Summary
Steven arrived at chambers practicing in all areas of law, and has since specialised exclusively in family law for over a decade. By originally having such a diverse practice background, Steven has the unique skills to be able to understand and appreciate how the different areas of law can often overlap and intersect. Steven has a very strong reputation in all areas of children law, particularly in relation to complex public and private law matters.
Steven is Public access accredited and also forms part of chambers pupillage committee, within which he is an accredited pupil supervisor.
Within public law proceedings, Steven represents Local Authorities, parents, Guardians and competent children. Steven is regularly sought out for instruction on cases at the highest level involving allegations of serious sexual abuse, including historical sexual abuse, non-accidental injury, fabricated illness, complex medical evidence and cross examination of expert and vulnerable witnesses.
Steven is the first point of call for many instructing solicitors with cases involving complex medical evidence due to Steven’s thorough and meticulous approach. Steven is highly regarded for his robust and formidable advocacy skills and his ability to fight for his clients, often by finding specific and case changing points within evidence that can often alter the course of proceedings.
Within the private law sphere Steven represents parents and children in the most serious cases, involving domestic abuse, allegations of emotional harm, manipulation, parental alienation and issues relating to parental mental health.
Steven has experience of dealing with international aspects of children law including removals from the jurisdiction, international social work assessments, “Convention” adoptions and the transfer of proceedings under Art. 15 Council Regulation (EC) 2201/2003.
Legal 500 2023 – Child Law (Public and Private) Ranked: Tier 3
“Steven is a strong and fluent advocate with a good grasp of the law and facts in all cases. He is also confident in dealing with expert and professional witnesses and clear and realistic in submissions made to the court.”
Legal 500 2022 – Child Law (Public and Private) Ranked: Tier 3
Legal 500 2024
Family: Children & Domestic Violence Ranked: Tier 2
Nottingham City Council v The Mother & Ors [2022] EWHC 2334 (Fam)
N (A Child) (No.3) (Content of Care Plan) [2020] EWFC B58
Re T (Children) – [2020] EWCA Civ 507
R, S and T (Children) [2019] EWFC B86
N (A Child) (No.2) (Psychological Assessment) [2019] EWFC B83
N (A Child) (No.1) (Fact finding: Induced Illness) [2019] EWFC B83
R, S and T (Children) [2018] EWFC B103
R, S and T (Children) [2018] EWFC B102
L (A Child) – [2019] EWHC 867 (Fam)