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Sima Najma was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2013. Before joining the Bar, whilst studying her law degree, Sima was an Intern at the Texas After Violence Project/ Innocence Project in Texas, USA. She travelled to Houston and Austin Texas and met with Prosecuting Lawyers, Defence Counsel and Judges who ran the Innocence Project – a project that focussed exclusively on exonerating inmates through DNA testing. Sima is a specialist family law, Immigration and Human Right barrister. Her practice has rapidly grown and gone from strength to strength. Sima has been recognised for her hard work and dedication and has been nominated for serval award. She was a Finalist “Rising Star in Law” at The London Asian Business Awards 2018. She prides herself on ensuring the case is prepared to the best standard to ensure successful results. Sima is direct in her approach and likes to manage client expectations by spending valuable time with her clients studying their case together and devising a case strategy which is clear and concise. She is very experienced as an advocate and fearlessly presents her cases in Court without hesitation. Sima specialises in Family law (Child Law & Financial Remedy) and Immigration Nationality & Asylum. She is able to speak a variety of languages fluently such as Urdu and Punjabi. She is able to conduct client conferences and phone calls in these languages and regularly does so.

Family Law (divorce and financial settlement)  Sima specialises in engaging in all areas of divorce and financial remedy applications and represents both applicants and respondents in FDA (First Hearings) hearings, Financial Dispute Resolution hearings and Final Hearings. She has dealt with a range of cases including high net worth divorces. She deals frequently and confidently with financial-remedies cases involving high-value assets, complex business structures, family trusts, and assets outside of the jurisdiction and frequently deals with cases involving multiple parties and interveners and cases involving complex issues of conduct. In addition to financial remedies cases, Sima regularly undertakes cases relating to non-matrimonial finances such as TOLATA applications, cohabitation cases, civil-partnership issues, and Schedule-1 claims. She is a strong advocate and her submissions are often referred to as forceful and persuasive. She gives realistic and practical advice from the outset but it not afraid to face a challenge. She has extensive experience of proceedings at all levels up to the Court of Appeal with leading Counsel.
Family Law (children) Sima specialises in all areas of children act proceedings, divorce and financial remedy applications with particular emphasis on cases involving serious domestic violence and abuse (including allegations of sexual abuse on children, 'honour-based' violence and intimidation) and alcohol and substance abuse with significant social services involvement. She represents both applicants and respondents. Sima's private law family (children) practice involves the following areas: Child Arrangement Orders Prohibited Steps Order Specific Issue Order Enforcement Applications Local Authority involvement Allegations of domestic violence Allegations of substance abuse Allegations of child abuse/sexual abuse Parental responsibility Shared Residence Orders Breach Allegations Parental Alienation In addition to these areas, Sima is experienced when it comes to advising and representing clients in relation to injunctive proceedings such as applications for non-molestation orders and occupation orders. Sima represents both applicants and respondents throughout these proceedings from ex parte (without notice) applications to final hearing.
Immigration, Nationality & Asylum Sima has a strong specialist Immigration law practice involving asylum, immigration and nationality work ranging from first instance adjudication level. Her expertise covers both visa applications and immigration appeals involving the Points Based System applications. Her field of expertise also covers human rights, EU free movement legislation, immigration detention, deportation, illegal working and British citizenship. She has experience of judicial review work and has drafted grounds for reconsideration to the Tribunal. She also has experience of applying for emergency injunctions to duty High Court Judges over the telephone and has drafted grounds. Sima is able to speak a variety of languages fluently such as Urdu and Punjabi. She is able to conduct client conferences and phone calls in these languages and regularly does so.

Having previously worked for a leading international law firm overseas, Dirk was well placed to gain authorisation to conduct litigation when this became available to self-employed barristers in 2014. He has done so, running cases from their inception to trial, ever since, whilst continuing to undertake Direct Access work for litigants-in-person and accept instructions from solicitors in the traditional way.Dirk’s practice covers the whole range of commercial, business and property law. He also has particular experience of cross-border disputes and cases with an offshore aspect.As a trained mediation advocate, Dirk is as comfortable with alternative dispute resolution as he is fighting cases through the courts.

