Practice Areas
Dispute Resolution
Direct Access
‘Christopher is second to none for complex family law matters. His advocacy is forceful and persuasive, underwritten by a keen eye for detail and a tactical mind.’
Legal 500, 2025
‘He’s been brilliant with the client, he’s excellent in court and judges love him.’
Chambers and Partners, 2025
Experience
Year of Call: 1987
Year of Silk: 2015
Qualifications
Arbitrator – MCIArb in both Children and Money
Education
LLB Hons (Sheffield)
Appointments
Recorder (2018)
Deputy High Court Judge section 9(1) – (2022)
Profile
Christopher is a fearless and persuasive advocate, combining formidable strategic and tactical thinking with a keen forensic insight. He is a specialist in all areas of international law, with the knowledge and experience to take on complex issues of jurisdiction, finance and movement of children.
Christopher’s practice involves resolving difficult international issues concerning both children and substantial financial resources, routinely tackling novel jurisdictional dilemmas in the Court of Appeal and the High Court whether this be in private or public law children, divorce or financial remedies cases.
He was Chair of the CALA since 2018 and regularly participates at international conferences. As Chair, he has been involved in extensive consultations about practice and procedure following the President’s Guidance and on the post Covit-19 lockdown court environment. In February 2020 he gave evidence to the House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee on behalf of the Bar Council on “Civil Justice Co-operation after Brexit. His evidence ranged over both divorce/finance and children.
He is an author and contributory editor of 2 chapters of Rayden & Jackson on the Hague 1980 Convention and committal.
He regularly chairs and participates in seminars and conferences on a variety of practice areas.
He is a trustee of CFAB and reviews cases for Advocate.
He sits as Recorder on the NE Circuit and is approved for the Financial Remedies Court. He is authorised to sit as a deputy High Court Judge. He is a qualified arbitrator in both children (now including international relocation) and money work.
International Children Law
Christopher’s work covers all aspects of the operation of both the 1980 and 1996 Hague Conventions. He has appeared in a lot of the leading appellate authorities in this area as well as appearing in the High Court at first instance. He is the author of the Chapter on the 1980 Hague Convention in Rayden and Jackson
Family Finance
His practice covers mainly HNW individuals and cases with an international element including disputes over jurisdiction and forum non conveniens. He has appeared in leading cases concerning legal service payment orders, avoidance of disposition orders and the impact of confiscation orders in financial remedy cases.
Private Children Law
His private law children work usually involves relocation or an international element. He was lead advocate in Re H-N the leading authority on domestic abuse and controlling behaviour in children cases.
Non-court dispute resolution
Christopher is an experienced arbitrator in both children and money cases. He is able to combine in one arbitral hearing both issues. He is also available to conduct pFDRs.
Public Children Law
He has advised local authorities on questions of jurisdiction and placement abroad, including international adoption. He represents parents and guardians only where there is an international element.
Professional Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Inner Temple
Former Chair of Child Abduction Lawyers Association
Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Association of Lawyers for Children
Member and reviewer for Advocate
Trustee of Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB)
Directories
“He is well prepared and has amazing knowledge of international cases.”
“He always speaks with authority. He’s able to adapt his advocacy skills to read the bench, ensure he keeps the ear of the court and ensure his submissions are always effective.”
“He’s been brilliant with the client, he’s excellent in court and judges love him.”
Chambers and Partners, 2025
‘Christopher is second to none for complex family law matters. His advocacy is forceful and persuasive, underwritten by a keen eye for detail and a tactical mind.’
‘Christopher is unflappable and always thoroughly prepared. He has a wonderful style of advocacy, calm but very much to the point. He very much has the ear of the court’
Legal 500, 2025
‘Christopher is professional, knowledgeable, driven, confident, disciplined and able to analyse complex facts and lots of information within a limited timeframe. He is excellent at keeping the client focused.’
Chris is approachable and clearly communicates legal principles. He is quick on his feet and empathetic when dealing with clients in complicated situations. He is very client-focused and willing to go the extra mile to prepare thoroughly.’
Legal 500, 2024
“His knowledge of international children law is unsurpassable and he has garnered a loyal following. He is an expert tactician.”
“Always a safe pair of hands, he can find the novel legal points.”
“Chris is thoroughly prepared and gives sound advice.”
Chambers and Partners, 2024
“Christopher Hames is excellent at cross-examination, very good on the detail and very persuasive. Very hard-working and responsive. he’s available to the rest of his legal team and happy to have lots of meeting with the clients in preparation for trial.”
“He’s a great tactician with really great style in court.”
Chambers and Partners, 2023
‘Christopher is very methodical, good with client and quick on his feet.’
Legal 500 2023, Family (Including Divorce and Financial Remedy)
‘Christopher is highly knowledgeable and a stellar advocate. He is a safe pair of hands.’
