John Brooke-Smith

John Brooke-Smith specialises in Financial Remedies, private Children Act work and personal injury.

John was called to the Bar in 1981. He practised in London before moving to East Anglia in 1988, where he has established his practice working for solicitors and direct access clients throughout the region and beyond. John was appointed a Recorder (part-time Judge) in 1999 and sits in the County and Crown Courts, hearing family, civil and criminal cases.

John is a strong advocate with excellent technical knowledge who easily gains clients’ trust.  He is highly experienced and approachable and has been recommended in the Legal 500 in it’s 2021 edition: ‘He provides sensible, realistic and pragmatic advice, with compassion for the client’s situation.’  The Legal 500 puts him in Tier 2 of its rankings of leading juniors.

John’s previous entries in the Legal 500 said: “He has the gravitas that you want. When you instruct him it’s like having the wind at your back. He has a good grasp of the issues and is an excellent advocate.” and “He is a charismatic practitioner and is great at explaining matters to clients in simple language.”

Legal 500 2023

‘John is well-known and very much-liked for his client-facing approach. He has a broad knowledge in and out of the courtroom of matrimonial and cohabitation law, he is a local go-to.’

John Brooke-Smith is known to be ‘well prepared and amiable and be empathetic with individual circumstances’.