Family
Our family practitioners represent and advise clients in all family law matters, appearing in courts at all levels. Chambers is situated two minutes walk from the Principal Registry of the Family Division and ten minutes from the High Court and Gee Street care centre and our counsel are instructed on cases in these courts on a continual basis.
We also receive instructions from solicitors throughout the South-East (and beyond for private paying clients) and most weeks we will have counsel at Bow, Ilford, Romford, Uxbridge, Wandsworth, Willesden, Medway, Maidstone, Canterbury, Croydon, Brentford and Edmonton County Courts.
We understand that reality often dictates the need for urgent applications and we offer a short-notice service for these situations. Further, we are keenly aware of the need to retain the same counsel on proceedings throughout wherever possible and aim for this as a service standard.
Our family cases fall into the three main categories: Children (Public) Law, Children (Private) Law and Ancillary Relief and Property. Within these categories members of chambers have recent experience of cases which have involved the following specific key features:
Children Law (Public)
- Sexual Abuse
- NAI
- Wardship
- EPO's
- Care / Supervision Orders
- Special Guardianship
- Secure Accomodation
- Official Solicitor representation
- s91 (14) Orders
- Adoption
- Mental Heath Issues
Children Law (Private)
- Paternity Testing
- R9.5 Guardian ad Litem
- Child Abduction
- Hague Convention
- Brussels II
- Injunctions / Domestic Violence
- Committals
- Wardship
- Removal from Jurisdiction
- s91 (14) Orders
- All s8 applications
- Official Solicitor representation
- NYAS
Ancillary Relief and Property
- Freezing / Search Orders
- Foreign Divorce
- International Property
- ToLATA
- Cohabitees disputes
- Maintenance Pending Suit
- Advice re: agreements
- Enforcement
- Declaration of Trusts
- Pensions
- Business Assets
Further, members of chambers have experience in contested divorce and civil partnership and Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) cases.
Shaun Esprit was recruited in 2007 from 1 King's Bench Walk and he adds specialist experience of matters with a cross-jurisdictional (criminal / family) element. This background (Shaun is on the "C" Panel of the Attorney General's Unified List of Prosecution Advocates) particularly assists clients in cases with a POCA element.
We have recently welcomed back to chambers Joan Connell who has returned from an extended sabbatical during which time she gained a Masters Degree at King's College, London studying public and private family law, child protection, domestic violence and children's rights. Joan was awarded a distinction and now supervises students on the course. Joan's return to chambers helps to further strengthen a talented and committed team of family practitioners.
Family Law Practice Team members
Constance Whippman (1978 call)
Joan Connell (1985)
Jean Paul Sinclair (1989)
Rhys Jones (1990)
Rachael James (1992)
Shaun Esprit (1996)
Joanna Cobb(1999)
Simon Hill (2001)
Elisabeth Nartey (2003)
Tom Beasley (2003)
All of the above are members of the Family Law Bar Association.