- Adoption
- Fostering
- Care Proceedings
- Special Guardianship
- Residence & Contact
- Secure Accommodation
- Prohibited Steps & Specific Issues
- Change of Name
- Forced Marriage
- Honour Based Violence
Family - Public Law & Children
Areas of expertise include:
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Non-Accidental Injury
- Child Abduction
- Domestic Violence
- Court of Protection
- Capacity
- Mental Health
- Vulnerable Adults
- Official Solicitor
- Social Media
- Schedule 1 Children Act
- Fact Finding Hearings
- Arbitration
- Mediation
- CAFCASS
- Jurisdiction
- Injunctions
- Judicial Review
- Serious Case Reviews
- Vulnerable Witnesses & Parties
Public Law Family & Children Barristers
"Trinity Chambers covers the full range of family law but is particularly renowned for its capabilities with regard to financial proceedings and public children law matters. Its members act for parents and local authorities in complex cases where abuse, injury or fabricated or induced illnesses are complicating factors. The barristers also offer expertise in highly sensitive issues such as intra-familial and multiparty sexual abuse. The set offers a range of alternative dispute resolution options, and has a number of in-house trained arbitrators and mediators. "Trinity Chambers are "extremely experienced in dealing with complex and sophisticated matters." "The clerks are prompt and efficient with responses." "The clerks are approachable, friendly and very organised." "They are very responsive and go out of their way to assist."
Chambers & Partners 2024
Public Law
The Trinity Family Law group, based in Chambers in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Leeds, is one of the largest in the North of England. Trinity offers a broad range of expertise and experience supported by a dedicated clerking team. All aspects of family law are covered, at all levels of court. The group deal with public and private law proceedings including child care, forced marriage and domestic violence.
Members of the group represent individuals, Guardians and Local Authorities. Lay clients are represented with vigour, realism and compassion. Professional clients are valued, and the group recognises the importance of a prompt response, continuity of counsel and good communication with solicitors at all times.
Many family barristers in the group are consistently mentioned in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners directories.
Several barristers sit as Deputy District Judges and two as Recorders. An increasing number of the family barristers are instructed to chair and prepare overview reports for Serious Case Reviews. Members include some former solicitors.
Trinity offers a full range of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) options including Arbitration and Mediation. Several barristers in the family team are qualified Arbitrators and Mediators with facilities to hold Arbitration and Mediation hearings in Chambers.
The group offers a long-established and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) CPD accredited programme of seminars on all aspects of family law for solicitors and legal departments covering topics such as forced marriage and court skills for social workers.
Public Children Law
Trinity Chambers' Family Group is active in all areas of Public Children Law and at every level of Court, with barristers skilled in representing Local Authorities, Parents, Children and other litigants.
Trinity barristers routinely act in cases involving non-accidental injury, chronic neglect, sexual abuse, factitious induced injury, parental substance abuse and domestic violence. The experience of the group extends from urgent interim hearings to contested multi-day fact finding and welfare disposal hearings.
Certain members of the group have expertise in cases with an international element and can advise on immigration matters which arise in the course of public law cases. The group encompasses barristers with a particular interest and expertise in complex disputed medical evidence and the cross-examination of single-joint experts.
Private Children Law
Barristers in Trinity's Family team have considerable expertise in representing parents and children in Private Children Law matters. Many barristers practice exclusively in this area and the group also has extensive experience of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and includes members who are qualified Mediators and Arbitrators.
Trinity's Family barristers have experience in dealing with all aspects of Private Children Law including changes of residence, removal from the jurisdiction, implacable hostility, parental alienation and domestic abuse. Barristers in the team are experienced in Fact Finding Hearings and provide pragmatic advice to clients at all stages of the litigation process.
Steven Preen
Lead Family Clerk
Steve Preen joined Trinity in October 2011 after earning a position of considerable respect in HM Court Service where he worked for 17 years; he has come to Trinity with a very sound knowledge of Court procedures, especially on the Civil side.
