The 2026 listing of leading New Zealand Family & Divorce Barristers details Senior and Junior Counsel practising within the areas of family law, matrimonial and custody matters within the New Zealand legal market who have been identified by the state’s family law solicitors for their expertise and abilities in these areas.
Senior Counsel
Preeminent
Margaret Casey KC, Mills Lane Chambers
Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw KC, Shortland Chambers
Leading
Vanessa Bruton KC, O’Connell Chambers
Lynda Kearns KC, Bastion Chambers
Stephen McCarthy KC, Cavendish Chambers
Recommended
Anita Chan KC, Princes Chambers
Simon Jefferson KC, Family Law Chambers
Junior Counsel
Preeminent
Stephanie Ambler, Riverbank Chambers
Sharon Chandra, Bankside Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Leading
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Samantha Wilson, Shortland Chambers
Recommended
Inger Blackford, Trinity Chambers
Anna Carbon, Textile Lofts
Isaac Hikaka, Mills Lane Chambers
Jeremy Johnson, Bankside Chambers
Zara Matheson, Mills Lane Chambers
The 2026 rankings of leading Family & Divorce Law Barristers in New Zealand, identified by fellow New Zealand Family Lawyers. Compiled via our independent, peer-review methodology — rankings cannot be purchased.
Previous editions
2025 edition published March 2025
Senior Counsel – Preeminent
Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw KC, Shortland Chambers
Senior Counsel – Leading
Margaret Casey KC, Mills Lane Chambers
Lynda Kearns KC, Bastion Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Vanessa Bruton KC, O'Connell Chambers
Anita Chan KC, Princes Chambers
Stephen McCarthy, Cavendish Chambers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Sharon Chandra, Bankside Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Inger Blackford, Trinity Chambers
Sarah Bush, Wyndham Chambers
Isaac Hikaka, Mills Lane Chambers
Jeremy Johnson, Bankside Chambers
Zara Matheson, Mills Lane Chambers
Janna McQuigan, Canterbury Chambers
Anna Norcross
2024 edition published May 2024
Senior Counsel – Leading
Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw KC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson KC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Vanessa Bruton KC, O'Connell Chambers
Margaret Casey KC, Mills Lane Chambers
Anita Chan KC, Princes Chambers
Antonia Fisher KC, O'Connell St Barristers
Lynda Kearns KC, Bastion Chambers
Stephen McCarthy, Cavendish Chambers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Sharon Chandra, Bankside Chambers
Isaac Hikaka, Mills Lane Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Inger Blackford, Trinity Chambers
Sarah Bush, Wyndham Chambers
Jeremy Johnson, Bankside Chambers
Zara Matheson, Mills Lane Chambers
2023 edition published March 2023
Senior Counsel – Leading
Lady Deborah Chambers KC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw KC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson KC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Vanessa Bruton KC, O'Connell Chambers
Margaret Casey KC
Anita Chan KC, Princes Chambers
Antonia Fisher KC, O'Connell St Barristers
Lynda Kearns KC, Bastion Chambers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Sharon Chandra, Bankside Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Sarah Bush, Wyndham Chambers
Isaac Hikaka, Mills Lane Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Mark Sandelin, Mills Lane Chambers
2022 edition published March 2022
Senior Counsel – Leading
Lady Deborah Chambers QC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw QC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson QC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Margaret Casey QC
Anita Chan QC, Princes Chambers
Lynda Kearns QC, Bastion Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Sharon Chandra, Bankside Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Mark Sandelin, Mills Lane Chambers
2021 edition published May 2021
Senior Counsel – Leading
Lady Deborah Chambers QC, Bankside Chambers
Vivienne Crawshaw QC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson QC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Margaret Casey QC
Anita Chan QC, Princes Chambers
Antonia Fisher QC, O'Connell St Barristers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Lynda Kearns, Bastion Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Inger Blackford, Trinity Chambers
Janna McGuigan, Canterbury Chambers
Jennifer Perry, Wyndham Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Jeremy Sutton, Bastion Chambers
2020 edition published March 2020
Senior Counsel – Leading
Vivienne Crawshaw QC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson QC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Margaret Casey QC
Lady Deborah Chambers QC, Bankside Chambers
Anita Chan QC, Princes Chambers
Antonia Fisher QC, O'Connell St Barristers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Lynda Kearns, Bastion Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Jeremy Sutton, Bastion Chambers
2019 edition published March 2019
Senior Counsel – Leading
Vivienne Crawshaw QC, Hobson Chambers
Simon Jefferson QC, Trinity Chambers
Senior Counsel – Recommended
Margaret Casey QC
Lady Deborah Chambers QC, Bankside Chambers
Anita Chan QC, Princes Chambers
Antonia Fisher QC, O'Connell St Barristers
Junior Counsel – Leading
Lynda Kearns, Bastion Chambers
Junior Counsel – Recommended
Inger Blackford, Trinity Chambers
Louise Reed, Southern Cross Chambers
Jeremy Sutton, Bastion Chambers