Hughes Fowler Carruthers retain top rankings in Chambers HNW 2025

Hughes Fowler Carruthers’ partners have once again been highly ranked for Family/Matrimonial: Ultra High Net Worth in the Chambers and Partners High Net Worth 2025 guide.

Frances Hughes and Pauline Fowler are ranked as Senior Statespeople, with Alex Carruthers, Mark Harper and Caroline Park all ranked in Band 1. Renato Labi also maintains his ranking in Band 2, and Bryan Jones has retained his ranking in Band 5.

The guide praises the firm for its collaborative approach across all aspects of family law, and for providing exemplary service across the full team. It also highlights the firm’s ability to handle complex multi-jurisdictional matters and for achieving excellent results for its clients.

The guide praises Frances Hughes for her extensive experience advising high net worth individuals in the London family law market, highlighting her status as one of the most highly regarded practitioners in the field.

Alex Carruthers is praised for his ability “to handle the most complex matters”, with one source adding that “he is a fine strategist who understands his clients’ needs and focuses on getting the best outcome.” He is further noted as “a very safe pair of hands who gets straight to the point and provides clear advice.”

“A market leader and extremely good on trust issues,” Mark Harper is considered a “fantastic lawyer.” A source praises him for being “very calm and experienced” while another states that Mark “is a really deep thinker” who “is genuinely thinking on the client’s behalf and is exceptionally bright.”

Caroline Park is highlighted for her “excellent judgement” and for being “an exemplary lawyer.” One source comments that she “strikes the balance between sympathetic and honest comments and is always focused on client outcome,” while another states that her “work ethic is staggering.” She is further praised for “knowing when to fight and when to settle” and for her ability to achieve “excellent results quietly.”

Renato Labi is described as being “very wise, very strategic and very thoughtful.” A source notes that he “is at the top of his game” and that “he has huge cases and runs them brilliantly,” while another highlights that he is very calm and reassuring” and his “clients are always well informed and feel understood. Another source comments that Renato “has sound judgement” and “has done it all and seen it all before.”

Bryan Jones is highlighted as “brilliant with clients and other advisers.” One source enthuses that “he is very reassuring and always on top of his complex and international cases” and that he is “a pleasure to work with.” He is further praised as “a powerhouse of the next generation.”

A source describes Pauline Fowler as “an extremely competent and experienced solicitor” also highlighting that she has “an extremely good manner with clients, and is particularly strong on children issues.”

Hughes Fowler Carruthers’ associates have also received strong testimonials from market commentators.

Liam Bennett and Stacey De Souza are praised as “very good,” with one source noting that they “have their own personalities, but I can tell they’ve been trained under partners like Renato and Alex, as they are coming up with the same attributes.”

Nicola Denison is recognised as “really going places.” A source adds, “Nicola works very hard and has a really good sense of what is what.”

Rica Lee is described as “frighteningly clever and completely indispensable on cases,” with the guide highlighting that “the level of support she gives to clients and other members of the team is exceptional.”

Sean O’Beirne is praised as “excellent, extremely well organised, robust, provides good advice and is a pleasure to work with.”

Cheyenne Spowart-Shaw is described as “very quick and no-nonsense in her approach.” One source calls her “a standout junior individual who is definitely one to watch,” while another adds, “she is junior, but has a promising and impressive career ahead of her. I highly recommend her.”

The firm’s full Chambers HNW 2025 profile can be found here.