Outside of Chambers Steve enjoys playing football at a semi professional level. He has undertaken an FA coaching certificate and coaches youngsters on a voluntary basis at a local club. He also enjoys spending time with his family and two children.
Chambers & Partners 2024
'Steven Preen, lead family clerk, Ken McLafferty, clerk, and Paula McLure, clerk, are excellent. They are always very accommodating and very helpful.'
'Steven Preen, Ken McLafferty and Paula McLure all offer a brilliant service. They are very responsive and go out of their way to assist.'
'Steven Preen and Paula McLure are at the top of their game and will go the extra mile to ensure representation is available.'
Legal 500 2024
‘Steve Preen is fantastic.’
‘Steve Preen is outstanding, he is highly personable and very helpful. A credit to chambers.’
Chambers & Partners 2023
'Steven Preen, lead family clerk, and Ken McLafferty, clerk, are particularly responsive to any queries and are always very accommodating.'
Legal 500 2023
‘Extremely friendly and helpful.’‘The clerks provide a good service; Steven Preen and Paula McLure are always incredibly helpful and respond quickly to requests.’ ‘Steven Preen is friendly and approachable, and there to help where he can.’
Legal 500 2022
'The family clerking is led by the dynamic Steven Preen and the unflappable Ken McLafferty who compliment each other to great effect.'
'Ken McLafferty and Steve Preen are excellent. They are friendly, accommodating and efficient.'
Ken McLafferty
Family & Immigration Clerk
Ken joined Trinity in March 2007 after seven years clerking in Durham, culminating in being the Senior Clerk and taking on all the responsibilities so required. Working in Durham gave him the opportunity to return to the city where he spent three years enjoying life under the guise of studying for his degree in Theology and Religious Studies.
When not following the trials and tribulations of his chosen football and baseball teams Ken enjoys cooking and tending to the charges in his allotment - where he fights a losing, and seemingly never-ending, battle against the elements, weeds, and caterpillars.
Chambers & Partners 2024
'Steven Preen, lead family clerk, Ken McLafferty, clerk, and Paula McLure, clerk, are excellent. They are always very accommodating and very helpful.'
Steven Preen, Ken McLafferty and Paula McLure all offer a brilliant service. They are very responsive and go out of their way to assist.'
Chambers & Partners 2023
'Steven Preen, lead family clerk, and Ken McLafferty, clerk, are particularly responsive to any queries and are always very accommodating.'
Legal 500 2022
'The family clerking is led by the dynamic Steven Preen and the unflappable Ken McLafferty who compliment each other to great effect.'
'Ken McLafferty and Steve Preen are excellent. They are friendly, accommodating and efficient.'
Paula McLure
Family Clerk
Paula joined Trinity in June 2016 after 26 years in HM Court Service where she reached a position of considerable respect as the Civil and Family Listing Officer for Northumbria, skills which have stood her in good stead in her new role. Paula has come to Trinity with a very sound knowledge of Court procedures, especially with regard to listing.
Outside of Chambers Paula enjoys travelling and spending time with her family and friends.
Chambers & Partners 2024
'Steven Preen, lead family clerk, Ken McLafferty, clerk, and Paula McLure, clerk, are excellent. They are always very accommodating and very helpful.'
'Steven Preen, Ken McLafferty and Paula McLure all offer a brilliant service. They are very responsive and go out of their way to assist.'
'Steven Preen and Paula McLure are at the top of their game and will go the extra mile to ensure representation is available.'
Legal 500 2024
‘Paula McLure is a huge asset, very professional and flexible.’
Legal 500 2023
‘Extremely friendly and helpful.’‘The clerks provide a good service; Steven Preen and Paula McLure are always incredibly helpful and respond quickly to requests.’
Paul McNab
Civil & Criminal Silks' Clerk
Paul joined Trinity Chambers in March 2020 following the closure of Zenith Chambers.
Paul has a wealth of experience in the legal profession having commenced his career in the late 80's and qualified as a legal executive in the early 90's whilst working for one of the countries largest criminal law firms dealing with serious criminal cases before moving to Number One Fountain Court in Birmingham as the Senior Clerk. Following the merger of Number One with St Philips Chambers in 2002 Paul became the Senior Criminal Clerk looking after what was then the largest criminal team in the country at the time.
