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Family Law

"Reputable chambers with a strong children and finance offering, and a particular dedication to public law issues."

Chambers UK Bar Guide

"The family clerks are exceptionally experienced and helpful. They know the solicitors in the field and have a deft understanding of the expertise required for even the most complex cases."

Legal 500

"The set's ethos of aiding vulnerable individuals is reflected within their work with members regularly handling matters concerning serious emotional and sexual abuse against children."

Chambers UK Bar Guide

"The set's private children practice is similarly sophisticated. Clients are particularly well served thanks to Garden Court Chambers' multi-disciplinary nature, with the set housing specialists in immigration and Court of Protection work."

Chambers UK Bar Guide

To contact the Family Clerks, please email familyclerksmailbox@gclaw.co.uk or phone

+44 (0)20 7993 7600

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For solicitors & organisations | For individuals
Top Ranked Chambers UK Bar 2019
The Legal 500 UK Top Tier Set 2019

Our family law barristers are recognised for their outstanding level of expertise. Garden Court Chambers is ranked as a leading set of chambers for family law in the Chambers & Partners UK Bar Guide.  

We are regularly instructed in complex and serious cases, as well as cases in the lower courts where the outcome for clients is equally significant.

As the largest barristers’ chambers in London, we offer unrivalled inter-disciplinary expertise. We are routinely instructed in cases that crossover between family law and other areas of law including immigration, housing, welfare benefits, mental health, community care, Court of Protection and crime.

Our family law barristers have a reputation for tough and effective advocacy in court, and we are adept at representing vulnerable clients. We offer expert, practical legal advice across all areas of family law, from financial disputes to the welfare of children.

Children Law

Divorce and Family Finances

International Family Law

Domestic Abuse

USEFul family law website and legislation

Some of the primary legislation
Children and Families Act 2014
Children and Young Persons Act 2008
Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008
Children and Adoption Act 2006
Work and Families Act 2006
Childcare Act 2006
Civil Partnership Act 2004
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Deceased Fathers) Act 2003
Adoption and Children Act 2002
Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001
Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000
Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000

Court Proforma Orders
CAP01 – Order – Directions at Gatekeeping Allocation
CAP02 – Lite Final
CAP02 – Order – First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA) Directions
CAP03 – Order Dispute Resolution Appointment
CAP04 – Final Order
Financial Proceedings Directions Order
Financial Remedy Omnibus (with Variation Settlement Order)
Standard Family Orders
Standard Financial and Enforcement Orders
CMO Final FR for PFD
SDO Final ER for PFD

Useful family law websites
Association of Lawyers for Children
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Child Rights Information Network
Children's rights law in the UK
Children's Legal Centre
Child Maintenance Options website
Divorce Aid
Family Law Bar Association and Family Law Bar Association Published Guidance Locator
Family Division of the High Court
Family Justice Council
Family Division Practice Directions
Family Law Bar Association and Family Law Bar Association Published Guidance Locator
Family Mediators Association
Fatherhood Institute
Hague Conference on Private International Law
Islamic Family Law
Resolution (previously Solicitors Family Law Association)
UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

 

