3-Silk Solution from St John’s Buildings for Arbitration
James Roberts KC joins St John’s Buildings as a Door Tenant He joins Sally Harrison KC and Samantha Hillas KC as leading Silks offering...
Read more
‘Sally is an outstandingly skilled advocate. Her ability and aplomb are without equal outside of London, she is a superstar with a steely edge to her advocacy that is highly effective, and she has an excellent ability to think on her feet and adapt as required.’
Legal 500, 2024
Strengths: “Sally is the star of the family finance Bar. She is in a league of her own and without parallel. She is loved by clients for her candour and style. She is a joy to watch in advocacy.”
“She has an assertive advocacy style; she is brilliant and phenomenal.”
“Sally is at the top of her game. She has the ear of the court and is so gracious as an opponent.”
Chambers UK Bar, 2024 (Star Individual)
Hugely respected for her skill at taking on high-profile and high-value matrimonial finance matters. Harrison has cultivated a great reputation representing high net worth individuals in High Court cases and in relation to prenuptial agreements. She uses her wealth of experience in the area to assist in complex cases involving allegations of physical harm and non-disclosure, among others.
Overview
As a renowned and highly respected matrimonial finance practitioner with many years of specialist experience, Sally is the first choice for high net worth and high profile individuals. Her cases concern complex £multi-million assets, often with complex business and trust structures. She has appeared in many landmark reported cases including Gohil ([2015] UKSC 61) in the UK Supreme Court, which is the leading authority in relation to non-disclosure and setting aside.
More recently, Sally appeared in the case of Moher ([2019] EWCA Civ 1482) in the Court of Appeal, which is one of the seminal authorities in relation to the quantification of assets in non-disclosure cases.
In 2021, she has appeared in the Court of Appeal in the case of Ratcliffe ([2021] EWCA civ 247) and represented the husband in the appeal against the Arbitration Award in the case of A v A ((Arbitration Guidance) [2021] EWHC 1889 (Fam)) which is now the leading authority in relation to the correct procedure to be adopted when challenging an Arbitration Award.
She is regularly involved in drafting and advising in prenuptial agreements and family arrangements for high net worth individuals. She is known as a robust advocate, but one who “puts every client at ease” and is highly praised for her modern and flexible approach.
Personal information
Sally lectures nationally, including at FLBA events, on all aspects of matrimonial finance. She regularly hosts seminars on all aspects of family finance.
Away from Chambers, she enjoys road cycling, open water swimming and spending time with her two children.
Family finance
Sally’s wealth of knowledge and experience have been acknowledged by a number of accolades both nationally and regionally.
Sally has worked internationally including appearing in the Court of Appeal in the Cayman Islands. She is called the Bar in Northern Ireland and has appeared regularly in the High Court in Belfast in cases concerning £multi-million assets.
Sally has extensive knowledge and expertise in cases concerning complex business structures, trust assets and hidden assets for example representing the wife in the case of Richardson-Ruhan in which findings of non disclosure of extensive hidden wealth were made against the husband.
She is regularly instructed to draft pre-nuptial agreements and has appeared in a number of cases concerning the financial provision following a pre-nuptial agreements and post separation accrual after a long separation eg A v B (No 2).
She is frequently asked to advise in cases concerning complex family financial restructure and asset preservation, freezing injunctions, applications concerning reporting restrictions, injunctions to protect business trading and application to restrain a party from leaving the jurisdiction during financial remedy proceedings.
Section 1 Children Act
Sally is recognised for her expertise in the Schedule 1 Children Act and has notable experience in dealing with complex family arrangements and international cases, often involving high profile individuals.
Cases
A v A (Arbitration Guidance) [2021] EWHC 1889 (Fam)
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/1889.html
Ratcliffe v Ratcliffe [2021] EWCA civ 247
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2021/247.html
Moher v Moher [2019] EWCA Civ 1482, [2020] 1 FLR 225
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2019/1482.html
https://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed202446
A v B (financial remedies: application to strike out) [2018] EWFC 4, [2018] All ER 98, [2018] 4 WLR 100, [2019] 1 FLR 1
A v B (financial remedies) (No 2) [2018] EWFC 45, [2018] All ER 152, [2019] 1 FLR 17
Richardson-Ruhan v Ruhan [2017] EWHC 2739 (fam)
Roocroft v Ball [2016] EWCA Civ 1009, [2017] 1 WLR 1137, [2017] 2 FLR 810
H v H [2016] EWFC B81
Gohil v Gohil [2015] UKSC 61, [2016] AC 849, [2016] 1 All ER 685, [2015] 3 WLR 1085, [2015] 2 FLR 1289, [2015] 3 FCR 497, [2015] Fam Law 1459, 165 NLJ 7673, (2015) Times 3 November, [2015] All ER 100
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2014-0200-judgment.pdf
J v J [2014] EWHC 3654 (Fam), [2014] All ER 15, [2016] 1 FCR 31
Bhura v Bhura [2012] EWHC 3633, [2013] 2 FLR 44, [2013] 3 FCR 142, [2013] Fam Law 391, [2012] All ER 151
Richardson v Richardson [2011] EWCA Civ 79, [2011] 2 FLR 244, [2011] 1 FCR 301, [2011] Fam Law 456, [2011] All ER 86
C v C [2007] EWHC 2033 (Fam)
Family arbitration
Sally is a qualified Arbitrator under the IFLA Financial Arbitration Scheme and has appeared in a number of fully contested arbitration hearings including the first instance arbitration in A v A.