Legal 500 2023, Children
‘He is an extremely talented advocate, and a powerhouse of knowledge concerning cross-border child law. Exceptional on his feet.’
Legal 500, 2022
“His pragmatic and intellectual approach proves to be a winning combination, and his distillation of key issues is a joy for any tribunal.” “Christopher is meticulous, thorough, calm and organised when handling domestic violence cases.” “He’s approachable and respectful in his approach.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
Has a notable international children practice and deep expertise in matters concerning the application of the Hague Convention. His financial practice sees him representing high net worth individuals in divorce proceedings. He wins plaudits for his willingness to get fully involved with a case.
Strengths: “Has excellent technical expertise, particularly in international children law and European regulations.” “He’s rapidly becoming a go-to for relocation cases as his tactical skill is superb.” “Christopher has a reassuring air of authority and gravitas. He is always approachable and willing to help at short notice.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
‘Has a unique combination of fighting hard for his client, having a thoughtful and clever strategy and being extremely persuasive and beautifully articulate in court.’
‘Combines a very technical and forensic approach with a healthy dollop of pragmatism and a real sense of humanity. He is always impeccably prepared and miles ahead of the game.’
Legal 500 2021, Children
‘Combines a very technical and forensic approach with a healthy dollop of pragmatism and a real sense of humanity. He is always impeccably prepared and miles ahead of the game.’
Legal 500 2021, Family (Including Divorce and Financial Remedy)
Has a notable international children practice and deep expertise in matters concerning the application of the Hague Convention. His growing financial practice sees him representing high net worth individuals in divorce proceedings. He wins plaudits for his willingness to get fully involved with a case.
Strengths: “Christopher is wonderful to work with. He’s always incredibly well prepared and he makes sure that he absolutely understands all the peripheral details of a case.” “He has the ear of the court and an excellent bedside manner with clients.”
Chambers & Partners 2020
‘His advocacy is smooth and persuasive.’
Legal 500, 2020
Has a notable international children practice and deep expertise in matters concerning the application of the Hague Convention. His growing financial practice sees him representing high net worth individuals in divorce proceedings with international issues. He wins plaudits for his willingness to get fully involved with a case.
Strengths: “He is a rock upon which you know you can build a solid case. Nothing fazes him. When you have him on your side, you feel that added layer of confidence in the way you would if you had a sword and shield to hand.”
Chambers& Partners 2019
‘He commands real authority.’
Legal 500, 2019
Has a notable international children practice and deep expertise in matters concerning the application of the Hague Convention. His growing financial practice sees him representing high net worth individuals in divorce proceedings with international issues. He wins plaudits for his willingness to get fully involved with a case.
Strengths: “He is prepared to go the extra mile. He works long hours and he’s willing to pull out all the stops for you and the client. He makes you feel that you’re working as a team and he seems genuinely interested in helping the client.”
Chambers& Partners 2018
Has a notable international children practice and deep expertise in matters concerning the application of the Hague Convention. His growing financial practice sees him representing high net worth individuals in divorce proceedings.
Strengths: “He’s easy to work with, relentless in court, fearless, incredibly knowledgeable and very persuasive. A superb advocate.”
Recent work: Acted in Cambra v Jones, a case concerning the failure to return two children to Spain under the Hague Convention.
Chambers & Partners 2017
Has taken silk this year as a result of his work handling international family law on both the financial and private children side. He is a lawyer who displays forcefulness and tenacity.
Strengths: “He is a master strategist, and has a great analytical mind. He’s very eloquent in his advocacy, and is really formidable, ruthless.”
Chambers & Partners 2016
Maintains a strong private law children practice, and works in cases relating to residence, relocation and abduction in both Hague and non-Hague jurisdictions.
Expertise: “Brilliant for complex, difficult cases. Great on the attention to detail, he’s very thorough, good with clients and highly personable.”
Recent work: Instructed before the High Court in a case pertaining to the abduction of five children by their father.
Chambers & Partners 2015
Maintains a fine track in cases concerning cross-jurisdictional issues, child abduction, adoption, abandoned spouses and lawful relocation.
Expertise: “Has excellent knowledge of all areas of family law matters.”
Recent work: Recently handled child abduction proceedings in the High Court involving five children, three of whom were returned to Spain.
Chambers & Partners 2014
Christopher Hames focuses his international family law practice on cases concerning child abduction, relocation and cross-jurisdictional disputes. Commentators note that “he cuts straight through to the issues” of the most complex of cases.
Chambers & Partners 2013
Christopher Hames comes highly recommended for his expertise in cross-jurisdictional children expertise. Sources say: “He is a very safe pair of hands and is excellent with clients.” Hames is much in demand.
Chambers and Partners 2012
Christopher Hames is highly regarded for cross-jurisdictional children work.
Chambers and Partners 2011
Christopher Hames, who is praised for his handling of Children Act matters.
Chambers and Partners 2010