"You were fantastic... went well beyond what I was expecting and got me a great result by just getting to the point and not wasting my money"
I am a Family Law Barrister with 27 years experience of divorce and family law work. I also sit, part time, as a Deputy District Judge and am a specialist Family Arbitrator.
I am known as a hard-hitting Barrister who gets the job done well, efficiently and without fuss. I always aim to win.
I conduct most of my 'public access' client meetings outside of usual 'office hours' to fit in with my client's working lives and I make myself available by Skype, email and mobile phone to give them as personalised a service as possible.
My approach
I offer the benefit of experience and affordability.
In private, I will give clear, impartial and frank advice - in 'Plain English' - to enable you to make the best possible decisions about your future.
In negotiations and mediations I will adopt the most appropriate approach to get you the best possible deal.
In court I will be fearless and forceful before the Judge - without winding the Judge up the wrong way
I offer a full range of services to meet the individual needs of my Public Access clients - from 'one off' advice sessions or representation at specific court hearings to the kind of 'start to finish' representation you would expect to get from a Solicitor - at a fraction of the cost.
My work
Over the 27 years I have practised in family law work I have worked on a huge number and variety of cases from those lawyers regard as 'routine' to the 'exceptionally complicated'. I practice at every level of Court from the Magistrates Court to the Court of Appeal and have a particular experience in advising in Matrimonial Finance (ancillary relief or financial remedies cases) and Children Act cases.
I provide clear and objective advice - to enable clients to understand the pros and cons of what they think they might want to do.
I negotiate settlements where appropriate to do so - either by direct negotiation, round table meetings or through other non-court methods of Dispute Resolution.
I represent clients at court at any hearing they do not want to do themselves.
I offer clients a full 'start to finish' service if they want that kind of extra service.
One of my clients was an elderly Greek lady who unfortunately was going through a second divorce and who had already spent £30,000 in legal fees with a Solicitor before coming to me with very little in terms of paperwork or 'progress'. I was able to take her case to final hearing within weeks, effectively from scratch, for just £5000.
Another of my clients wanted a simple straightforward divorce settlement without winding his ex-wife up and damaging his relationship with his child. I was able to resolve matters by negotiation for just £3000. His ex-wife's Solicitor's bill came to £20,000.
Another of my clients had been denied contact with his child for two years and faced a negative CAFCASS report saying his child did not want to see him. I was able to persuade the Court to make a Shared Residence Order. His ex-wife's Solicitor's bill reached £25,000. My bill came to £3,000.
About me
I am a member of a leading Barrister's chambers recognised in the Directories as having a particular expertise in Divorce and Family Law work.
Over the last few years I have been doing a considerable amount of direct access Private Client work and have tried and tested procedures in place to ensure my clients have the best possible service.
For more information about me please visit my personal website www.directaccessfamilybarrister.com
What my clients say
" Once again, thank you for a great result... you went the extra mile for me... should have come to you straight away " Mr B
"You were fantastic... went well beyond what I was expecting and got me a great result by just getting to the point and not wasting my money" Ms K
"Richard gave me unrelenting support" Mr Patel
"You have been brilliant and we couldn't ask for a better barrister " Mrs P
“Best money ever spent hiring Richard - he has a cool and confident attitude and achieved a great outcome for me in my case. Would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone ” Linda Ward
“Despite the relatively short notice given I was very impressed by how quickly Richard grasped all the key points and negotiation levers of a protracted divorce case. His preparation was faultless and he was exceptionally knowledgeable of all the legal issues. It was evident from the start that he had the opposition on the back foot. The outcome was simply the best I could have expected and means that I can now move on with my life as I’d hoped. I would have no hesitation in recommending his services ” John Barn
Professional & academic
I am a qualified Arbitrator and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators