Christian joined Chambers in January 2020 having formerly been a door tenant with us.

He specialises in all family law matters including, Public Children (Care) Proceedings, Financial Remedy (Ancillary Relief), Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989, Cohabitation Disputes (TOLATA), Private Children and Injunction cases.

Christian has a wealth of experience and appears regularly within the High Court and Family Courts on matters that cover a broad spectrum of Children and Finance related matters.

In the Legal 500 2020 publication Christian is referred to as being ‘Meticulous and well-prepared, with a fantastic manner in court’.

Before being called to the Bar, Christian worked in Mental Health Academic Research (funded by a multimillion-pound EU grant) and Local Government Policy.

He also regularly provides lectures, seminars and writes articles on his areas of expertise.

Notable Cases

Children Matters:

• Re C and S – 6 weeks finding of fact hearing for a father involving multiple allegations of sexual and physical harm. Covert recordings raised.
• Re W, J and F – 3 weeks finding of fact hearing for a father involving bruising. In this case there were several intermediaries and significant mental health issues.
• Re H – 4 weeks finding of fact hearing for a father facing serious allegations of sexual harm. No findings made and application for care orders withdrawn.
• Re T – 6 week finding of fact hearing (High Court) for a local authority involving issues such as FII, failure to thrive, fractures and deliberate tampering with medical equipment on a child. Findings made.
• Re B – 5 weeks threshold and welfare hearing (High Court) for a local authority involving multiple subdural and retinal bleeds and fractures. Seven medical experts gave evidence including a geneticist because of a chromosome deficiency and whether a propensity to injure more easily. Findings made of a shaking type injury and blunt force trauma.
• Re H – 4 week threshold and welfare hearing representing a father facing allegations of sexual harm on his daughter. Findings made. Judge asked to review the decision on the evidence and on the basis of flagrant breaches of the ABE process. Judge did review, reflected, and findings reversed.
• Re G – 5 week threshold and welfare hearing (High Court) for the local authority involving allegations of sexual harm, significant mental health problems and systemic drug misuse. Findings made.
• Re P and others – 2 week finding of fact hearing representing an intervener involving 17 children and allegations of forced marriage and attempted kidnap. No findings made and application abandoned.
• Re M – 5 day finding of fact hearing in private children proceedings representing a father and involving allegations of sexual assaults. Considerable telephone download analysis. Not all findings made.
• Re T – 5 day finding of fact hearing for the father involving multiple skull fractures. No findings made.
• Re C – 3 week finding of fact hearing representing the children involving allegations against the father of systemic recent and historic sexual harm on a number of family members. The case went to the Court of Appeal due to lack of judgment reasoning and when the Judge duly expanded on his reasoning, he placed significant weight on the detailed medical chronologies Christian presented. Findings made and children placed for adoption.
• Re S – and similar case of Re R – for the Guardian in a Private Children disputes. Following robust challenges to the experts and parents; invited the court to make findings of harmful influence on the children, implacable hostility and parental alienation despite the Psychologists opinion suggesting otherwise. The court did make the findings. In other words, the experts changed their minds in oral evidence.

Financial Remedy / Trusts of Land:

• Re G and P – 6-day hearing (High Court) for an intervener facing an application pursuant to s.37 MCA 1973. Application dismissed following successful argument that the properties and businesses were held by the client pursuant to beneficial interests. No reviewable dispositions. Substantial costs order made in the clients favour on the indemnity basis.
• Re D and W – 4-day hearing for another intervener facing a s.37 application. Christian successfully argued the properties were legally and beneficially held by the intervener. No reviewable dispositions. Application dismissed and costs awarded on the indemnity basis such were the adverse findings against the applicant.
• Re L – 4-day hearing representing the wife following a significant equity deal for the husband and considerable shareholding. Substantial capital awarded and generous maintenance for life. Physical health problems and covert video recordings (considerable argument over admissibility) played a key part of the hearing.
• Re C – 4-day hearing for the husband involving the wife’s inherited wealth and imminent disposal of parcels of land to a large national developer. Husband entitled to 40% of the net proceeds of land.
• Re M – 4-day hearing for the Claimant in TOLATA proceedings against a QC. Successfully argued properties held on resulting trust for the client.
• Re B – 4-day hearing for the Claimant in TOLATA and Inheritance Act proceedings involving arguments as to whether inheritance claims can usurp beneficial interests.
• Re M – lengthy proceedings involving claims under the Inheritance Act representing a child. The estate paid a considerable sum for the purposes of reasonable provision and education.
• Lengthy proceedings involving farming and partnership disputes.
• Several cases involving Edgar v Edgar binding agreements prior to financial remedy proceedings, pre-nuptial agreements and challenges to valid Declaration of Trusts (including proprietary estoppel issues).

Additional Information

Christian is accredited by the Bar Council and the Bar Standards Board to provide Public Access services directly to lay clients.

Outside of work Christian enjoys spending time with his family, running, skiing (qualified ski instructor having represented Great Britain at Junior level), cricket, Eton Fives and social history.

Qualifications

B.A. (Hons) History, Postgraduate Diploma in Law, LL.M, Bar Vocational Course, Public/Direct Access accredited, Gray’s Inn, Shakespeare Memorial Scholar, Lord Williams of Mostyn Advocacy Award, Repton School Scholar

Areas of Expertise

Family, Ancillary Relief/Financial Remedy, Chancery (Property), Inquests

Areas of Practice

Family