Richard Todd KC

Practice Areas

Richard is in the top category of Silks for Chambers and Partners; The Bar there are only four Silks in that category. (He is also top ranked in Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific) The Legal 500 also places him in their highest category; Tier 1. He has been top-ranked by these guides for a decade. Nobody at the Bar is ranked higher than Richard.

Richard also enjoys the distinction of having twice been made Chambers and Partners’ Family Law Silk of the Year. He has been nominated for The Lawyer’s overall barrister of the year on three occasions.

He acted for Mrs Katrin Radmacher in the Supreme Court case of Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42 and for Mrs Yasmin Prest in the Supreme Court case of Petrodel Resources Ltd et al v Prest [2013] UKSC 34.

Career

Call 1988 Silk 2009

Professional Memberships

General Council of the Bar (elected Senior Barrister category 1998).

FLBA (Executive Committee 1998).

Prosecuting Counsel for the Bar Standards Board.

Member of the Advisory Committee to the Law Commission (“Ante-Nuptial agreements” (2011) and “Separate Property Regimes and the General Review of Financial Remedy Applications” (2013)).

He has been the annual guest lecturer at Cambridge University and at the Law Society’s Annual General Meeting.

Richard is a bencher of Middle Temple.

Richard was appointed a Recorder in 2010 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2016 (which was renewed in 2022).

Publications

Since 1989 Richard has been the co-author of “Practical Matrimonial Precedents” (2 Volumes), Sweet & Maxwell. It is now in its 55th release (2024).

Richard also co-authored, “Essential Family Practice” (2 Volumes), Butterworths and “At Court”, FT Law & Tax.

Richard is also an Editor of Jowitt’s Dictionary of English Law.

Together with his wife, Elisabeth (also a member of chambers) he is co-author of “Relationship Agreements” Sweet & Maxwell (2013).

He has also had published articles in Family Law, Family Matters, The Family Law Journal and The Lawyer. He has occasionally contributed to The Law Society’s Legal Network Television.

In 2000 he was shortlisted (list of four) for UNICEF’s Lawyer of the Year for his work on the law relating to paternity disputes

Work Highlights

• R v M & Ors [2024] EWHC 720

• BR v BR [2024] EWFC 11

• Williams v Williams [2024] EWHC 733 (Fam)

• Standish v Standish [2024] EWCA Civ 567 

• EK v DK [2023] EWHC 1829

• Simon v Simon & Anor [2023] EWCA Civ 1048  

• HAT v LAT [2023] EWFC 162  

• ADK v ASI [2022] EWHC 2610 (Fam)

• LSG v LYAG [2022] HKFC 114

• RV v AA [2022] HKCA 89

• Ravendark Holdings Ltd v Rotenberg & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 1661 (10 November 2021)

• LS v PS (Rev1) [2021] EWFC 108 (23 December 2021)

• Simon v Simon & Level (Joinder) (Rev1) [2022] EWFC 29 (21 March 2022)

• Simon v Simon [2022] EWFC 35 (01 April 2022)

• FRB v DCA (No. 2) [2020] EWHC 754 (No. 3) [2020] EWHC 3696 and (No. 4) [2021] EWHC 116

Industry Sector Expertise

Principal areas of practice:

High Value Relationship Generated Financial Disputes (this includes matrimonial finance disputes, cohabitation disputes, family trust and family arrangement disputes. The work extends to forum disputes, Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Drafting Ante-Nuptial Agreements. International trusts disputes. Also, Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 & Married Women’s Property Act 1882.

Richard has given expert evidence as to law; including to the jurisdictions of Australia, Belgium, the Cayman Islands, the Channel Islands, Cyprus, England & Wales, Gibraltar, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the USA.

International Practice:

Like all the most successful members of the Bar, Richard has a considerable international practice. In addition to being called to the English Bar, he is a full member of the Hong Kong bar and maintains a seat in Bernacchi Chambers, Hong Kong . He is also called ad hoc to the Bar of the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Samoa and BVI. Richard’s diary is administered centrally whilst the easy availability of flights, video conferencing, emails and so on, means that like so many other international practitioners he is easily able to maintain a highly effective practice internationally.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Richard has given expert evidence as to law; including to the jurisdictions of Australia, Belgium, the Cayman Islands, the Channel Islands, Cyprus, England & Wales, Gibraltar, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the USA.

In addition to being called to the English Bar, he is a full member of the Hong Kong bar and maintains a seat in Bernacchi Chambers, Hong Kong . He is also called ad hoc to the Bar of the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Samoa and BVI.