Direct Access Barrister
Ben Chapman
Direct Access Barrister
Ben Chapman
Ben is a Family Barrister who has appeared in courts of all levels up to the Court of Appeal. He is recognised as a Leading Junior in the Legal 500 in the categories of Divorce & Financial Remedy and Children & Domestic Violence, and in Chambers & Partners in Matrimonial Finance. He has been described here as ‘an exceptional junior’ and his manner as ‘absolutely impeccable’. He has been consistently recognised since 2022 and has been shortlisted for local and national awards in that time.
He is well regarded for his manner with vulnerable individuals, eye for detail, and ability to grasp complex legal and factual themes. He has a friendly, welcoming and understanding approach which helps individuals feel listened to. He fosters a culture of trust helping clients be open with him and feel properly advised and supported in respect of their position.
Area of Law
Family
Financial remedy: Ben deals with cases across the financial spectrum: from multi-million pound matrimonial pots to cases with a single home catering for a family with children. Ben’s practical and realistic approach means many of his cases settle at FDR, but where this cannot result in a fair outcome he is experienced in dealing with matters at Final Hearing. He regularly deals with legally and factually complex cases involving topics such as:
- Intervenor claims, particularly where 3rd parties may have interests in property with potential trust claims under TOLATA;
- S. 37 Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 applications and freezing injunctions;
- Businesses;
- Hidden and dissipated assets
- Non-disclosure;
- Foreign property;
- Conduct;
- Need;
- Costs;
- Enforcement.
Children: He is an experienced trial advocate and is regularly instructed in Enforcement/Committal matters, Fact-Finding Hearings and Final Hearings with difficult and emotive subject matter, including rape and abuse towards children. H regularly deals with cases involving particularly complex elements such as:
- Applications by grandparents;
- Parental influence/alienation;
- Cases involving Children’s Guardians;
- Relocation both within the UK and abroad;
- Cases where a child or party has been examined by an expert.
Property
Ben's experience is not limited to married couples and those in civil partnerships. He acts and advises in cases involving the breakdown of other relationships where civil principles of law apply instead (whether those couples are co-habiting or not). These are often referred to as TOLATA cases because they often involve the family home, but he also advises on ownership of other types of property upon separation too.
What sort of work do I do?
Ben focuses upon his Matrimonial Finance, Trusts (sometimes referred to as TOLATA) and Private Children work. He:
- Provides written advice and advice in conferences both before and during proceedings;
- Drafts documents (such as Witness Statements, Position Statements, Skeleton Arguments, Particulars of Claims and Defences);
- Drafts letters;
- Represents clients at all types of hearing within his areas of expertise, including FDRs and Fact-finding Hearings.
He is also experienced, however, in Housing (for which he is also recognised as a Leading Junior), Business and Property work having undertaken a predominantly civil pupillage under James Carter (now HHJ Carter). This broad background gives him unique expertise in all aspects arising from relationship breakdowns, whether married or not, and allows him to provide holistic and practical advice to clients across the multiple legal matters their case gives rise to. His caseload regularly includes complex features, such as hidden and dissipated assets, businesses, alleged 3rd party interests and intervenor claims, foreign property, domestic abuse (including rape and abuse towards children), parental influence, relocation, and occupation of the home.
He also accepts instructions to sit as a Neutral Evaluator at private Financial Dispute Resolution appointments.
Who do I work for?
Separating couples (whether married/in a civil partnership or not), parents, grandparents, wider family members, and children.