Frazer McDermott
Frazer joined the Bar in 2004 having spent 16 successful years as a solicitor, advocate and family mediator practising both in the south of England and the north east.
His practice was predominantly family work and he came to the Bar with specialisms in child care, high value ancillary relief work and international child abduction. He was for a number of years a member of the Law Society Children Panel and whilst a solicitor set up a local family mediation service.
Frazer accepts instructions in all aspects of family work from across the north of England.
Public Law
Since joining Chambers he has built up a busy practice of care work and is regularly instructed by a large number of local authorities, as well as behalf of parents, children’s guardians and the Official Solicitor. He is generally regarded as a safe pair of hands and as someone with a high level of client care and empathy. He appears frequently in the Family Court (at both High Court and County Court level) dealing with care and adoption work. He has often appeared in the Court of Appeal. He was described by Munby J in a multi handed care case of significant complexity as ‘one of a team of highly dedicated professionals’ and as ‘skilled, dedicated and caring’.
He deals with cases involving complex medical issues, FII, infants with multiple injuries as well as death, and regularly represents parents with mental health problems.
Family Finance
Frazer deals with all areas of matrimonial finance cases. In recent years he has dealt extensively with high value ancillary relief work on behalf of high net worth individuals in cases involving businesses, partnerships, significant assets, complex inheritance issues, pensions, dissipation of assets and jurisdiction.
Arbitration
Frazer is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and of the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and a member of the Dere Street ADR team for family finance matters.
With nearly 30 years’ experience in family finance work, both as Barrister and Solicitor, Frazer is ideally placed to offer the knowledge, understanding and gravitas essential in an arbitrator. His experience in acting for high net worth clients also means he is acutely aware of the requirements and needs of parties who choose for personal and business reasons to resolve their disputes is a private, discrete and confidential manner.
Frazer is available to conduct arbitrations throughout the north of England.
Notable Cases
Re M -W (a child) : (care order) 2010 EWCA Civ 12 (Court of Appeal)
Re D (children) 2008 : EWHC 1306 Fam
Council of the Borough of North Tyneside v S & others 2007 : EWHC 393 CA (Court of Appeal)
Qualifications
LLB (Hons) Northumbria University 1982 – 1986
Solicitor of Supreme Court England and Wales
Qualified family mediator and member of UK College of Family Mediators
Memberships
Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Institute of Family Law Arbitrators
NE Circuit member
Family Law Bar Association