Andrew Shaw is a skilled and experienced advocate, who practices in a wide area of family law cases.
Clients benefit from his straightforward manner and his frank, detailed advice, which is tailored to the individual’s needs. He has experience in conducting lengthy, serious and complex fact-finding hearings, final hearings and appeals. Andrew has ‘gravitas in the court room’, is very experienced in handling cases involving allegations of serious injuries and abuse.
Andrew specialises in the law relating to children and vulnerable adults. He is a skilled practitioner in all aspects of family law including the Court of Protection. Andrew represents a breadth of parties within public and private law proceedings including parents, Local Authorities and Children’s Guardians/OS. Andrew’s practice includes complex and serious abuse cases such as NAI, sexual abuse and forced marriage, child abduction, and child trafficking.
In private law, these include intractable contact disputes, separately represented child(ren), parental alienation and cases involving serious domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Andrew’s is skilled in computers and technology, being chambers’ resident IT expert, and applies these skills within complex forensic cases. During his degree, Andrew separately studied modules in computer science and, as one of his electives, he specialised in forensic science (which included biology, pharmacology and pathology).
Andrew undertook his pupillage and first year of tenancy in a common law, mixed practice, consisting of civil (clinical and professional negligence), criminal (crown court trials) and family law. His mixed practice continued until 2005, when it narrowed to a focused specialisation in family law. Andrew’s experience in the civil and criminal arenas is of benefit to clients when such issues overlap with family law applications.
Andrew’s broad experience makes him a formidable advocate who is popular with solicitors and clients in difficult cases.
Andrew is qualified to accept instructions under the Direct Access Scheme, and regularly undertakes this work.
Re R (Children: Control of Court Documents) [2021] EWCA Civ 162
The appeal from a decision preventing the perpetrator of sexual abuse from receiving court documents was dismissed. The appeal concerned the power of the court in family proceedings to control the distribution of its judgments and of other documents filed for the purpose of the proceedings.
X and Y and Another [2020] EWFC B66 (17 June 2020)
Fact-finding on a sexual abuse case.
Re N (A Child) [2019] EWCA Civ 1997
The Court of Appeal was concerned with the findings of fact of the family court in relation to non-accidental injuries suffered by a two-year old girl. The judge concluded that either the mother or her partner had caused the injuries and the non-perpetrating party had been aware of the other’s culpability. Following the fact finding hearing, it was confirmed during the assessment process that the mother had difficulty in terms of her ability to understand and express herself verbally and required an intermediary. The judge refused the mother’s application for a rehearing and the mother successfully appealed and the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial.
Buckinghamshire County Council v RT (by his guardian KT) [2018] EWCOP 12
Andrew appeared in parallel proceedings in the Court of Protection and the Family Division of the High Court on behalf of the applicant local authority. The Court was concerned with a 17 year old whose behaviour presented significant challenges to the social work team and health organisations providing his full-time care. His care required his constant supervision and occasional restraint (supervision and restraint that amounted to a deprivation of his liberty). At the conclusion of proceedings the local authority successfully presented a long-term therapeutic care plan and deprivation of liberty safeguards which the Court approved. The case is a good example of the Courts’ approach (both legally and practically) in cases which involve older teenagers and the overlap between the Court of Protection and the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court. The Court was assisted in this case by the appointment of a children’s guardian which is a more unusual aspect of parallel proceedings.
B (A Local Authority) v AM [2010] EWHC B31 (Fam)
The Court considered the issue as to whether the court on an application for a care order in respect of a young person aged 17 with lifelong disabilities should transfer the case to the Court of Protection to be dealt with under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 rather than the Children Act 1989.
Bedfordshire Police Constabulary v RU & Anor [2013] EWHC 2350 (Fam), [2013] WLR (D) 319
Case concerning Forced Marriage Protection and Enforcement. The Bedfordshire Police sought to commit the Mother and Paternal Aunt to prison for the alleged breach of the FMPO. The Judge could not add in the police as a category of applicants in this situation because it would involve the police becoming “prosecutor” in all but name in civil proceedings The facts and circumstances of this case reveal / illustrate a grave weakness in the existing forced marriage protection order machinery as enacted in Part 4A of the Family Law Act 1996. Mr Justice Holman wanted to encourage the relevant Departments of State to give urgent consideration to improving the effectiveness of forced marriage protection orders and the means of enforcement.
Andrew accepts instructions via Direct / Public Access and is willing to act for clients both at hearings and on an advice only basis.
For further details please contact the clerks.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a Data Controller for the personal data that I hold and process as a barrister. My registered address is New Court Chambers, Temple, London EC4Y 9BE and my registration number is Z9783948.
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Client data
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In addition to the Privacy Shield, Microsoft Onedrive also provides strong contractual guarantees around the privacy of its services and relies on the EU Model Contract Clauses to cover its international transfers of data.
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I retain your personal data while you remain a client unless you ask me to delete it.
My Retention and Disposal Policy (copy available on request) details how long I hold data for and how I dispose of it when it no longer needs to be held. I will delete or anonymise your information at your request unless:
The General Data Protection Regulation gives you specific rights around your personal data. For example, you have to be informed about the information I hold and what I use it for, you can ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you (however, I do not have to grant subject access in respect of personal data if a regulatory exemption applies), you can ask me to correct any inaccuracies with the personal data I hold, you can ask me to stop sending you direct mail, or emails, or in some circumstances ask me to stop processing your details. Finally, if I do something irregular or improper with your personal data you can seek compensation for any distress you are caused or loss you have incurred. You can find out more information from the ICO’s website https://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/personal_information and this is the organisation that you can complain to if you are unhappy with how I dealt with you.
You may request access to, correction of, or a copy of your information by contacting me at ashaw@newcourtchambers.com.
I will occasionally update my Privacy Notice. When I make significant changes, I will notify you of these by email. I will also publish the updated Notice on my website profile.
“Andrew is a very strategic barrister, whose preparation is first class and whose cross-examination is fantastic. He is a brilliant barrister to have in your corner.”
Chambers & Partners 2026
“Andrew Shaw is a phenomenal barrister. He rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck into the most challenging and complex of cases.”
Chambers & Partners 2026
“Andrew is a tenacious barrister who adopts innovative approaches to problem-solving within care proceedings. He adds value to any proceedings that he is involved with.”
Chambers & Partners 2026
“Andrew is a steady pair of hands. It is very easy to work alongside him.”
Chambers & Partners 2026
“Andrew is an outstanding barrister. He is exceptionally bright and capable and skilfully handles the toughest and most complex of cases.”
Legal 500 2026
“He provides a great level of service.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“Andrew is a formidable advocate, who has excellent legal knowledge.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“Andrew is very thorough, he knows his stuff and he is brilliant with the clients. He writes very detailed position statements and is always well prepared.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
“A very experienced advocate, who has a very measured style and takes an analytical, pragmatic approach to his cases.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
“Andrew is always focused and detailed in his advice.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
New Court Chambers has forged its reputation on a commitment to provide consistently high standards of advice, representation and clerking services.
An excellent set with talented practitioners.
A set with substantial strength in public and private children law matters, and the further capability to handle financial proceedings.
Well versed in highly sensitive matters involving non-accidental injury, child death, sexual abuse, FGM, fictitious illness and child trafficking.
The barristers at New Court Chambers distinguish themselves from others due to their hands-on handling of cases.
Accreditations
