Courtney Contributors

Having begun his professional life as a barrister, Tris now specialises in non-court options, including helping people to make decisions about the future in mediation and making decisions on their behalf in arbitration. He is passionate about improving the options for separating couples and making them easier to navigate. Tris is also co-chair of Resolution’s dispute resolution committee.

Away from work, Tris is a keen (but not very good) squash player, the chair of governors at a local primary school and is at his happiest hiking in the hills with his family.

Sam is a family law barrister who had an idea: why can’t separating couples share a lawyer? In 2017 she, and fellow barrister Harry Gates, decided to do something about it. They set up The Divorce Surgery, the first regulated law firm in the UK enabling couples to share a lawyer on divorce. The One Couple One Lawyer model they created has won stacks of awards (including being named in the FT50 most innovative law firms in Europe), and now lots of law firms offer the service they pioneered. Sam and Harry wrote a book about how to divorce well, The Art of Untying the Knot, and even consulted on the TV show The Split! Sam sits on the sub-committee of the Online Procedure Rules Committee, which is tasked with transforming access to justice, so hopefully fewer families ever need to fight it out in court at all.

Sam lives in the countryside with her family and an increasing number of pets. She is rarely without a coffee in her hand.

Harry has been a specialist family law barrister for more than 20 years, so has had plenty of opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t when it comes to the process of divorcing. Together with fellow barrister Samantha Woodham, Harry co-founded The Divorce Surgery in 2017, which was the first regulated law firm in the UK enabling couples to share a lawyer on divorce. 

The One Couple One Lawyer model they created has won numerous awards (including being named in the FT50 most innovative law firms in Europe) and there are now dozens of law firms offering the joint advice service they pioneered.  Harry and Sam have written a book about how to divorce well, The Art of Untying the Knot, and are at the forefront of efforts to ‘divorce well’, with frequent appearances in the print and broadcast media.

After years as an instrumental figure at one of London’s leading divorce firms and four years leading its London Family Team, Georgina broke away to set up her own family law firm. Georgina and her team provide city-quality legal representation with a conscience, a heart, and a strong sense of integrity. All with complete cost transparency and fixed pricing, where clients want it. Georgina has two young boys and represents her clients in the way she would want to be represented herself.  Whenever she can, Georgina loves a cold-water swim, long walks, a country pub, and plenty of time in the sun. She is also an avid supporter of flexible working and valuing her team, believing that happy lawyers make for happy clients.

Alex is a junior barrister with experience acting in both financial remedy cases and private children cases. When training to become a barrister Alex volunteered for The School Exclusion Project providing pro bono representation in appeals against school governing bodies. Away from the court room Alex loves to travel and is a keen cricket enthusiast. When she can she combines both by following overseas tours.

Janine is a barrister whose busy practice encompasses all aspects of private family law with a focus on the financial consequences of divorce and Schedule 1 claims. She has a particular interest in, cases with a foreign/international element and complex financial arrangements (including company, trust, tax and pension issues). Inbetween juggling family life and the bar Janine is a wonderfully talented Soprano, in fact that is how she and our founder Sophie met well over a decade ago.

Naomi is a specialist family law barrister with a focus on children law cases. Including private, public and international cases (involving child abduction for example). She has a particular interest in child rights and was instrumental in the campaign to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18. Prior to becoming a barrister Naomi worked in Westminster and on the Obama campaign in North Carolina. Naomi has three beautiful children, a husband who is also a barrister, and a canal boat… 

Rhys Taylor is a barrister at The 36 Group. He is a member of the Family Procedure Rule Committee, the sub-committee of the Online Procedure Rule Committee and the Pension Advisory Group. Bencher of the Inner Temple. Contributing Editor to The Family Court Practice and co-author of Pensions on Divorce: A Practitioner’s Guide. Regular lecturer including to the Judicial College. Rhys is a Recorder, arbitrator, mediator and a neutral/evaluator in the private FDR setting. 

Shaili is an associate family lawyer who advises on a wide range of modern family issues, such as domestic and international surrogacy matters and sperm donor agreements. She is on the My Surrogacy Journey directory of legal advisors. Shaili also regularly advises clients on complex financial disputes on divorce and private children matters, including issues pertaining to foreign nationals and business structures.

Outside of client work, Shaili is a legal commentator and is an avid follower of the American political scene and is passionate about women’s reproductive rights.