Fenners Family Practice Group

After previous changes in the family law system, the unified Family Court breaks down the barriers that used to exist between the different tiers of the court system. Coupled with the removal of legal aid for most family cases and financial pressures on public bodies concerned with the welfare of children, Fenners’ Family Practice Group was well prepared for all these changes and looks to offer its services in ways which ensure that the best legal advice and representation is still available to all – regardless of the financial circumstances of the family members concerned.

The Family Practice Group represents spouses, partners, parents, children’s guardians, local authorities and extended family members.

What we do

Cases involving children:
  • Disputes between parents about residence & contact
  • Applications for permission to remove a child from the jurisdiction
  • Disputes regarding children’s education and health issues
  • Local authority applications relating to care, supervision or adoption
  • The provision of secure accommodation
  • International disputes involving the Hague Convention
  • Abduction involving “non – Hague Convention” countries
Cases involving financial remedies:
  • Financial orders on divorce or separation
  • Farming divorces, family companies and “big money” cases
  • Claims relating to international assets
  • Inheritance Act claims
  • Provision for children under Schedule I of the Children Act
  • Trusts of Land Act claims between cohabitants or members of the extended family
  • Ante and post nuptial agreements
Domestic Violence:
  • Applications for injunction and enforcement of injunctions
General Family Law Issues including:
  • The validity of marriages or civil partnerships
  • Claims of nullity
  • Divorce proceedings and judicial separation
  • Civil partnership disputes
  • International family jurisdiction
  • Forced marriages

The Court of Protection
The Family Practice Group advises in cases concerning welfare/best interest (including residence arrangements), financial matters, medical treatment, deprivation of liberty (DOLS), judicial review and on appeals. Our clients include claimants, family members, health and public bodies, local authorities and “P”.

Early Neutral Evaluation Service
Our senior family barristers offer Early Neutral Evaluation (a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution or “ADR”) to assist families involved in a dispute over their children or finances following a family breakdown. A senior barrister or part time judge from our Family Team will review all relevant evidence available from both parties and give an indication of what the outcome of court proceedings might be. You can choose your Evaluator or we can allocate someone suitable from the Team. The benefits of this service are as follows:

  • It is cost effective
  • It promotes early settlement
  • It is less intimidating than being in court
  • You choose a date and venue that suits you/your clients
  • It is flexible – you can choose certain issues for evaluation, or use it for all issues
  • It is a voluntary process and so promotes co-operation
  • Parties mutually invest in reaching a settlement outside of the court process
  • Parties retain the power of making final decisions
  • Early Neutral Evaluations (which are also called Private FDRs) have a very high settlement rate

Recent Feedback
My experience of using Fenners Chambers via the direct access scheme has been great. From the initial contact right up until my court hearing, the clerks and barrister have been very helpful, sympathetic and understanding. Although it was all dealt with in a professional manner, it also felt personal and that reassured me whilst dealing with such a traumatic time in my life. Nothing can prepare you for the fear as you enter a court room but Abigail Pilkington was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable and professional but again making me feel at ease during such a difficult time. I would like to thank you all for making this awful time a little more comfortable. I would most certainly recommend your chambers”.

Listing of barristers within our Family Practice Group

Anthony Kefford

Anthony Kefford

Year of Call: 1980

Debra Gold

Debra Gold

Year of Call: 1985

Meryl Hughes

Meryl Hughes

Year of Call: 1987

Jeff Deegan

Jeff Deegan

Year of Call: 1989

Polly Low

Polly Low

Year of Call: 1990

Aelred Hookway

Aelred Hookway

Year of Call: 1990

Caroline Horton

Caroline Horton

Year of Call: 1993

Katharine Ferguson

Katharine Ferguson

Year of Call: 1995

Richard Balchin

Richard Balchin

Year of Call: 1997

Penny van Spall

Penny van Spall

Year of Call: 1998

Penelope Grewcock

Penelope Grewcock

Year of Call: 2004

Lisa Hannant

Lisa Hannant

Year of Call: 2005

Sally Gore

Sally Gore

Year of Call: 2006

Sarah Giles

Sarah Giles

Year of Call: 2007

Carlo Coccaro

Carlo Coccaro

Year of Call: 2007

Abigail Pilkington

Abigail Pilkington

Year of Call: 2008

Laura McGinty

Laura McGinty

Year of Call: 2009

Jonathan Masters

Jonathan Masters

Year of Call: 2009

Benjamin Phillips

Benjamin Phillips

Year of Call: 2011

Joshua Walters

Joshua Walters

Year of Call: 2012

Davide Corbino

Davide Corbino

Year of Call: 2012

Clare Gould

Clare Gould

Year of Call: 2014

Jodie Drummond

Jodie Drummond

Year of Call: 2015

Alicia Theaker

Alicia Theaker

Year of Call: 2016

Miriam Mallon

Miriam Mallon

Year of Call: 2017

Anne Hogarth

Anne Hogarth

Year of Call: 2018

Eve Chowdhury

Eve Chowdhury

Year of Call: 2019

Abigail Robinson

Abigail Robinson

Year of Call: 2020

Louise Ballantyne

Louise Ballantyne

Year of Call: 2021

Melanie Benn

Melanie Benn

Year of Call: 2021

Nick Mason‑Williams

Nick Mason‑Williams

Year of Call: 2021

Contact the Fenners Family Practice Group

Get in touch to discuss how we can apply our legal expertise in commercial matters to your benefit.