Sally Harrison KC

Practice Overview

• Family Finance & Property

  Sally’s wealth of knowledge and experience have been acknowledged by a number of accolades both nationally and regionally.

  Sally has worked internationally including appearing in the Court of Appeal in the Cayman Islands. She is called the Bar in Northern Ireland and has appeared regularly in the High Court in Belfast in cases concerning £multi-million assets.

  Sally has extensive knowledge and expertise in cases concerning complex business structures, trust assets and hidden assets for example representing the wife in the case of Richardson-Ruhan in which findings of non disclosure of extensive hidden wealth were made against the husband.

  She is regularly instructed to draft pre-nuptial agreements and has appeared in a number of cases concerning the financial provision following a pre-nuptial agreements and post separation accrual after a long separation eg A v B (No 2).

  She is frequently asked to advise in cases concerning complex family financial restructure and asset preservation, freezing injunctions, applications concerning reporting restrictions, injunctions to protect business trading and application to restrain a party from leaving the jurisdiction during financial remedy proceedings.

  Section 1 Children Act

  Sally is recognised for her expertise in the Schedule 1 Children Act and has notable experience in dealing with complex family arrangements and international cases, often involving high profile individuals.

• Arbitration

  Sally is a qualified Arbitrator under the IFLA Financial Arbitration Scheme and has appeared in a number of fully contested arbitration hearings including the first instance arbitration in A v A.

• ENE / Private FDR

  Sally has experience of appearing in and conducting many Private FDRs. Her status as a qualified arbitrator and experience of many years of representing clients at FDR enables Sally to take a pragmatic approach to assisting parties in understanding what the likely outcome of their case would be should they take it forward to a public FDR in court. The Private FDR solution provides a speedy and private resolution to such matters and ensures the outcome matches that which would be achieved in open court.

• Notable Cases

  A v A (Arbitration Guidance) [2021] EWHC 1889

  Ratcliffe v Ratcliffe [2021] EWCA civ 247

  Moher v Moher [2019] EWCA Civ 1482, [2020] 1 FLR 225

  https://www.familylawweek.co.uk/ v B (financial remedies: application to strike out) [2018] EWFC 4, [2018] All ER 98, [2018] 4 WLR 100, [2019] 1 FLR 1

  A v B (financial remedies) (No 2) [2018] EWFC 45, [2018] All ER 152, [2019] 1 FLR 17

  Richardson-Ruhan v Ruhan [2017] EWHC 2739 (fam)

  Roocroft v Ball [2016] EWCA Civ 1009, [2017] 1 WLR 1137, [2017] 2 FLR 810

  H v H [2016] EWFC B81

  Gohil v Gohil [2015] UKSC 61, [2016] AC 849, [2016] 1 All ER 685, [2015] 3 WLR 1085, [2015] 2 FLR 1289, [2015] 3 FCR 497, [2015] Fam Law 1459, 165 NLJ 7673, (2015) Times 3 November, [2015] All ER 100

  https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2014-0200-judgment.pdf

  J v J [2014] EWHC 3654 (Fam), [2014] All ER 15, [2016] 1 FCR 31

  Bhura v Bhura [2012] EWHC 3633, [2013] 2 FLR 44, [2013] 3 FCR 142, [2013] Fam Law 391, [2012] All ER 151

  Richardson v Richardson [2011] EWCA Civ 79, [2011] 2 FLR 244, [2011] 1 FCR 301, [2011] Fam Law 456, [2011] All ER 86

  C v C [2007] EWHC 2033 (Fam)

• What the directories say

  “Sally is a phenomenal advocate, brilliantly prepared, has a lovely manner with the lay client and is accessible to and supportive of her instructing solicitor. She is not just one of the best family law silks in the north but, in fact, the entire country.” Legal 500 2025

  “Sally is not just one of the best family law KCs in the North, but in the whole country. She is a phenomenal advocate and always beautifully prepared.”

  “She truly is the queen of matrimonial finance in the North West. Sally is consistently brilliant with clients, formidable on her feet, and exceptionally intelligent.”

  “Sally is the best financial remedy barrister in the north and one of the best in the country. She’s so perceptive, so good with clients and her advocacy is spellbinding.”

  “She is without compare. Calling her the leader in her field barely does her justice.” Chambers & Partners 2025

  “Sally is the star of the family finance Bar. She is in a league of her own and without parallel. She is loved by clients for her candour and style. She is a joy to watch in advocacy.” “She has an assertive advocacy style; she is brilliant and phenomenal.” “Sally is at the top of her game. She has the ear of the court and is so gracious as an opponent.” Chambers UK Bar 2024 (Star Individual)

  “Sally is an outstandingly skilled advocate. Her ability and aplomb are without equal outside of London, she is a superstar with a steely edge to her advocacy that is highly effective, and she has an excellent ability to think on her feet and adapt as required.” Legal 500 2024

  Strengths: “Sally Harrison is fearless, will go into court, and the client will have every confidence in her. Her cross-examination is brilliant.” “With perfect preparation, phenomenal advocacy and a first-rate ‘bedside manner’, Sally really is the full package. She is accessible to her instructing solicitors and a joy to work with. Without a shadow of a doubt one of the leading family law silks in the country.” Chambers UK Bar 2023

  “Sally is unquestionably one of the best advocates. She has a charm and aplomb that is not often seen. Put simply – judges love her and clients adore her as she’s human, candid, constructive and passionate about what she does.” Legal 500 2023

  Strengths: “There is no competition for her on big money cases in the North West. She’s confident in holding court and is able to knock London silks out of the park.” “Her way with clients and her ability to explain complicated and often daunting matters to clients in a way they understand is incomparable.” Chambers UK Bar 2022

  “Sally is an astonishingly good advocate. A fantastic ability with the lay client, accessible to the instructing solicitor and a first-rate forensic mind. Sally really does have it all.“ Legal 500 2022

  “She has the obvious strength in dealing with high-value and complex financial cases, but another strength is her client care, particularly in terms of listening to a client’s concerns.” “She has care and compassion and can be as tough as is required.” Chambers UK Bar 2021

  “Sally puts every client at ease whatever their background, her grasp of the facts and the nuances of a case and tactical insight is second to none. Her preparation is impeccable. She is fast thinking and always someone you would want on your side for her all round brilliance both with clients and opponents.” Legal 500 2021

  “Hugely respected for her skill at taking on high-profile and high-value matrimonial finance matters. She offers recognised experience in complex cases involving matters such as same-sex civil partnerships, inherited wealth and complex business structures and trusts. She also advises on the Children Act.”

  Strengths: “She continues to be the number one barrister in the North of England for complex finance work. She’s charming, yet tenacious – an absolute all-rounder.” “She is extremely balanced in her advice and consultation, and she is one of the most formidable advocates of her generation.” Chambers UK Bar 2020cfef

  “In a league of her own – the star of the family Bar in the north.” Legal 500 2020

  “In a league of her own. A unique talent.” “She is ferociously bright and has an ability to grasp the crucial facts and distil them in a way that gets everyone on her side.” Chambers UK Bar 2019

  “She has sound judgement and fights hard for her clients; a formidable family law silk” Legal 500 2019