The Team

Ian Peddie QC

Year of Call: 1971

Year of Silk: 1992

Amanda Weston QC

Year of Call: 1995

Year of Silk: 2018

Sarah Forster

Year of Call: 1976

Kathryn Cronin

Year of Call: 1980

Celia Graves

Year of Call: 1981

Ravinder Rahal

Year of Call: 1983

Amanda Meusz

Year of Call: 1986

Sorrel Dixon

Year of Call: 1987

Maggie Jones

Year of Call: 1990

Dinah Loeb

Year of Call: 2004

Malek Wan Daud

Year of Call: 1991

Allison Munroe

Year of Call: 1992

Henry Drayton

Year of Call: 1993

Amina Ahmed

Year of Call: 1995

Gregor Ferguson

Year of Call: 1995

Sharon Love

Year of Call: 1997

Katharine Marks

Year of Call: 1998

Mai-Ling Savage

Year of Call: 1998

Rebekah Wilson

Year of Call: 1998

Hannah Rought-Brooks

Year of Call: 1999

Ed Elliott

Year of Call: 2000

Bansi Soni

Year of Call: 2003

Davina Krishnan

Year of Call: 2004

Christopher McWatters

Year of Call: 2004

William Tautz

Year of Call: 2004

Victoria Burgess

Year of Call: 2006

Artis Kakonge

Year of Call: 2006

Stephen Lue

Year of Call: 2006

Ann Osborne

Year of Call: 2016

Hannah Wyatt

Year of Call: 2008

Lyndsey Sambrooks-Wright

Year of Call: 2008

Gráinne Mellon

Year of Call: 2010

James Holmes

Year of Call: 2011

Naomi Wiseman

Year of Call: 2011

Nisha Bambhra

Year of Call: 2011

Katherine Duncan

Year of Call: 2014

Monifa Walters-Thompson

Year of Call: 2014

Rachel Schon

Year of Call: 2018

Associate Members

Elizabeth Woodcraft

Year of Call: 1980

Smita Shah

Year of Call: 2002

Dr Peter Dunne

Latest News

Naomi Wiseman of Garden Court has been accepted by the University of Cambridge Family Law Centre as a visiting research scholar

Naomi Wiseman is a member of the Garden Court Chambers Family Law Team.

28 January 2020

Stephen Simblet and Allison Munroe of Garden Court Chambers to be appointed Queen’s Counsel

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Stephen Simblet and Allison Munroe of Garden Court Chambers will be formally appointed Queen’s Counsel.

16 January 2020

'Preventing deportation of a child at risk of FGM: Part Two' published in Family Law Journal

The article is written by Naomi Wiseman and James Holmes of the Garden Court Family Team.

15 January 2020

'Revoking an adoption order: unusual and exceptional' published in Family Law Journal

Written by Naomi Wiseman and Mai-Ling Savage of Garden Court Chambers.

3 December 2019

A (No. 2) (Children: Findings of Fact) [2019] EWCA Civ 1947 (14 November 2019)

Rebekah Wilson of Garden Court represented the appellant father, led by Andrew Bagchi QC of 1 Garden Court, instructed by Shanthi Balakrishnan of Imran Khan and Co Solicitors in the Court of Appeal case. The judgement was handed down on 14 November 2019

25 November 2019

Naomi Wiseman meets with MPs on campaign to end child marriage in England and Wales

Naomi Wiseman of the Garden Court Chambers Family Law Team is advising the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) in relation to their campaign (with other groups) to introduce legislation to end child marriage in England and Wales.

5 November 2019

Re S (A Child: Adequacy of reasoning) [2019] EWCA Civ 1845

Malek Wan Daud of Garden Court Chambers represented the respondent child by his children's guardian, instructed by Collins Solicitors.

4 November 2019

Garden Court Chambers ranked in Band 1 in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2020

We are delighted to have once again been ranked in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in the Chambers UK Bar Guide 2020.

17 October 2019

Can the Family Court lawfully injunct the Secretary of State for the Home Department from the exercise of their immigration powers in relation to a mother and child by making an FGM protection order?

James Holmes and Naomi Wiseman of the Garden Court Family Law Team represented the Local Authority. Kathryn Cronin and Artis Kakonge of the Garden Court Family Law Team represented the Child.

14 October 2019

The restraint of children and the importance of the continuity of professionals for children placed in care

Allison Munroe (for the applicant) and Rebekah Wilson (for the second respondent child through his guardian) of the Garden Court Family Law Team appeared in an important reported case before Mr Justice MacDonald in the High Court.

27 September 2019

Naomi Wiseman and Emma Fenn of Garden Court advising campaign to end child marriage in the UK

Naomi Wiseman of the Garden Court Chambers Family Law Team and Emma Fenn of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team are advising the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO).