Private FDR
Sally has experience of appearing in and conducting many private FDRs. Her status as a qualified arbitrator and experience of many years of representing clients at FDR enables Sally to take a pragmatic approach to assisting parties in understanding what the likely outcome of their case would be should they take it forward to a public FDR in court. The Private FDR solution provides a speedy and private resolution to such matters and ensures the outcome matches that which would be achieved in open court.
Memberships
- Family Law Bar Association
- International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Legal Directory Recommendations
Strengths: “Sally Harrison is fearless, will go into court, and the client will have every confidence in her. Her cross-examination is brilliant.” “With perfect preparation, phenomenal advocacy and a first-rate ‘bedside manner’, Sally really is the full package. She is accessible to her instructing solicitors and a joy to work with. Without a shadow of a doubt one of the leading family law silks in the country.” Chambers UK Bar 2023
“Sally is unquestionably one of the best advocates. She has a charm and aplomb that is not often seen. Put simply – judges love her and clients adore her as she’s human, candid, constructive and passionate about what she does.” Legal 500 2023
Strengths: “There is no competition for her on big money cases in the North West. She’s confident in holding court and is able to knock London silks out of the park.” “Her way with clients and her ability to explain complicated and often daunting matters to clients in a way they understand is incomparable.” Chambers UK Bar 2022
“Sally is an astonishingly good advocate. A fantastic ability with the lay client, accessible to the instructing solicitor and a first-rate forensic mind. Sally really does have it all.“ Legal 500 2022
“She has the obvious strength in dealing with high-value and complex financial cases, but another strength is her client care, particularly in terms of listening to a client’s concerns.” “She has care and compassion and can be as tough as is required.” Chambers UK Bar 2021
“Sally puts every client at ease whatever their background, her grasp of the facts and the nuances of a case and tactical insight is second to none. Her preparation is impeccable. She is fast thinking and always someone you would want on your side for her all round brilliance both with clients and opponents.” Legal 500 2021
“Hugely respected for her skill at taking on high-profile and high-value matrimonial finance matters. She offers recognised experience in complex cases involving matters such as same-sex civil partnerships, inherited wealth and complex business structures and trusts. She also advises on the Children Act.”
Strengths: “She continues to be the number one barrister in the North of England for complex finance work. She’s charming, yet tenacious – an absolute all-rounder.” “She is extremely balanced in her advice and consultation, and she is one of the most formidable advocates of her generation.” Chambers UK Bar 2020
“In a league of her own – the star of the family Bar in the north.” Legal 500 2020
“In a league of her own. A unique talent.” “She is ferociously bright and has an ability to grasp the crucial facts and distil them in a way that gets everyone on her side.” Chambers UK Bar 2019
“She has sound judgement and fights hard for her clients; a formidable family law silk” Legal 500 2019
Strengths: “She is the absolute leader in the North West and she knocks spots off many London silks. Her submissions in the Supreme Court left the others standing in my view.” “Not just the star of the Family Bar in Manchester, Sally is one of a select few of the best family law QCs in the country.”
Recent work: “Acted for a lesbian civil partner in the Court of Appeal after her application to set aside a consent order had been struck out.” Chambers & Partners 2018
“Polished, passionate and always accessible.” Legal 500 2017
“Hugely respected for her skill at taking on high-profile and high-value matrimonial finance matters. She recently took a significant financial remedy case to the Supreme Court, representing the wife’s interest in the dispute.”
Strengths: “Combines excellent client care skills with pragmatic advice, rigorous attention to detail, effective negotiation and fearsome advocacy”. “Sally is a sparkling advocate who is commanding and charismatic both inside the courtroom and outside“. – Chambers & Partners 2017
“The leading light in financial cases; she is in a league of her own.” – Legal 500 2016
“Head of chambers and leads the market with her exclusively finance and ancillary relief practice, including Schedule 1 Children Act work.”
Strengths: “She is top-notch; she gives robust, objective advice delivered in a realistic, commercial and pragmatic way, and has very good client care skills.” “She is undoubtedly the best family barrister outside of London. She is a lateral thinker and has an incredible eye for detail. She has a way of viewing things in the round and has a logical approach.”” – Chambers & Partners 2016
“Continues to lead the field in complicated financial matters. She remains a first choice for many instructing solicitors who praise her ability to bring a human touch to high-value cases.”
“She has always been head and shoulders above anyone else.” “She is an absolute superstar. If you have a big money or complex case in the North West it’s a race to instruct her first.” – Chambers & Partners 2015
“A true class act; she is in a league of her own.” – Legal 500 2015
“Second to none”- Legal 500 2014
“A fearsome, well-polished and perfectly prepared advocate, who is widely praised for her strong commercial sense. Her core focus is an ancillary relief, and she is regularly instructed by high net worth individuals.” – Chambers & Partners 2013
“The ‘best ancillary relief barrister in Manchester’ and a ‘robust advocate’”- Legal 500 2012
“She is praised for her ability to quickly absorb great quantities of information” – Chambers UK 2011
Noted as a “Star Individual” in Chambers & Partners 2010
