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Highly ranked in the Legal 500, our Public Child law team is an exceptionally strong team of highly ranked juniors and silks. Renowned for our expertise in a broad range of public law matters in the South West and beyond, we approach every case with empathy, understanding and skill.

Albion Chambers, ‘the go-to set for the full range of family work’ (Chambers and Partners). Our thirty-three strong team includes two King’s Counsel and is led by Libby Harris. Team members cover all areas of public child law and legally aided work.

They have a wealth of specialist experience in care proceedings and related matters (representing children, parents, local authorities and other parties); many members of the team have experience in the most serious cases, including infant deaths and alleged head injuries and serious sexual abuse and in care cases with an international element.

A number of members of the public child law team also undertake work in the Court of Protection. This work encompasses financial cases, personal welfare and serious medical treatment cases and those involving the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

In the tradition of Albion Chambers, our public child law team has earned a reputation for high levels of legal services and its members’ accessible, approachable and empathetic manner.

We have three child law clerks; Michael Harding, Julie Hathway and Joanne Banfield who, combined, offer many years’ experience of family clerking. Michael, Julie, and Jo are always happy to discuss and recommend the most suitable member of the team for each individual case.

Continuity of representation is important for all of us and we make every effort to avoid changes of counsel. When changes are necessary, our clerks are able to draw on a substantial pool of expertise, so that we continue to provide consistent levels of representation.

We are committed to offering a comprehensive service to all our clients and continue to deal with publicly funded matters at all levels.

Some members of the team are accredited to accept public access matters. Please click here for full details of the public access scheme.

Continuing education, internal and external, is important to us. We run programmes of seminars, together with in-house training sessions and are accredited CPD providers. Please contact our Chambers’ Director, Nick Jeanes for further information.

Many members of our team also sit as Recorders, Deputy District Judges and on various Tribunals.

‘Albion Chambers is ‘an excellent set of family barristers and the go-to set in Bristol’ for advice on complex childcare cases.’ Legal 500 2025
‘One of the leading family law chambers in Bristol and the South West’ Legal 500, 2024
'Albion Chambers stands out as ‘a strong set with an excellent reputation in the South West‘; ‘the family team is one of the best‘, according to instructing solicitors.' Legal 500 2023