Family News

Another strong performance for 3PB’s Family Law Team in Chambers & Partners 2023

20th October 2022

3PB Barristers is delighted to report another strong performance by its Family Law team, this time in Chambers and Partners’ 2023 edition published today. With a total of 19 rankings, the team achieves Band 1 in both Family Children and Family Finance in the Midlands and retains its Band 2 ranking in Western. The client and peers feedback received by each of our individual barristers is testament to the depth and wealth of talent available...

3PB excels with 73 rankings in Chambers and Partners 2023

20th October 2022

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) has been awarded a record number of rankings in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners with a total of 73 accolades for its barristers. The national heavyweight chambers achieves its rankings in London, South Eastern, Western and the Midlands - in 18 categories of law. Earlier this year, 3PB also celebrated its first ranking in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth guide. Click here to view the full results...

Family barrister Harriet Lavis moves to 3PB

7th October 2022

Family law barrister Harriet Lavis, pictured here, has moved to 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) from Guildford Chambers where she has been since completing her pupillage with the set. A former paralegal with Bevan Brittan, Harriet spent over a year on secondment at the Department of Health and is now a private law children and family financial disputes expert. Harriet already has a strong family law practice focused on private law children, family finance disputes, domestic...

3PB welcomes four new pupil barristers

3rd October 2022

National chambers 3 Paper Buildings (3PB Barristers) has welcomed four new pupil barristers to its 230-strong barrister ranks today. The four pupils starting their twelve-month pupillages, pictured left to right from the top, are: former in-house energy lawyer Poppy Watson  who will be focusing on commercial litigation and arbitration; former in-house lawyer and domestic violence and disability campaigner Liz Adams who will be focusing on family law alongside property/other civil areas; former law firm PA Emma...

3PB Family team goes from strength to strength in the Legal 500

30th September 2022

3PB Barristers congratulates its Family Law team for another strong set of results in the Legal 500 directory published on Wednesday. The Legal 500 attributed 39 individual rankings to 29 of our barristers across 4 Circuits (in London, the Midlands, South Eastern and Western). Our team is seen by clients as the ‘go-to chambers for family work with a good range of practitioners from junior through to silks’... an ‘excellent set of chambers [that] also...

3PB triumphs in latest Legal 500 ratings of the UK's best barristers  

29th September 2022

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), the UK's third largest chambers, is delighted to report its best rankings yet - totalling 130 - in the Legal 500 2023’s edition published last night, up 12% on last year’s 116. The set has achieved its rankings across 5 large UK regions - or Circuits (London, South Eastern, Western, Midlands and Chester and Wales) - in 21 categories of law. Earlier this year, 3PB also celebrated its first rankings...

Expert evidence and second opinions: process and pitfalls

13th September 2022

3PB's family law specialist, James Legg, alongside Alex Brereton from Mishcon de Reya LLP, writes for Family Law on how the use of expert evidence is tightly regulated by the Judges in the Family Court. Expert evidence can only be used where it is ‘necessary’ to assist the court to resolve the proceedings. In proceedings relating to children (including claims under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989), experts are only usually instructed once the court...

3PB welcomes three new family barristers

8th September 2022

3 Paper Buildings (3PB) is delighted to welcome three new family barristers to our ranks: two junior counsel from Senate House Chambers in Northampton: Kate Yeomans [2007 call] and Ayesha Bell-Paris [2012 call] are both starting today (pictured right and left respectively); and are joining new colleague Laura Scott [2001 call], formerly of Fourteen Chambers, who started at the national chambers two weeks ago. The trio are set to be joined in mid-October by Harriet...

South Gloucestershire Council v DN [2022] EWCOP 35 (12 August 2022)

7th September 2022

Poonam Bhari instructed by Charlotte Melhuish of Stone King Solicitors LLP represented the School, which is a small charitable and independent special school, in this challenging, difficult and complex case. The case concerned DN a 17 year old boy with co-morbid diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Severe Learning Difficulties and Tourette’s Syndrome who had been residing at the School under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989. DN physically assaulted staff members at the school...

3PB welcomes top children and domestic violence barrister Laura Scott

28th August 2022

3 Paper Buildings (3PB) has welcomed family barrister Laura Scott(2001 call), pictured here, to its now 83-strong team of family law counsel. Laura practises exclusively in children and domestic violence law and has over 20 years' experience representing parents, grandparents, children, guardians, extended family members and local authorities in all aspects of the law relating to children. Formerly at Fourteen Chambers and Tanfield Chambers in London, Laura now lives in the Midlands and will practise...

Aimee Fox co-authors briefing on Children Act proceedings and children with SEND

28th August 2022

3PB’s specialist family and education law barrister Aimee Fox (pictured here), alongside law firm Anthony Collins’ associate solicitor Kadie Bennett, have co-authored a briefing in Education Law Monitor examining how parents can minimise the impact of separation on children with SEND. According to the latest figures from Statista, 2020 saw 103,592 divorces granted in England and Wales. Separation for parents of children with SEND can present additional complications and worries. The stresses and strains of...

3PB's Michael George speaks at Brewin Dolphin Family Law Dinner

1st July 2022

3PB's specialist family law practitioner Michael George (pictured here), was delighted to be asked to speak at the recent Brewin Dolphin Family Law Dinner. Held at St Anne's College, Oxford, the event was an enjoyable evening of drinks, food and stimulating conversation among peers in the family law community. Michael was one of three speakers who gave thoughtful updates in their field of expertise, with Michael offering insights on variation applications in financial remedy proceedings,...