Samantha Ridley

Samantha is a specialist family mediator, registered with the Family Mediation Council. She is currently also undertaking specialist training in family psychotherapy at the world-renowned institution Tavistock Relationships. That background, together with her many years of experience as a family barrister and a noted ability to handle complex family issues sensitively but directly, means that Samantha is an excellent choice to offer an alternative or parallel solution to court proceedings, giving separating couples the opportunity to hold privileged negotiations and seek to reach agreement out of court, both in relation to their children and financial disputes (Samantha also specialised in financial remedy proceedings for c.13 years).

Samantha is available to offer early neutral evaluations.

Samantha has been ranked in Chambers & Partners’ Bar Guide and in the Legal 500 for many years as a leading family barrister.

Samantha has extensive experience of acting in disputes concerning complex child arrangements, including relocation, domestic abuse allegations, sexual abuse allegations, alienation and mental health complexities. She has acted for a number of notable individuals and is recognised for her client-friendly but tenacious approach (Legal 500). She is an excellent choice for the Early Neutral Evaluation of cases.

Samantha is a recognised specialist in children cases involving issues of international complexity, whether it be cases involving the international abduction of a child, relocation of a child or cases where the parties enjoy an international lifestyle. She has co-authored the main textbook in international child abduction and regularly gives lectures on topics involving the law and practice relating to children.

Samantha appears in the High Court on a regular basis and has represented clients in the UK Supreme Court.

Cases of interest

• Re G (Inherent Jurisdiction Return: Allegations of Domestic Abuse: Fact Finding) [2022] EWHC 450
• Re G (Disclosure of Fact Finding Judgment to Secretary of State for the Home Department) [2023] EWHC 450 (Fam).
• Re G (Inherent Jurisdiction Return: Disclosure of Asylum Documents) [2022] EWHC 2134 (Fam))
• DL v EL (Hague Abduction Convention – Effect of Reversal of Return Order on Appeal) [2013] EWHC 49 (Fam)
• Re D (A Child) (Supreme Court: Jurisdiction) [2016] 2 FLR 379 (Leading Supreme Court authority on appellate jurisdiction in Brussels IIR recognition cases)
• Re L (A Child) [2014] 1 FLR 772 (Leading Supreme Court authority about habitual residence and the inherent jurisdiction)
• SC v BH [2014] EWHC 1584 (Fam);
• K v A
• Lachaux v Lachaux
• AB v CD and G [2022] EWHC 2134 (Fam) (Disclosure of asylum file in international abduction proceedings)