Chambers and Partners is a world-renowned independent legal directory. Each year, researchers conduct extensive reviews into legal professionals across 78 specialist legal sectors including lawyers and Barristers. The rankings help professionals and clients search for reliable recommendations for their specific needs.
Appearing in the directory reflects firstly the exceptional client service provided by the individual and the team. It also highlights contributions to the wider legal community, including how professionals work with one another for the benefit of their clients.
Stowe Family Law is delighted to announce its Chambers and Partners 2027 successes.
Stowe Chambers and Partners 2027 Rankings
This year, seven regions have been ranked, with two new regions added to the rankings achieved last year.
Our ranked regions are:
- North West *new ranking
- West Midlands *new ranking
- East Midlands
- Yorkshire
- North East
- South West
- Thames Valley
We have 15 individual lawyers ranked in the 2027 directory.
UK Managing Director Rachel Roberts , alongside Senior Partner Julian Hawkhead and Managing Partner Emma Newman , are all listed as Eminent Practitioners .
Gemma Davison , Partner in our Oxford team, has entered the Directory at Band 1 level as a practising mediator.
Regional Director for the East Midlands Beth Sheridan achieved a Band 2 ranking , improving on last year’s Band 3 as did Joanna Newton , Partner in our Bristol Team.
Band 3 ranked individuals are Florence Ashcroft-Lane , Team Leader Partner in Nottingham Angela Sussens , a Partner in Leeds, and Sarah Crilly , Partner in Newcastle.
We have two lawyers ranked in Band 4 : Managing Partner for the North West Helen Miller and team Leader Partner in Bristol, Rachel Fisher .
Ranked as Associates to Watch are Newcastle family law Partners David Allen and Hollie Murray , alongside West Midlands lawyer Laura Stocks.
North West
The “highly skilled” North West team, covering offices in Altrincham , Manchester , Liverpool etc, entered the 2027 directory at Band 5 . Led by Managing Partner Helen Miller, the team is known for handling complex children cases and High Net Worth financial remedy proceedings.
They are known for providing “fantastic service and work. Communication was excellent and the team was down to earth and professional.”
Their “excellent knowledge, experience and attention to detail” were also praised.
Notable practitioner Helen Miller , Band 4 ranked, works on financial remedy cases, private law children matters and matters involving multiple jurisdictions.
West Midlands
The West Midlands region also had its first entry this year, ranked as Band 3 . Led by Regional Director for the Midlands, Beth Sheridan , the team covers offices in Birmingham , Lichfield and more. They are praised for their briefings, and that they inspire confidence in their abilities:
“I always felt confident in Stowe Family Law’s understanding”
“Stowe Family Law’s briefings are always 10 out of 10”
The team is known for working across all areas of family law, including High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth divorces, and for managing complex children and domestic abuse cases.
Notable practitioner Laura Stocks is ranked as an Associate to Watch . She is praised for her diligence and hard work: “She is never fazed or panicked and remains on top of it all.”
East Midlands
The East Midlands team, servicing clients in Lincoln , Nottingham and Derby , improved their rank from Band 3 in the 2026 directory to Band 2 in 2027. The “extremely well organised” team is noted for providing “clear and concise instructions to counsel”.
They are also highlighted as being “helpful and supportive” and going “above and beyond on many occasions” .
Notable Practitioner Beth Sheridan has achieved Band 2 ranking this year, building on her Band 3 in the 2026 directory. Beth is described as “fantastic, very personable and likeable”
She is further noted as being “an incredibly diligent solicitor who has a real knack for tactics and strategising.”
Her colleague Florence Ashcroft-Lane also improved her ranking from Up and Coming to Band 3 this year. Florence “has the experience, knowledge and motivation that one requires to excel in this area.” Her client skills are described as “next to none.”
Yorkshire
Stowe’s Yorkshire region, with offices in York , Sheffield , Leeds etc, has maintained its Band 2 ranking in this year’s directory. The team, led by UK Managing Director, and Chambers and Partners Eminent Practitioner Rachel Roberts and Senior Partner Julian Hawkhead is known for its “huge breadth of knowledge”.
They are noted for having particular experience in matters involving complex business structures, and expertise in child matters, especially those with an international element, and contested adoptions. The Yorkshire team is praised for having “great strength in depth” and “genuine expertise”.
Notable Practitioners are Julian Hawkhead and Rachel Roberts, both ranked as Eminent Practitioners .
Rachel is described as “excellent” and “very pragmatic” with invaluable experience and sound advice. Julian is recognised for his management of complex matrimonial finance disputes and prenuptial agreement expertise.
Partner Angela Sussens maintained her Band 3 ranking this year. She is described as “innovative” , “first rate” and “a very good leader” . “Angela thinks about issues from a number of angles” and she is “very warm and engaging”.
North East
The North East region, including offices in Newcastle , Durham and Sunderland , maintained its excellent Band 2 ranking in this year’s directory. The “standout” team is described as “ well capable of dealing with complex matters” and their “consistency and depth of expertise” is also praised.
Notable practitioners include “highly experienced” Partner Sarah Crilly , who is ranked as a Band 3 individual, with “ a good grasp of issues”.
She is joined by colleague David Allen , who enters the directory for the first time this year as an Associate to Watch . David is praised for giving advice that is “technically strong, well-reasoned and realistic”.
Hollie Murray maintains her status as an Associate to Watch in the 2027 Chambers directory. Hollie specialises in complex financial matters, particularly for high-net-worth individuals. She is “not afraid to give hard advice” but she is praised for her empathy and accessible advice, as she delivers advice “in such an easy way to understand”.
South West
Stowe Family Law’s South West region has maintained its Band 3 ranking this year. Stowe’s presence in the region offers offices in Bath , Bristol , Cheltenham , Exeter and more. The team, known for its “highly dedicated family solicitors” is praised for having “ great ability to conduct cases in the most efficient way”.
At Stowe Family Law, our main focus is on serving the needs of the client, and getting them the best result possible for their circumstances. The South West team are highlighted for representing the clients’ needs and interests very well, with a “keen eye for detail” .
Joanna Newton has this year improved her ranking in the directory from Band 3 to Band 2 . She is praised as “an excellent solicitor who is unflappable and always thinks one or two steps ahead of the opposition” . She is an approachable and empathetic solicitor: “Joanna has super human degrees of patience and is an empathetic, compassionate person so clients adore her and have 100% confidence in her judgement.”
Joanna is joined in the rankings by colleague Rachel Fisher , a Band 4 individual who is “super experienced, pragmatic and very good at client management”. Rachel’s excellent client care is noted as she “made sure the client’s needs and interests were at the forefront of the case” and she is “very supportive and has really good client care”.
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley team achieved a Band 4 ranking in the 2027 directory. The team, covering offices such as Oxford , Milton Keynes and Reading , is known for advising High-Net-Worth clients with complex financial remedy proceedings, as well as drafting prenuptial agreements, and supporting with children matters including those with an international element.
The Thames Valley team are ‘very customer-focused’ and offer ‘a breadth of experience and the personal touch that means those going through very difficult times are looked after well but are also represented to the highest standards’ .
Partner Gemma Davison entered the rankings for the first time this year as a Band 1 Mediator . This is an astounding achievement and reflects Gemma’s dedication to helping clients achieve their desired outcomes without going through the stress and expense of court proceedings.
Gemma is described as a “really safe pair of hands to work with”.