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About us

We are a small set of barristers from a variety of backgrounds, specialising mainly in advocacy and advice on family law.  Some of our barristers also practice in discrete areas of trust law, particularly in relation to property ownership not regulated by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1979.

Barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board.

Our philosophy is to:

  • Strive to achieve timely, common sense and practical outcomes
  • Provide cost-effective service without compromising quality
  • Communicate with you in plain English

Please contact our Senior Clerk, Stephen Herbert on:

A note of caution: many clients leave it to the last minute to consult a lawyer only for the lawyer to find that the client would have had a much stronger case if contact had been made sooner. A lawyer’s most potent contribution can be at an early stage.

Our Services

Traditional services

We continue to provide barristers’ traditional services to solicitors.

Non-litigious

Even when litigation is not contemplated, you may sometimes need legal advice or professionally drafted documents. We are happy to advise and to draft contracts, trust instruments, letters, etc, in relation to matters within our fields of expertise.

Areas of practice

Family

Adoption

Children - contact

Child abduction

Domestic abuse

Cohabitation

Children - residence

Matrimonial property

Enforcement

Public law children

Pre-nuptial agreements

Matrimonial finance

Children - maintenance

International enforcement

Divorce

Guardianship

Our People

David Simpson

David Simpson (Barrister)

sherbert52@hotmail.co.uk

David was called to the Bar in 1992, having had a previous career in commerce.

He has practised extensively in general civil, chancery and commercial law but is now exclusivly a family practitioner.

David's practice in family law is primarliy in:

David Simpson

David Simpson (Barrister)

sherbert52@hotmail.co.uk

David was called to the Bar in 1992, having had a previous career in commerce.

He has practised extensively in general civil, chancery and commercial law but is now exclusively a family practitioner.

David's practice in family law is primarily in:

  • Private children proceedings: to determine where children live and the terms of contact with their non-resident parent
  • Public children proceedings: care cases
  • Injunctive relief: where the law helps in protecting the vulnerable
  • Enforcement: making sure that court orders are obeyed

He is also a certified mediator.

Karin Tampion

Karin Tampion (Barrister)

kt@cdjs.uk

Karin was called to the Bar in 2005, having had a successful career in Information Science and Knowledge Management.

Karin’s practice is in family law, primarily in:...

Karin Tampion

Karin Tampion (Barrister)

kt@cdjs.uk

Karin was called to the Bar in 2005, having had a successful career in Information Science and Knowledge Management.

Karin’s practice is in family law, primarily in:

  • Private children proceedings: to determine where children live and the terms of contact with their non-resident parent
  • Public children proceedings: care cases
  • Divorce: the procedure and sorting out the joint finances
  • Cohabitation: the issues before, during and after
  • Injunctive relief: where the law helps in protecting the vulnerable
  • Enforcement: making sure that court orders are obeyed

She has a particular interest in international cross-border financial disputes and enforcement, for example, cases under the Maintenance Regulation.

She also specialises in Equity and Trusts.

Memberships: Family Law Association, Criminal Bar Association.

Mark De Lane Lea

Mark De Lane Lea (Barrister)

md@cdjs.uk

Mark was called to the Bar in 2016, having had a previous career as a professional musician.

Mark is a family law practitioner...

Mark De Lane Lea

Mark De Lane Lea (Barrister)

md@cdjs.uk

Mark was called to the Bar in 2016, having had a previous career as a professional musician.

Mark is a family law practitioner, with significant experience in:

  • Care, placement and adoption orders
  • Special guardianship
  • Child arrangement orders
  • Prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders
  • Occupation and non-molestation orders
  • Domestic abuse

Mark has significant experience in cases involving allegations of substance misuse, domestic violence, mental health issues, and emotional and physical abuse. He has a particular interest in representing vulnerable adults.

Mark's previous career required him to travel extrensively and he brings to his practice an open mind and a wealth of life experience, which reflects in his heightened empathy with his clients. Mark exercises a high degree of professionalism and a determination to robustly advance his cllients' interests.

Memberships: Middle Temple, the Family Law Bar Association.

Professor Mark Watson Gandy

Professor Mark Watson Gandy (Barrister)

mwg@cdjs.uk

Mark was called to the Bar in 1990. He is a barrister in independent practice, specialising in banking, insolvency, company law and regulation and has appeared in may high-profile cases...

Professor Mark Watson Gandy

Professor Mark Watson Gandy (Barrister)

mwg@cdjs.uk

Mark was called to the Bar in 1990. He is a barrister in independent practice, specialising in banking, insolvency, company law and regulation and has appeared in may high-profile cases.

He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Westminster (teaching on their Corporate Finance Law LLM) and a Visiting Lecturer at Cass Business School (teaching the busiupon what a barrister may diness law elective on their Executive MBA).

He is author of Watson-Gandy on Accounts, Corporate Insolvency Practice: Litigation Practice and Procedure, Personal Insolvency Practice: Litigation Practice and Procedure and the ICAEW Guide Tax Advocacy. He is also contributing Editor of the Company Law volume of Butterworths Corporate Law Service and wrote Tolley’s CRS Company Service Corporate Precedents: Directors.

Mark acts for several accountancy regulators and is Head of Professional Standards for the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers.

Mandie Jane Lavin

Mandie Jane Lavin (Barrister)

ml@cdjs.uk

Mandie was called to the Bar in 1993, having had a previous career as a senior nurse.

Mandie is an experienced and specialist regulator having regulated a number of different professions including nurses, accountants and pharmacists...

Mandie Jane Lavin

Mandie Jane Lavin (Barrister)

ml@cdjs.uk

Mandie was called to the Bar in 1993, having had a previous career as a senior nurse.

Mandie is an experienced and specialist regulator having regulated a number of different professions including nurses, accountants and pharmacists. She has also worked as the Director of the Bar Standards Board regulating the Bar. Most recently she has been at the helm of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives as CEO and been advisor to a range of regulatory authorities on matters such as data governance. 

Stephen Herbert

Stephen Herbert (Senior Clerk)

sjh@cdjs.uk

Stephen has been a barristers' clerk since 1969, including a five-year spell as a costs draftsman. He is hugely experienced, with a large portfolio of useful contacts, and has a great rapport with solicitors and lay clients.

Stephen Herbert

Stephen Herbert (Senior Clerk)

sjh@cdjs.uk

Stephen has been a barristers' clerk since 1969. including a five-year spell as a costs draftsman. He is hugely experienced, with a large portfolio of useful contacts, and has a great rapport with solicitors and lay clients. 

Please feel free to contact Stephen to discuss available options for your legal matter.

Public Access

We no longer accept instructions under the direct public access scheme.

Mediation

Equal Opportunities

Equality and Diversity:

Harassment:

Recruitment

Recruitment

We are interested in hearing from barristers at all levels who are practising or wish to practise in family law. All communications are treated in the strictest confidence.

Please contact Karin Tampion on kt@cdjs.uk

Recruitment

Contact

Stephen Herbert

Chambers of D J Simpson
330 High Holborn
London
WC2A 1HL

T: 020 7099 9257

F: 020 7099 2454

E: sjh@cdjs.uk

DX: 143 LDE