Clerking team

Tim Booth
Tim Booth

Senior Clerk Sheffield

Suzanne Heron

Lead Clerk, Family and Court of Protection

Jayne Harper

Family and Court of Protection Clerk

Richard is a family and children law expert. He has practised at the independent bar since 2015, prior to which he was a solicitor for six years. Richard’s expertise as a solicitor was particularly in criminal law cases, giving him an enhanced understanding both of the pressures and expectations on his professional clients, but also the intermingled complexities that can exist between criminal law and family/children cases. He is able to use that experience and his expertise in family and children law to inform his representation of family law clients. 

Richard read law at the University of Kent and achieved a Masters degree in Advanced Legal Practice. He was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in 2006. 

Children (Public and Private law)

Public Law

Richard is regularly instructed on behalf of local authorities, parents and children at all stages of public law proceedings, including interim removal, final, and fact-finding hearings. He regularly appears before Magistrates’ District and Circuit Judges as well as dealing with applications before the High Court including DOLS and applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction. 

Richard has experience of dealing with cases involving serious injuries to children and complex factual and medical evidence. He is able to couple his eye for detail with an approachable manner which enables him to provide clear advice in a calm, sensitive and friendly way. 

Private Law

Richard is often instructed in private child proceedings including applications for child arrangement orders, specific issue orders and prohibited steps orders. He also regularly represents children in private law proceedings and has extensive experience of non-molestation orders and occupation orders, including those made ex parte. 

He has experience covering the following: 

  • Cases involving allegations of sexual or domestic abuse
  • Cases involving allegations of parental alienation
  • Specific issue applications in relation to schooling and name changes.

Recent Cases 

S v H (2021): Represented a father in lengthy contested proceedings in relation to his application for shared care. 

S v R (2021): Represented a mother in a finding of fact hearing in relation to allegations of physical and sexual abuse.  

F v A (2020): Represented a mother in a finding of fact hearing in relation to significant and regular domestic violence. 

E v A (2019): Represented a father in a fact-finding and a final hearing in a matter which involved serious allegations of child sexual abuse. 

Memberships

  • Family Law Bar Association 
  • North Eastern Circuit 
  • Resolution