Family & Children


"Mr Bergin's professionalism, empathetic and calm approach, understanding of the family courts, has helped me enormously. Not only did he quickly grasp a very complicated and emotionally charged case but was able to calmly devise a strategy and articulately express my wishes to the court. His empathy and drive to my situation was top tier. I would highly recommend Mr Bergin for any matter relating to child arrangements.”

Client, 2023

"Francesca is a very hands-on and down-to-earth barrister who gives practical and tactical advice of the highest order. As complicated as issues may be, she is able to distil the issues into essential and digestible pieces to enable the client to understand the legal issues in the case. She is reassuring, and focused and persuasive in court."

Legal 500 2023

Talk to an advisor

If you have a question about our services please don’t hesitate to get in touch for further information via our enquiry form or by contacting us

Arrangements following Divorce or Separation

Divorce or separation can have a wide ranging impact on the family for many years. How will contact with the children be arranged? Where will the children live? What happens if one of the parents moves abroad? 

“Child Arrangement Orders”, are where these questions are answered and arrangements are formalised. For example, they resolvewhere a child is to go to school, their religious upbringing and medical treatment. 

Our direct access family barristers are skilled in negotiating and drawing up these arrangements and are able to represent you throughout the proceedings. Our team are recognised for having aving ‘an excellent choice of barristers, investing wisely in its pupils to ensure they are court-ready and always an impressive asset to chambers.‘ 

Moreover, we have specially trained mediators able to represent you or mediate disputes without you going to Court. This saves you all time, money and stress to quickly resolve disputes, both in person and remotely. Find out more here.

Our public access family barristers can help you with:

  • “Child Arrangement Orders” formalising the care and supervision of children
  • “Emergency Protection Orders”
  • Child Abduction and International Child Abduction
  • Conflict with a Local Authority
  • Adoption
  • Enforcement of an existing order
  • Domestic violence hearings
  • Special guardianship

News and further useful information:

Family & Children FAQs

Family law is very broad but we are experts at assisting you through the process of Divorce or Separation and are able to represent you throughout the proceedings. This includes parental alienation, rights of grandparents, adoptions, First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA), Fact-finding and custod arrangements, abduction and more.

We represent parents, guardians, grandparents, local authorities, children and partners.

Not necessarily. In the current climate, it can take even longer to have your case heard in court. Arbitration is like a personal court available at your convenience. The arbitrator listens to the evidence and the arguments on each side and then makes an independent decision about what is best for your children. That decision is intended to be binding and can easily be made into a court order. We have experienced advocates and arbitrators able to assist you resolve conflict quickly.

Yes, you can instruct us to negotiate and represent you regarding Child Arrangement Orders. They resolve, for example, where a child is to go to school, their religious upbringing and medical treatment.

When you have a dispute with someone about your children and you have been unable to resolve it through discussion, it can help to ask a qualified independent third party to make a decision for you. Unlike going to court, arbitration is quicker, less formal, less stressful and will probably save you a great deal of money.

Direct Access, also known as Public Access, allows you to directly instruct a barrister to act on your behalf, without using a solicitor or intermediary as is traditional. You are managing your case. However, not all cases are suitable for direct access and only barristers specifically trained to accept direct access instruction can assist you. Meet our trained barristers here.

We use a 4 step process outlining how you can instruct a barrister directly: Enquire, Discuss, Confirm, Instruct. Each stage is designed so we can make sure your case is suitable for direct access. It enables our clerks to find the right barrister, at the right price, for the right time just for you. Read more about the process here.

  • Represent you at court, before a tribunal, at a mediation and/or arbitration
  • Advise you on the potential outcomes of your case
  • Advise on drafting correspondence, formal Court documents and expert/witness statements
  • Advise you on involving experts
  • Advise you on the next steps in the proceedings. 

  • Liaise directly with the courts and other parties
  • Collect evidence and relevant papers
  • Handle money on your behalf

It is your responsibility to provide clear, concise instructions for your barrister to work towards your desired outcome. They cannot manage your case or your affairs nor can they handle money on your behalf.

Each case is different and some cases are not suitable for direct access instruction. For this area Clients using legal aid are not suitable for Direct Access so should instruct us using a solicitor. 

If your case is not suitable

Some cases require more day to day management so are not suitable for direct access. In this case, we will not progress beyond the Enquiry stage of our process but you can instruct us using a solicitor.

Fees can be a fixed amount for agreed upon work or an hourly rate with a set limit. Your case is unique but our experienced clerks can provide an accurate fee once you have submitted your enquiry form. Generally speaking, fees can vary depend on how senior a barrister is and how many hours work are needed but you’ll be aware of exactly what you are spending. Read more about our fees here.

Family & Children team

An easy process

Upon receiving this enquiry form a Public Access Clerk will contact you to discuss your case in further detail. Please see our 4 steps outlining the process of instructing a Direct Access Barrister.

1. Submit an enquiry
Fill out our form, designed to collect as much information as possible about your case.

2. Speak to a clerk
After carefully reviewing your form, a specially trained Clerk will get in touch to confirm if your case is suitable for one of our Direct Access Barristers.

3. Receive a client care pack
Once our Direct Access Barrister has agreed in principle to represent you, you will be sent a ‘client care letter’.

4. Instructing a Barrister
If you want to go ahead after agreeing to your client care letter, it’s time to instruct your Direct Access Barrister. Download a PDF of this process here.

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