25 July 2019

Family Law Update: Wasted costs against non-parties in family proceedings

Written by Nisha Bambhra of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

12 July 2019

Family Law Update: Family Justice Council interim guidance on special guardianship

Written by Victoria Burgess of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

12 July 2019

Family Law Update: Uncertain perpetrator cases – the correct approach

Written by William Tautz of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

12 July 2019

Family Law Update: 'Placement in Ghana: proportionality, human rights and the guardian'

This case concerns a decision as to whether the child, ‘A’ should be placed in Ghana with extended family members or remain in the UK in the care of his foster carer.

2 April 2019

Family Law Update: "Reporting restrictions: when are they useful?"

This case concerns the making of a reporting restrictions order in relation to the birth parents of a young child.

2 April 2019

Family Law Update: When should a ward of court be permitted to attend a foreign trial to give evidence?

This case concerns two boys, X who is 12 years old and Y who is 8 years old. Both were wards of the court. The application was for X to travel to India to answer a witness summons is

2 April 2019

Natural family in Ghana, securing Article 8 rights

Rebekah Wilson acted for the Appellant, Monifa Walters-Thompson acted pro bono for the fourth respondents and Maggie Jones acted for the Respondent Children’s Guardian.

10 January 2019

Family Law Update: Teenagers, secure accommodation and the relevance of consent

Written by Mai-Ling Savage of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

17 December 2018

Family Law Update: The recognition of foreign adoptions

Written by Kathryn Cronin of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

17 December 2018

Family Law Update: Order!

Written by Christopher McWatters of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

17 December 2018

Family Law Update: Civil restraint orders

Written by Lyndsey Sambrooks-Wright of the Garden Court Chambers Family Team.

17 December 2018

High Court hears failed asylum seeker's daughter 'at FGM risk'

Garden Court's James Holmes is instructed by Suffolk County Council.

1 November 2018

Placement of a child outside their natural family

Amina Ahmed explores the test used in deciding the correct balance for a child's growing up in his culture of origin or in proximity with his family in the UK.

31 October 2018

Appeal in care proceedings involving rival Special Guardianship Order contenders: a foster carer and extended family members in Ghana. Appeal allowed.

Rebekah Wilson instructed for the Appellant. Maggie Jones instructed for the Respondent Children's Guardian. 

30 October 2018

Statutory Charge: Care Costs and Human Rights Act Applications

The following guidance applies when making an HRA application: make a separate and standalone application, and keep costs of pursuing the HRA claim separate from the care case.

18 September 2018

The London Infant and Family Team & The New Orleans Intervention Model

In England two local authorities – Croydon and Tower Hamlets –  have been trialling the New Orleans Intervention Model, a relationship focused intervention for families involved in care proceedings. King's College London are currently undertaking a random

18 September 2018

Beware drafters of threshold documents

Lessons can be learnt from two recent cases regarding the phrasing of a) threshold documents and b) the court’s findings in relation to threshold. 

18 September 2018

Garden Court Chambers welcome Lyndsey Sambrooks-Wright and Monifa Walters-Thompson to the Family Team

We are delighted to announce that Lyndsey Sambrooks-Wright and Monifa Walters-Thompson have joined the Family Law Team at Garden Court Chambers.

10 August 2018

Court of Appeal allows first successful appeal against Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order

Sarah Forster appeared on behalf of the mother and James Holmes, who was also instructed at first instance, appeared on behalf the local authority led by Hannah Markham QC.

1 August 2018

What is confidentiality and does it matter anymore?

Sections 97(2) and (6) of the Children Act 1989 make it a criminal offence for anyone to publish material likely to identify a child involved in proceedings under the Act. The prohibition only lasts until the end of the proceedings - Clayton v Clayton [20

15 May 2018

Is it time for a protocol on international kinship assessments?

With Brexit looming and a rise in the number of care applications, the issue of international assessments has a sharper focus. It is time for a protocol on international kinship assessments which will significantly aid in a more robust case management.

15 May 2018

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