In a minority of cases, the circumstances of the family breakup, or the functioning of one or both parents, leads to a situation where children cannot develop a proper relationship, as they need to, with each parent.

There are circumstances where there is a genuine issue in relation to whether a child can safely spend time with another parent, even on a supervised basis. However, what differentiates intractable disputes is the nature and tone of the disagreement between parents, and the extent to which the children of the family are directly or indirectly exposed to the adult conflict.

Members of Harcourt see these cases all too frequently, and can advise from the start as to the need for findings of fact, assessment of parents and children, on quality of evidence and where these disputes might lead. Parents in these situations need careful and realistic advice about what is happening to them and their families, and this calls for expertise in advocacy, psychology and empathy.

Our approach is to work with clients throughout proceedings and to ensure that they make their decisions based on the current law, the psychological theory applied to intractable disputes and alienation and we hope to assist people in these very difficult cases to move towards a resolution which is in the best interests of the child.

Featured cases:

For help and advice please contact our clerks.

Our clerking team is renowned for its friendly and pro-active approach.


Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk

Barristers

Nick Goodwin KC

Call: 1995 Silk: 2014

John Vater KC MCIArb

Call: 1995 Silk: 2012

Karl Rowley KC

Call: 1994 Silk: 2013

Julia Cheetham KC

Call: 1990 Silk: 2015

Aidan Vine KC

Call: 1995 Silk: 2016

Edward Devereux KC

Call: 2001 Silk: 2017

Jonathan Sampson KC

Call: 1997 Silk: 2020

Alicia Collinson

Call: 1982

Jane Campbell

Call: 1990

Sara Granshaw

Call: 1991

Douglas Allen

Call: 1995

Simon Miller

Call: 1996

Matthew Brookes-Baker

Call: 1998

Oliver Wraight

Call: 1998

Cecilia Barrett

Call: 1998

Andrew Leong

Call: 1998

Edward Kirkwood

Call: 1999

Helen Little

Call: 1999

Margaret Styles MCIArb

Call: 2000

Craig Jeakings

Call: 2000

James Turner

Call: 2001

Jason Green MCIArb

Call: 2001

Julia Shillingford

Call: 2002

Alex Forbes

Call: 2003

Suzanne Syme MCIArb

Call: 2004

Alison Williams MCIArb 

Call: 2004

Frances Harris

Call: 2005

Kit Firbank

Call: 2005

Matthew Stott

Call: 2005

Chloe Wilkins

Call: 2006

James Dove

Call: 2006

Alex Perry

Call: 2007

Siân Cox

Call: 2008

Stephen Crispin

Call: 2008

Mehvish Chaudhry

Call: 2008

Vicky Reynolds

Call: 2008

Sara McIlroy

Call: 2008

Emily Rayner

Call: 2009

Victoria Flowers

Call: 2009

David Marusza

Call: 2009

Annie Sayers

Call: 2009

Justine Ramsden

Call: 2010

Anna Yarde

Call: 2012

Martha Gray

Call: 2012

Elisabeth Wickham

Call: 2012

Eleanor Howard

Call: 2012

Emma Gatland

Call: 2013

Oliver Powell

Call: 2013

Rob George

Call: 2013

Edward Bennett

Call: 2013

Mavis Amonoo-Acquah

Call: 2013

Curtis Ball

Call: 2015

Hannah Windmill

Call: 2016

Kate Ferguson

Call: 2016

Ethan Connor

Call: 2017

Natasha Miller

Call: 2017

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