Chambers & Partners' UK Bar ranks and recommends the most outstanding sets and barristers throughout the Bar of England and Wales. 1GC is proud to have a number of Barristers and the set ranked in the 2017 guide for their Family/Matrimonial work. This is what they said:
THE SET
Highly regarded family set offering specialised expertise in every area of child law, including international abduction, complex care proceedings and surrogacy. It additionally provides a growing financial practice, aiding clients in the distribution of assets post-divorce.
Client service: "Excellent service. The clerks are very helpful and even if you have just a query and need a quick opinion they will readily find someone in chambers for you to speak to." Paul Harris is the senior clerk in chambers.
SILKS
Co-head of chambers and regarded highly for her extensive experience of complex, law-making children cases. She has notable expertise in cases involving technical medical or forensic evidence.
Strengths: "She has an extraordinary work ethic and is utterly committed to trying to achieve the best results for the client. She came in at the last minute in our case and dominated in court."
Renowned for his handling of extremely complex and sensitive children matters, public and private, such as international adoption, relocation and abduction. He co-leads chambers and routinely engages in cases relating to sexual, emotional and physical abuse.
Strengths: "Charles is an absolute leader in the field of children work. He is a great strategist who is highly intelligent, charming and reassuring to clients in difficult situations. He commands the greatest respect from both solicitors and the court."
Known for her representation of local authorities in public law cases involving allegations of domestic violence and abuse. Additionally handles cases concerning wardship of vulnerable children.
Strengths: "Tenacious and thorough, she uses her broad reserves of knowledge to the client’s benefit."
Focuses her public children law practice on cases concerning infant death, domestic violence and complex medical circumstances. She is additionally noted for her strength in representing vulnerable individuals or parents with learning disabilities.
Strengths: "An amiable silk who is very straightforward in her approach."
Susan Jacklin QC
Enjoys a very strong reputation for her work across the spectrum of family law. She acts for clients facing difficult financial remedy and private children matters.
Strengths: "Very approachable, her clients like her, and she distils complex legal and factual concepts in a manner they understand." "Calm, one of the most thorough people I've ever met, and someone with the most remarkable tactical brain."
Sarah Morgan QC
Manages a full caseload of heavy-hitting public and private law children matters, from severe non-accidental injury cases to private child relocation. She acts in cases that garner significant media attention and so routinely offers the utmost discretion to her clients.
Strengths: "She swiftly analyses the issues in a case and delivers some of the best cross-examination around."
Recent work: Represented a father in one of the first cases in which a judge in the Family Division was asked to remove children from the care of their parents because of a risk of harm to children from radicalisation and recruitment to terrorist activity.
Represents parents and children in public and private child law cases, with particular expertise advising on matters concerning serious non-accidental injuries. He is also experienced at handling matters that concern sexual assault, neglect and child death.
Strengths: "A children lawyer through and through." "Very well thought of."
Routinely represents local authorities in highly sensitive public law cases relating to child abuse. His private law practice covers both contentious matrimonial disputes and child relocation cases.
Strengths: "Well thought of by his peers and by the Bench, he has excellent client care skills and is an effective, organised and decisive advocate who always gets to the root of the problem."
Recent work: Involved in the first set of care proceedings where live reporting was permitted. The case was a rehearing of circumstances of the death of a sibling.
Court of Protection: Health & Welfare — All Circuits
Market-leading practitioner who is particularly well known for his work in welfare cases, but who is also adept at handling finance and medical treatment matters. He is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor, and excels at cases which involve the forced marriage of incapacitated adults.
Strengths: "He's extremely effective, likeable, intelligent and sensible." "He's got the depth of knowledge to ensure he's going to be known as one of the best silks in this area."
A recent silk who is recognised for having international expertise that covers child adoption, relocation and abduction matters. She additionally has a growing surrogacy practice and regularly appears in cases involving a complex application of the Human Rights Act.
Strengths: "Deirdre Fottrell has made her mark this year as a silk. She has an intricate knowledge of the most complex international and domestic law and she is a magnetic and powerful advocate. Her pro bono work fighting for children's rights is especially commendable."
JUNIORS
A well-regarded matrimonial finance lawyer who focuses on disputes concerning the distribution of proprietary and monetary assets after relationship breakdown. He has a specialism representing cohabitants in unmarried couples, and also handles some private children work.
Strengths: "He is an absolute pleasure to work with; he is personable with clients, persuasive, and precise in drafting. He will regularly alight on the solution that everyone else has missed. He is unfailingly courteous and judges obviously respect him."
Leading senior junior who is best known for his work for local authorities and for parents. Praised in the market for his client-handling skills, he is an expert on cases concerning the overlap between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act.
Strengths: "He's well respected, logical and excellent with vulnerable clients." "His cross-examination is impressive."
Public law specialist who represents children, parents and local authorities in cases involving abuse and non-accidental injury. She also offers expertise in international adoption proceedings.
Strengths: "She's hugely experienced" and "someone who fights her cases with skill."
Handles complex financial and children law work and often leads proceedings concerning both. She is commended for her tactical approach when handling cases involving issues of abuse and education.
Strengths: "A great advocate. She's an iron fist in a velvet glove when needed but is always pragmatic and gently but firmly reminds clients of the need to consider what is best for the children. She goes out of her way to explain tactical decisions and is a pleasure to work with for solicitors and clients alike.
Mainly acts in public adoption and care proceedings representing local authorities, children and parents. She is noted for her specialism in cases concerning injured children and surrounding issues of mental health and technical medical evidence.
Strengths: "She's an excellent lawyer who shows brilliant attention to detail, doesn't miss anything and is very reliable."
Focuses on family finance matters, and is an expert in financial remedies concerning divorce, cohabitation disputes and Schedule 1 applications. He is noted for his ability to handle complex cases relating to partnerships, companies, trusts and assets.
Strengths: "He is extremely good on money cases, very particular and good at addressing the detail." "He is good with demanding clients, very patient and unshakable in his views, and also very methodical."
An experienced child practitioner who handles all manner of adoption and Children Act cases. She is noted for her expertise in acrimonious cases involving same-sex couples, religious conflict and non-accidental injury.
Strengths: "She's fantastic, very methodical in approaching complicated cases and excellent on areas of law that are not part of the everyday. Her client care is just wonderful. She's very compassionate to her clients whilst being an outstanding advocate. Judges are incredibly complimentary about her."
Highly regarded practitioner who specialises in dealing with vulnerable clients in private and public law cases including issues of sexual and physical abuse, non-accidental injury and 'honour violence'. She is routinely instructed by high-profile individuals across many jurisdictions.
Strengths: "She's fabulous and the most organised scheduler on the planet. Fantastically hard-working, she is a very effective senior junior who has a great way with clients."
Recognised for his expertise in challenging private law children proceedings and noted for his effective client manner. He handles a large volume of complex cases relating to parents seeking contact with their children and exhibits strength in the growing area of surrogacy.
Strengths: "One of the loveliest and most effective advocates; he's so erudite and handles sensitive cases perfectly, taking exactly the right approach. He also has great technical expertise."
Offers clients a multidisciplinary approach, having a background in both children and immigration law. His practice is internationally focused, and he is particularly known for his work aiding vulnerable clients in proceedings against local authorities.
Strengths: "He's really good at getting to the crux of the case and at getting clients to focus in on their case. He's particularly good for clients with cost constraints."
Has a mixed practice and handles both high-value matrimonial finance and sensitive children matters, both of which often feature a strong international element. She is noted for her deft handling of challenging abuse cases.
Strengths: "Fearless advocate with excellent legal knowledge and a fantastic way with her clients. Her court documents are superb."
Covers the full spectrum of children issues, specialising in particular in the representation of parents faced with allegations of abuse and neglect. She additionally has a burgeoning practice dealing in cases concerning alternative families.
Strengths: "Lucy is exceptionally bright and extremely personable with clients. She deals with the most complex cases and is always prepared. She's a pleasure to work with."