Mark practises exclusively in family law and specialises in matters relating to children. He has a busy practice and a reputation for providing excellent client care and being thoroughly prepared. Mark aims to provide realistic and pragmatic advice whilst always being prepared to fight his client’s case.
Children: Public Law
Mark is a public law specialist and is regularly instructed to represent parents, children, local authorities and interveners in care proceedings. He is also experienced in representing vulnerable adults and older children who are competent to provide their own instructions. Mark has experience of cases involving:
· death of a child;
· serious head injuries, resulting from skull fractures and shaking;
· fabricated or induced illness (FII) and perplexing presentations;
· multiple inflicted injuries;
· poisoning;
· sexual abuse;
· female genital mutilation (FGM);
· forced marriage;
· inter-sibling sexual activity;
· torture;
· trafficking; and
· other forms of significant harm to children.
Mark is regularly led by Kings Counsel also undertakes such cases as a sole junior.
Reported cases:
Re X and Y (Revocation of Adoption Orders) [2024] EWHC 1059 (Fam)
A Local Authority v F & Ors [2022] EWFC 127
Re YY (Conduct of the Local Authority) [2021] EWHC 749 (Fam)
EF, GH, IJ (care proceedings) [2019] EWFC 75
Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27 (01 May 2019)
MA (Oxon)
Graduate Diploma in Law, Manchester Law School
Bar Vocational Course, Manchester Law School
Midland Circuit
Family Law Bar Association
West Midlands Family Law Bar Association
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
FreeBar
Chambers and Partners 2024: Band 1:”Mark is an exceptional barrister. His legal knowledge is vast and his advocacy skills are impressive. He will thoroughly prepare cases and represent the client to the highest standard.” “Mark is a master technician. He is superb at disseminating vast quantities of medical evidence. His cross-examination is focused and he gives bespoke advice.” “Mark is an exceptional junior of the highest calibre; he is something to behold.”
Legal 500 2024: Leading Junior: “Mark has exceptional attention to detail and drafting skills unrivalled in the Midlands. He is meticulous in court preparation. He is a solid, persuasive and convincing advocate.”
Ranked: Tier 3
Chambers and Partners 2023: “Mark quickly grasps both the minute detail and the whole picture in cases. He is extremely organised, well-mannered and a pleasure to work with.” “Mark has the ability to come to terms with a case very quickly and his written work is always succinct and very persuasive.” “He is a very good tactician in complex matters and has good client care skills too.”
Legal 500 2023: “Mark is extremely thorough, with an exceptional eye for detail. He is passionate about ensuring the very best outcome for every one of his clients. His client care skills are remarkable, always making sure that the client is at ease. He always remains calm and collected, yet his advocacy is powerful and effective. He is extremely methodical and organised.”
Chambers & Partners 2022: “Mark goes the extra mile with his client care and has sound legal knowledge. He is passionate about those he represents and is eloquent in his oral presentation and drafting.” “Mark brings to his advocacy brilliant writing skills and sensible, clear advice.”
Legal 500 2022: “Mark is adept at grasping big cases quickly. His ability to distil a complex case is impressive and indicative of his intellect.”
Chambers and Partners 2021: “He prepares extraordinarily well and has a wonderful client manner. It does not matter whether it is the most sophisticated person or the most vulnerable person that he is representing, he has the ability to talk to them in a language that they understand.” “He is graceful and calm on the surface but you know that he has put the work in to get to that point. I am always impressed with the speed of his work and the quality of his position statements.”
Legal 500 2021: “A well-rounded barrister who goes above and beyond for his clients.”
Chambers and Partners 2020: “He is personable, extremely well prepared and very focused on the right outcome.”
Legal 500 2020: “He provides first-class client care.”
Chambers and Partners 2019: “Calm and compelling, he grasps the issues in a case and wins the confidence of judges.” “His cross-examination has a pinpoint accuracy which leaves the court in no doubt as to who is in control of the case.”
‘How many thousand pages?!’ Digital device analysis and public interest immunity in family proceedings [2023] Fam Law 444
Click here to view the Privacy Notice for Mark Cooper.
St Ives Chambers is particularly well known for its family law expertise, which spans family finance, children and care matters………. Other key areas include crime and regulatory, commercial, Chancery and banking matters……Legal 500
