After Grammar School in Leeds Stuart attended Trinity Hall, Cambridge (1974 - 1977) and then the College of Law, Chester

Admitted as a Solicitor in 1980. He transferred to the Bar in March 2007

Stuart was admitted as a solicitor in 1980, transferring to the Bar in 2007.

A member of the Law Society’s specialist Children Panel since 1985, he developed a substantial practice in public law Children Act work and associated fields. For the thirteen years until 2007 Stuart was a sole practitioner doing the majority of his own advocacy at all levels.

Stuart has wide experience acting for children, parents, local authorities and other parties to public law proceedings and has also represented the full range of parties in private law Children Act cases (including children in rule 9.5 cases) and adoption.

In addition, Stuart has run training courses for social workers and other professionals focusing in particular on Court skills and from time to time on new legislation.

Stuart is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and of the FLBA.

Since joining chambers in March 2007 Stuart has appeared in care proceedings and Adoption and Children Act 2002 matters for numerous Local Authorities in London, the South East, the Home Counties and beyond. He has continued to make use of his many years’ experience of representing children (both through Children’s Guardians and also on direct instruction by competent children) and frequently acts for parents and other parties in care proceedings and related matters and has represented parties in private law proceedings and in proceedings under the Hague Convention and Brussels II (revised).

Conversational French and German

re B [2008] 2 FLR 141 (complex care proceedings in which Stuart represented the younger children at the 29 day High Court fact-finding hearing and was led by Stephen Cobb QC in the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords)

M v M (Abduction : Settlement) [2008] 2 FLR 1888 (representing a Polish father who had for the second time abducted his children to the UK; Stuart was led at the final hearing by Alison Ball QC)”

Stuart is a family man with three children, two of whom have 'flown the nest'. Apart from his family his interests include: Cricket, rugby league, music, and theatre.