Paul took almost a decade away from clerking during which he was the Chief Executive of an International Law firm specialising in domestic and international public law and human rights law adding a range of business and management skills to his CV before returning to the Bar in 2017 as the Senior Civil Clerk at Zenith Chambers in Leeds.
Away from Chambers, Paul can be found on the sidelines at Five Ways Old Eds RFC where he played second row for many decades, or coaching the age grade players at Old Halesonians RFC. When not coaching rugby, Paul is a season ticket holder at Bristol Bears (following the demise of Wasps) and religiously follows Ireland Rugby home and away where he enjoys the occasional "sociable pint"! With more time on his hands Paul plans to learn his native Irish language in 2025!
Legal 500 2025
'The clerks' room is excellent. Paul McNab goes the extra mile to assist us and ensures that we always have access to counsel.'
'Steve Walker and Paul McNab are very responsive and a pleasure to deal with.'
Chambers & Partners 2024
'Paul McNab is always available, commercial and pragmatic.'
'Paul McNab, clerk, is the go-to person. If Paul can't do it no one can. He is the finest clerk I have worked with. He's an asset to the chambers.'
Legal 500 2024
‘Paul McNab, Aimee Bloxham and Josh Stewart-Tilling are always on the end of the phone or email to help us find barristers with availability, even at short notice.’
‘Steve Walker and Paul McNab are always friendly, approachable and make excellent suggestions as to which counsel may be best suited for a particular matter.’
‘Paul McNab is always available and always willing to assist where he can.’
Chambers & Partners 2023
'Paul McNab, clerk, is excellent and has never let me down.'
Legal 500 2023
‘Clerks are approachable and accommodating.’‘Paul McNab – contactable, adaptable, and provides a good service.’‘Paul McNab is responsive, professional and knowledgeable.’
Chambers & Partners 2022
'Paul McNab is an excellent clerk. He's responsive, reliable and personable.'
Chris Gibbin
Clerk
Chris had over 9 years experience as a Senior Clerk in a barristers chambers in Middlesbrough before joining Trinity Chambers. Prior to that Chris worked in the Lord Chancellors Department, now HM Courts and Tribunals Service, at Teesside Combined Court Centre for over 10 years. During that time Chris covered most areas but the majority of his experience was gained in dealing with Criminal and Family Law matters. Chris’ latter years in the LCD were spent in the Listing Office at Teesside Crown Court where he developed his skills which ultimately saw him transferring to his role in a barristers chambers.
Chris is a member of the Institute of Barristers Clerks.
Outside of work Chris enjoys playing cricket for Marske Cricket Club in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League, watching football and rugby and socialising.
Legal 500 2025
'Chris Gibbin can only be described as outstanding - an unsung hero! He is a great ambassador for Trinity Chambers'
Legal 500 2024
‘Liam Gorman and Chris Gibbin are always on hand to deal with last minute issues, and have an excellent working relationship with local courts.’
Legal 500 2022
'Chris Gibbin is an extremely helpful and experienced clerk.'
'The Teesside branch is spearheaded by Chris Gibbin who is extremely helpful and efficient.'
Chambers & Partners 2022
'I cannot fault the clerking services – Chris Gibbin in Middlesbrough is very helpful, offers prompt responses and is always willing to assist.'
Fiona Bullock
Direct Access Clerk
Fiona joined Trinity Chambers in 2007 after an established career in some of Scotland's top hotels and restaurants.
After gaining a BA in Hotel Catering and Management, Fiona progressed with her Food and Beverage Management career and on moving to the North East, she became one half of a North Yorkshire restaurant.
Fiona is Chambers Direct Access clerk and has found that her previous experience has stood her in good stead being in a client focused role. Fiona also looks after Chambers Governance and Compliance, and collates Chambers submissions for the Legal Directories.
Outside Chambers Fiona and her Labrador Olly volunteer with Wag & Co North East Friendship Dogs.