ToLATA

Excellent set' St John's Chambers is 'a go-to chambers in the South West for hard working, knowledgeable and good quality barristers across the board in the arena of family law."

Legal 500  2022
Family and Children Law

Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (ToLATA) claims are becoming more commonplace and St John’s’ Family & Divorce team have a number of experts who can offer advice and representation in all areas of cohabitation disputes including Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989.

We advise in both contentious and non contentious cases, acting at every level of Tribunal and Court, both in the UK and overseas. Our cases include instructions from private individuals in domestic disputes and advising where one or more of the parties may lack capacity.

We have particular expertise in high net worth and international cases. A number of our barristers are expert mediators or arbitrators and can deal with ToLATA and Schedule 1 claims in this capacity.

Our barristers are often quoted in articles about family law, or indeed publish their own – both in the mainstream and legal press, along with specialist journals and via their own respected family law blogs. Barristers have been featured in a variety of publications and BBC programmes.

Our clerking team are always accessible, and take care and time to understand the case or the individual personalities involved when recommending individual barristers.

Public Access

Some members of the team are also available to act, where appropriate, for members of the public, under the Public Access scheme. Read more.

Publications and training

Members regularly conduct seminars in Chambers, at solicitors’ offices, or at other chosen venues throughout the UK. We maintain close ties with academics and our members include several published authors, as well as writing for legal periodicals. Please contact Luke Hodgson on 0117 923 4709 or email [email protected]

Contact the clerks:

T: 0117 923 4720
Email clerks

  • St John’s Chambers has a lengthy roster of silks and juniors with invaluable expertise in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. Members are particularly skilled at handling cross-jurisdictional matters for high net worth individuals, especially those concerning the division of assets as part of divorce proceedings. The barristers are frequently called upon to assist with the most complex public children mandates encompassing sexual abuse, brain injury and trafficking matters, and also take on private work such as Children Act proceedings. ‘It is an excellent chambers with strength at all levels,’ one interviewee notes.”

    Chambers UK,  2022
    Family/Matrimonial

  • “Luke Hodgson, practice manager, gives a service which feels tailored to the individual. This is mirrored by his team, whose response times to a request are always impressive. The chambers is very organised and very well run. The clerks go above and beyond and are very quick to respond to enquiries. The clerking team are friendly, approachable and extremely efficient, always exceeding expectations.”

    Chambers UK,  2022
    Family/Matrimonial (Client Service)

  • “Excellent set’ St John’s Chambers is ‘a go-to’ chambers in the South West for hard working, knowledgeable and good quality barristers across the board in the arena of family law.”

    Legal 500,  2022
    Family and Children Law

  • “St John’s Chambers has a lengthy roster of silks and juniors with invaluable expertise in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. Members are particularly skilled at handling cross-jurisdictional matters for high net worth individuals, especially those concerning the division of assets as part of divorce proceedings. The barristers are frequently called upon to assist with the most complex public children mandates encompassing sexual abuse, brain injury and trafficking matters, and also take on private work such as Children Act proceedings. ‘St John’s is our first choice of chambers on the Western Circuit. What sets them apart is the breadth and depth of their membership,” one source says.’ “

    Chambers UK,  2021
    Family/Matrimonial

  • “Luke Hodgson is the practice manager for the family team and Elaine Jewell-Moore, the family law practice team leader, is described as ‘particularly great, prompt and efficient.’ “

    Chambers UK,  2021
    Family & Divorce (Client Service)

  • “St John’s Chambers is home to a large team of family barristers specialising in high-profile public and private family matters on the Western Circuit.”

    Legal 500,  2021
    Family and Children Law

  • “Solid set of family law barristers from most senior to most junior. Excellent support and collaboration provided to their up and coming juniors.”

    Legal 500 client feedback

  • “St John’s are very well respected in Bristol and the South West, used by our team across our offices. They have a range of specialisms and have assisted in cases involving children, complex finances and unmarried couples.”

    Legal 500 client feedback

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