is sought after by parents and guardians. Of recent note, he acted for a mother accused of facilitating sexual abuse of her daughters by their father. Ian McArdle is another key member of the set when it comes to children’s law, as are Teleri Jones and Arlene Milne. Sophie Smith‘s clinet base includes victims of serious sexual abuse and violence, cognitively impaired or vulnerable individuals, and child witnesses.

Principaux dossiers

Kenworthy's Chambers

The members of Kenworthy’s Chambers partake in both private and public family law cases, with expertise in representing both parents and local authorities. One such member is Sarah Johnson, who is skilled in the handling of applications for residence, parental responsibility, and adoption. Paul Im Thurn is another key and active member of chambers, as is Sarah Cook, who undertakes both public and private law matters.

Classements par PratiqueRegional Bar