Lucy is absolutely brilliant. She is very, very thorough across everything and very strategic in how she thinks.”

Chambers UK 2025, Children

Lucy is a family law specialist and has practised in family law throughout her professional career. Her practice now spans all areas of children work. She often acts in complex, multi-party or high conflict intractable private law disputes. In public law children cases she acts for parents, children, local authorities and extended family. Lucy has experience of handling cases involving suspected non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, neglect and domestic abuse, where there are parental mental health, learning disability or capacity issues, concerns around substance abuse and addiction, and involving children with special educational needs and disabilities / complex medical needs. Lucy’s instructions also encompass cases involving suspected trafficking, county lines and gang involvement, honour violence and FGM/c.

Lucy’s practice includes matters with international aspects, including abduction, leave to remove and cross border families. Lucy is also experienced in dealing with in post-care applications such as applications for discharge of care or placement orders, leave to oppose adoption orders and contested adoptions.

In addition, Lucy is experienced in cases involving Human Rights Act claims or issues relating to reporting restriction orders or publicity. Her practice also encompasses the range of injunctive work, including Pt IV Family Law Act and forced marriage.

Lucy is instructed at first instance in the Family Court and High Court and in appellate work. In appropriate cases Lucy will undertake family work via public access.

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Resources

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Directory Quotes

Lucy is a supremely excellent advocate who prepares thoroughly and takes control of the court room. She is a confident, authoritative and highly skilled advocate who ensures she covers every aspect of the case in detail.”

The Legal 500 2025, Children and domestic abuse

Lucy is a brilliant advocate and is extremely knowledgeable. She instils confidence in those instructing her.”

Chambers UK 2025, Children

Lucy is a wonderful barrister, as strong on written submissions as she is on her feet, where she attracts the ear of judges with her court manner, and more than holds her own with silks far more senior than her.”

The Legal 500 2024, FAMILY: CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Lucy Reed KC specialises in children work and acts for clients on a wide variety of public and private cases. ‘She has amazing client care skills and her approach is very balanced and reasoned.’ She is very professional and has a very good understanding of the law and can disseminate that information to clients.’ ‘Lucy can get to the heart of the case quickly and is a very reassuring barrister.’ “

Chambers UK 2024, Family: Children

Lucy specialises in children work and acts for clients on a wide variety of public and private cases. ‘She is an intelligent, highly regarded advocate who provides realistic advice to clients.’ “Lucy leads the courtroom without being overbearing and is well respected nationally.’ ‘Lucy is formidable in dealing with complex children public law cases.’ “

Chambers UK 2023, Family/Children

Lucy is completely unflappable. She always has a realistic, measured and well thought out approach. Organised and conscientious. Comfortably holds her own against silks. An outstanding advocate.”

Legal 500 2023, Child Law (Public and Private)

A determined and polished advocate. Lucy is acute, focused and thorough, going beyond the call of duty to ensure that all possible aspects of the case are explored and prepared.”

Legal 500 2022, Child Law (Public and Private)

Lucy is approachable and contactable and excellent with clients and tribunals. She is thorough and willing to go the extra mile on her own initiative. She is someone who thinks more widely rather than just on what’s happening in the courtroom.”

CHAMBERS UK 2022, Family/Matrimonial

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  • Appointments:

    • Recorder (Western Circuit)

  • Qualifications & awards:

    • Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law (2002)
    • PGDip Law/CPE City University (2001)
    • MRes Humanities & Cultural Studies, Birkbeck, University of London (1998)
    • BA(Hons) Exon English Studies (1997)
    • Lucy has recently completed vulnerable witness training with the FLBA

  • Professional memberships:

    • Family Law Bar Association
    • Association of Lawyers for Children
    • Western Circuit
    • Legal Aid Practitioners’ Group (LAPG)

  • Additional information:

    Alongside her court practice Lucy writes and talks on family law and has particular interests in issues arising from the involvement of litigants in person in family cases, and in issues surrounding the publication of information arising from family proceedings and transparency.

    Lucy has a background in education law and has represented clients at SENDIST and Child Support Tribunals, and she is able to draw upon her experience in that field in family work.

    Lucy gave oral evidence to the President’s Transparency Review in March 2021, and has been appointed as the legal blogger for the Family Court Transparency Implementation Group (TIG). Read more here.

    Lucy is the author of The Family Court without a Lawyer – A Handbook for Litigants in Person‘ (4th edition 2022, Bath Publishing) and co-author of ‘Transparency in the Family Courts: Publicity and Privacy in Practice’ (2024, Bloomsbury Press).

    Lucy has also produced a series of free self-help videos for Litigants in Person. The three videos are available to view for free on YouTube here or via the website accompanying the book (www.nofamilylawyer.co.uk).

    Lucy has been writing about family law since 2007 primarily through her popular Pink Tape. Lucy was awarded the Family Law Readers Commentary Award 2012, and was shortlisted for Most Innovative Family Lawyer. In October 2014 Lucy was shortlisted for a third time for the Readers’ Commentary award. Lucy has written for various publications including the New Statesman, inews and The Guardian. Lucy now writes extensively for The Transparency Project blog, particularly their Family Court Reporting Watch project. Lucy was Bristol Law Society’s ‘Barrister of the Year’ in 2016.

    Lucy is involved with local initiatives to develop support for litigants in person, including the www.familycourtinfo.org.uk website.

    She is also a trained mediator (non-practising).

  • Lucy Reed KC is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.