Cases
WX v HX [2023] EWFC 279 (21 December 2023)
St John’s Chambers is a strong set for divorce and financial remedy work, with several barristers, including a KC, well-known across the Western Circuit for acting in high-value and technically complex cases.”
- Client Quotes
Solid set of family law barristers from most senior to most junior. Excellent support and collaboration provided to their up and coming juniors.”
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Voted ‘Regional Family Law Chambers of the Year’ at the Family Law Awards 2023 and nominated again in 2024
Our Divorce and Financial Remedy team has expertise and considerable experience across the whole range of matrimonial law and financial remedies associated with the break-up of a relationship, whether upon divorce, after cohabitation, or on the dissolution of a civil partnership.
We are one of the leading Chambers for advising and representing clients in all financial and property disputes, including time-critical applications to preserve assets. Our barristers are experts in pre- and post-nuptial agreements as well as financial and property trusts, advising clients both in the UK and overseas.
We have particular expertise in high net worth and international cases and in matters relating to jurisdiction disputes. In financial claims we represent all parties including interveners and third parties, as well as spouses and partners, and we work alongside experts such as valuers, pension specialists and accountants to reach the best financial solution for each client.
Areas of expertise:
- Arbitration
- Cohabitee disputes (including claims under ToLATA 1996)
- Claims under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989
- Civil Partnership Act 2004
- Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
- CMS Tribunals
- Complex pensions, accountancy issues, tax, company valuations and liquidity enforcement
- Cases involving farms and farming businesses
- International cases and offshore assets
- Preparation of pre- and post-nuptial agreements
- Private FDRs (as Judges and Counsel)
- Professional Negligence
- Matrimonial Causes Act 1973
- Mediation (as Mediators and Counsel)
- Separation and divorce
We enjoy a reputation for the friendly and practical legal service we provide, and our large and established legal team means we can provide advice at all levels of dispute, regardless of the complexity and value.
Members also undertake injunction and committal work relating to all family finance matters as well as offering an independent settlement advice service.
The team provide all ADR services including private FDRs (chairing and representing), represented mediation (leading and representing). We also offer Arbitration in both financial remedy and Children Act matters and are the only Set in the South West offering this service. Download brochure here.
Chambers regularly hosts multi-party conferences in our modern premises.
Our barristers are often quoted in articles about family law, or indeed publish their own, both in the mainstream and legal press, along with specialist journals and via their own respected family law blogs. Barristers have been featured in a variety of publications and BBC programmes.
Our clerking team are always accessible, and take care and time to understand the case or the individual personalities involved when recommending individual barristers. Read more.
View our Divorce & Financial Remedy digital book here for further details about how we can help you.
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.
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 [email protected].
Divorce & Financial Remedy Team
Christopher Sharp KC
- Call: 1975
- Silk: 1999
Nick Miller
- Call: 1994
Jacqueline Humphreys
- Call: 1994
Zoë Saunders
- Call: 2003
Jody Atkinson
- Call: 2005
Richard Norman
- Call: 2009
Jack Harris
- Call: 2012
Oliver Riley
- Call: 2013
Bethany Scarsbrook
- Call: 2014
Sophie Smith-Holland
- Call: 2015
Harriet Dudbridge
- Call: 2015
Georgina Swinglehurst
- Call: 2019
Vivien Croly
- Call: 2019
Kate Pearson
- Call: 2019
Chelsea Bartlett
- Call: 2021
Jenny Wilson
- Call: 2021
Directory Quotes
A lengthy roster of silks and juniors with invaluable expertise in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. Chambers has good quality and experienced counsel available to deal with all aspects of cases and all levels of complexity.”
St John’s Chambers is one of the leading sets on the Western Circuit for public and private child law work.”
All of the barristers at St John’s are extremely capable of dealing with all types of matters, from simple cases through to incredibly complicated and contentious ones.”
St John’s Chambers is a very strong family set, housing a team which covers all aspects of family law.”
The clerks are always available at the end of the phone or by email. If any issue arises they will go above and beyond in order to find a solution so that there is minimal difficulty to the instructing solicitor. A truly faultless service.”
St John’s Chambers is very efficient and counsel are exceptional.”
All of the barristers at St John’s are extremely capable of dealing with all types of matters, from simple cases through to incredibly complicated and contentious ones.”
St John’s Chambers has a lengthy roster of silks and juniors with invaluable expertise in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. Members are particularly skilled at handling cross-jurisdictional matters for high net worth individuals, especially those concerning the division of assets as part of divorce proceedings. The barristers are frequently called upon to assist with the most complex public children mandates encompassing sexual abuse, brain injury and trafficking matters, and also take on private work such as Children Act proceedings. ‘It is an excellent chambers with strength at all levels,’ one interviewee notes.”
Luke Hodgson, practice manager, gives a service which feels tailored to the individual. This is mirrored by his team, whose response times to a request are always impressive. The chambers is very organised and very well run. The clerks go above and beyond and are very quick to respond to enquiries. The clerking team are friendly, approachable and extremely efficient, always exceeding expectations.”
Excellent set’ St John’s Chambers is ‘a go-to’ chambers in the South West for hard working, knowledgeable and good quality barristers across the board in the arena of family law.”
St John’s Chambers has a lengthy roster of silks and juniors with invaluable expertise in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. Members are particularly skilled at handling cross-jurisdictional matters for high net worth individuals, especially those concerning the division of assets as part of divorce proceedings. The barristers are frequently called upon to assist with the most complex public children mandates encompassing sexual abuse, brain injury and trafficking matters, and also take on private work such as Children Act proceedings. ‘St John’s is our first choice of chambers on the Western Circuit. What sets them apart is the breadth and depth of their membership,” one source says.’ “
Luke Hodgson is the practice manager for the family team and Elaine Jewell-Moore, the family law practice team leader, is described as ‘particularly great, prompt and efficient.’ “
St John’s Chambers is home to a large team of family barristers specialising in high-profile public and private family matters on the Western Circuit.”
Resources
- Podcast
Instructing Counsel
Client Quotes
St John’s are very well respected in Bristol and the South West, used by our team across our offices. They have a range of specialisms and have assisted in cases involving children, complex finances and unmarried couples.”
Solid set of family law barristers from most senior to most junior. Excellent support and collaboration provided to their up and coming juniors.”
Seminars & Events
- Past Event
Beneficial interests in property: TOLATA and more
Venue: St John's Chambers - Forthcoming Event
Family Finance Debate Series 2025
Venue: St John's Chambers, 101 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6PU
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