Christine Barker

Christine is Joint Managing Partner and heads the "effective, efficient" "straight talking friendly bunch" who are the Family practice, based in the Manchester office.

Christine has practiced matrimonial work for over 30 years and has an excellent reputation for her work, due to her "steely determination to get the job done". Her expertise is matrimonial finance involving high net worth individuals, with complex business assets, pensions, trust and tax issues. She is highly sought after on a national basis and has a substantial practice in London and the surrounding regions, Cumbria and the Midlands despite being based in Manchester. Christine has had several reported cases including Fournier v Fournier.

Areas of expertise include;

• Divorce and Separation
• Division of assets upon marriage breakdown
• Children issues
• Cohabitation disputes
• Pre Marital Agreements
• Civil Partnerships
• Domestic Violence
• International Matrimonial and Children Disputes. 

Christine has been highlighted as a leading family lawyer in the Northwest by Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.

Chambers and Partners declare Christine to be "frank, honest and will do the best for her clients", confirms that "she calls a spade a spade" and has "a wealth of expertise".

Christine was chair and main sponsor of the Four Jurisdictions Conference Committee 2008, as she has been a keen supported of this event for a number of years, bringing together matrimonial lawyers from Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and the Northern Circuit of England and Wales.

Legal 500 Quotations

2011 "Laytons' work in 2009 included a revision of a settlement where a disabled child of the relationship achieved majority and became entitled to benefits; and a revision of an aged settlement, where the parties wanted a clean break for the purpose of inheritance tax planning. Christine Barker is ‘pragmatic in her approach, and forthright in the advice'".

2010 "Laytons family practice is led by Christine Barker, who receives high praise from clients and intermediaries; she has a wealth of experience, exudes confidence, and is brilliant with clients. Emma Gill is described as "a ferociously bright young lawyer".

2009 "Laytons advises on complex divorce and children issues and is developing a specialist practice in cohabitation disputes. Christine Barker heads the team."

Chambers Quotations

2011 'This firm fields a small but high-quality family team. It regularly acts for wealthy, high-profile individuals such as premiership footballers. Sources commend the partner-led, cost-effective service that it offers. "The whole group is genuinely committed to saving clients' costs." Christine Barker "has both good common sense and a real instinct for the right outcome." She is praised for her determined approach to high-value ancillary relief.

2010 "The Family team is known for its quality service and attention to details. "It's effective, efficient and - in comparison to other city centre firms - offers very competitive rates". Christine Barker combines a wealth of experience with a steely determination to get the job done in a proactive and commercial manner" Associate Emma Gill is positive, enthusiastic and technically adept".

2009 "A "straight-talking, friendly bunch," this team enjoys a solid reputation for managing all aspects of private family work. It has recently expanded due to client demand and now houses four professionals. The team acts for local clients as well as those from further afield - handling matters for clients in such diverse localities as Cyprus, Dubai and the USA - and can draw on the resources of its private client department to offer additional advice on property and tax issues.  Christine Barker is admired for her straight-talking and pragmatic approach to family law: "She calls a spade a spade," say peers."

2008 "This "understated" firm may be "small but it has a good team and does good work", according to commentators. The team at Laytons undertakes a wide range of work including divorce, financial provision, cohabitation and children work. Sources declare that Christine Barker is "frank, honest and will do the best for her clients" whether undertaking divorce, matrimonial finances or private law children work.