Instructing solicitor

Areas of expertise

High-Value Financial Remedies

Our team is renowned for expertise in complex, high-value financial remedy cases, especially those with an international or cross-jurisdictional dimension. We frequently advise high net worth individuals on:

• Division of significant assets, businesses, and trusts.
• Offshore holdings and international property.
• Complex pensions and long-term financial arrangements.
• Hidden assets and forensic accounting issues.

We act for spouses, partners, interveners, and third parties, ensuring that every financial dispute is thoroughly and strategically managed.

Public and Private Children Law

Our barristers are trusted with some of the most challenging cases in children law. We regularly appear in:

• Public law proceedings involving sexual abuse, trafficking, non-accidental injury, and brain injury.
• Private law disputes under the Children Act, including child arrangements, relocation (UK and abroad), parental responsibility, and enforcement.

We represent parents, guardians, CAFCASS Legal, local authorities, the Official Solicitor, and extended family members, ensuring the best interests of children are at the centre of proceedings.

Crossover & specialist work

Many family disputes overlap with other areas of law. Our team regularly advises and represents clients in:

• Court of Protection (health & welfare, property & affairs).
• Inheritance Act claims and probate-related disputes.
• Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act (ToLATA) cases.
• Education law disputes affecting children and young people.
• Child Maintenance Service (CMS) appeals and advice.

This cross-disciplinary expertise makes us the go-to Chambers for complex, multi-faceted disputes.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

We are leaders in ADR services, offering constructive alternatives to contested litigation. Members of the team provide:

• Private Financial Dispute Resolution hearings (FDRs) – both chairing and representing.
• Mediation – including represented mediation, balancing advocacy with collaboration.
• Arbitration – in both financial and children matters.

These options save clients time, cost, and stress, while still ensuring expert guidance and fair outcomes.

Innovation

The Covid-19 pandemic transformed family law practice, and we adapted quickly. Within days of the first lockdown, we became 98% paperless and equipped with full Teams/Zoom facilities.

We used these platforms creatively, supporting not only our clients but also judges and court staff who were navigating a rapid shift to remote hearings. Our adaptability highlighted our commitment to service and our ability to lead by example during times of change.

Clerking

Our clerking team is known for being:

• Approachable and responsive
• Dynamic problem-solvers
• Skilled at resolving listing issues
• Attentive to client needs and case personalities

Their proactive approach makes the instructing solicitor’s job easier and ensures that clients are matched with the right barrister for their case.

Commitment to access to justice

We believe access to justice is fundamental. Since the introduction of Graduated Fees in 2001, we have maintained a strong commitment to publicly funded work, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of society have proper representation.

Our barristers also support numerous initiatives assisting Litigants in Person and vulnerable witnesses, and we are actively involved in community-focused projects across the region.

Thought leadership

Members are frequently featured in the legal press, mainstream media, and specialist journals. Many also publish their own respected family law blogs, offering commentary on current issues and case law developments.

Our barristers have appeared on BBC programmes and in national publications, underlining their role as thought leaders and trusted commentators in family law.

Collaborative approach

Family law disputes often require multi-disciplinary collaboration. Our barristers work closely with:

• Valuers and forensic accountants.
• Pension specialists.
• Social workers and guardians.
• Medical experts and therapists.

This ensures that every case is presented with a comprehensive and evidence-based approach, maximising the chance of achieving the best possible outcome for clients.

Additional areas of work

Alongside core family law services, we also advise on:

• Civil partnership disputes.
• Professional negligence claims arising from family law cases.

Publications and training

Members regularly conduct seminars in Chambers, at solicitors’ offices, or at other chosen venues throughout the UK. We maintain close ties with academics and our members include several published authors, as well as writing for legal periodicals. If you would like to discuss any in-house training, please contact our family clerks on 0117 923 4720 or email familyclerks@stjohnschambers.co.uk.

Public Access

Some members of the team are also available to act, where appropriate, for members of the public, under the Public Access scheme. Read more.