Court / advocacy
Dan is an experienced and respected barrister greatly sought after particularly for his ability in serious contested cases and complex trials.
Dan built the foundations of his career in the criminal courts, representing defendants charged with the most serious offences including murder, rape, wounding and historical sexual offences against children.
Having established a thorough grounding in the adversarial world of the crown court, Dan transferred the focus of his court practice to the family court with a strong emphasis on serious child protection matters. Dan is regularly instructed in the most serious cases, often either lead by or against silks, and is rated Tier 2 in the prestigious Legal 500 rankings.
See family tab for details
Advisory
Dan has a busy advisory practice in sports, contract and commercial matters. He has experience of representing clients within all aspects of professional sport. In boxing, Dan has represented three world champions in both contract and regulatory matters and concluded agreements with all major UK promotional outfits. His current client base includes a football manager for a championship club and he has an interest in a fast growing football agency where he is partnered with a FIFA licensed agent. Dan is also working with pro football colleagues to develop an AI football talent ID company.
Dan does not generally accept instructions into chambers for sports and contract work, working within a small network of clients on a referral basis.
Dan has transferred his experience and expertise in contested advocacy, contract, negotiation and litgation strategy into the commerical arena and is a junior equity party for venture capital outfit Yorkshire AI Labs. He was appointed their General Counsel in 2025.
Dan does not accept instructions into chambers for civil / commercial matters.
Dan is a very experienced family law practitioner regularly instructed in the most serious of cases, including cases against and lead by silks. He accepts instructions in all matters relating to children and is sought after for complex and contested cases, often matters that features aspects of criminal law / conduct.
Dan has also been briefed in numerous somewhat niche High Court cases engaging paternity testing, vaccinations, the limitations of local authority powers under a care order and contempt of court (see notable cases below). Dan is also regularly instructed in High Court DOLS cases and is experienced in dealing with these for both local authorities and guardians.
In public law instructions, Dan has a focus on parent and guardian work, perhaps flowing from his experience as a defence lawyer in the criminal jurisdiction.
In private law (Children Act) matters Dan is highly in demand for difficult, entrenched and contested cases (again, often with a criminal law crossover) where parents require experienced representation prepared to fight a client’s corner throughout, even against the odds. Dan is also often instructed as counsel for 16.4 guardians and has undertaken numerous alienation cases in care proceedings and in the High Court.
Instructing solicitors trust Dan’s ability to form a strong rapport with lay clients coupled with an honest and down to earth approach to giving advice.
In June 2024 Dan was appointed as the Family Lead for the 33 Bedford Row Northern annexes.
Reported case. High Court matter from April 2024, instructed by Sophia Isa of Watson Ramsbottom to represent a mother, successfully defending an attempt from her ex partner to commit her to prison for contempt – the alleged contempt arising after the defendant supplied court papers to the police investigating allegations of domestic abuse
EBK v DLO (Permission for Further Contempt Application) [2024] EWHC 984 (Fam) – Family Law Week
Reported case. Lead by Charlotte Worsley KC, instructed by Elaine Hissey A&N Care for the mother in this unique case engaging paternity testing and exploring the limits of LA powers. Case attracted extensive national media attention - Man who mixed sperm with father's in order to get partner pregnant will not have to take paternity test, High Court rules | UK News | Sky News
Marcia Grant: Boy, 13, sentenced for killing Sheffield grandmother with her own car - BBC News