Reported Cases

Business and CommercialAl Nasser & Al Masri Trading Company WLL Limited Liability Company v Munir [2022] EWHC 1174 (QB) [2022] 5 WLUK 413(Civil procedure; default judgments; delay; fraud; natural justice; registration of foreign judgments; setting aside) Van Heck v Giambrone & Partners Studio Legale Associato [2022] EWHC 1098 (QB) [2022] 5 WLUK 157(Civil procedure; administration of justice; conflict of laws; foreign proceedings; parallel proceedings; pending actions; pending appeals; stay of proceedings) Vitrition UK Ltd v Caine & Ors [2022] EWHC 51 (Comm)(Civil procedure; breach of contract; breach of fiduciary duty; debarring orders; disclosure; relief from sanctions; striking out; unless orders) Triload Capital Ltd, Re [2020] EWHC 3264 (Ch); [2020] 11 WLUK 509(Civil procedure; insolvency; foreign companies; full and frank disclosure; good faith; impecuniosity; liquidation; non-compliance; security for costs) Cowley v L.W. Carlisle & Company Limited [2020] EWHC Civ 227 (CA) [2020] 2 WLUK 305 [2020] BCC 495(Civil procedure; company law; dissolved companies; jurisdiction; register of companies; restoration; service; striking out) World First (UK) Limited v Chemistree Homecare Limited [2014] EWCA 2840 (QB) 6 WLUK 878(Contracts; banking and finance; civil procedure; anticipatory breach; foreign exchange; repudiation; summary judgments; transactions) Relfo Ltd (in Liquidation) v Varsani, [2012] EWHC 2168 (Ch); WLUK 918(Restitution; insolvency; account; breach of fiduciary duty; knowing receipt; liquidators; tracing; unjust enrichment) Cukurova Finance International Limited & anr v Alfa Telecom Turkey Limited, HCVAP 2010/18 & 2010/24(Application for relief pending appeal to Privy Council: inherent jurisdiction of Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to stay execution and make declaratory orders and/or grant or continue an injunction.) Commercial Bank-Cameroun v Nixon Financial Group Limited, BVI Civil Appeal No. 5 of 2011(Application to set aside leave to serve claim out of the jurisdiction.) Tarquin Ltd v Telltop Ltd, BVIHCV No. 279 of 2009(Construction of loan facility agreement.) Pioneer Freight Futures Co Ltd v Map Marine Ltd, BVIHCV No. 308 of 2009(Effect of premature service of statutory demand vis-a-vis futures contract.) Pioneer Freight Futures Co Ltd v Worldlink Shipping, Samoa, BVIHCV Nos. 135 & 152 of 2009(Proper jurisdiction for resolution of dispute over debt.) Professional Offshore Opportunity Fund Ltd v Daiwa Securities and Banking (Europe) plc as Custodian for KBCZAF, BVIHCV No. 6 of 2009(Distressed hedge fund; whether dispute over debt substantial.) Hussain & Ors v Rahman & Ors [2024] EWHC 116 (KB)(Misuse of private information; breach of confidence; harassment; duress; social media; the proper approach to civil procedure; the proper approach to evidence) PropertyHyslop v 38/41 GHC Residents Company Limited [2018] EWHC 3893 (QB) [2018] 11 WLUK 45(Civil procedure; landlord and tenant; case management; court fees; forfeiture; parallel proceedings; relief from sanctions; service charges; stay of proceedings) Fowler v Barron [2008] EWCA Civ 377 (CA) [2008] 4 WLUK 591 [2008] 2 FCR 1 [2008] 2 FLR 831 [2008] WTLR 819 (1008-09) 11 ITELR 198 [2008] Fam Law 636 (1008) 152(17) SJLB 31 [2008] NPC 51(Real property; family law; beneficial interests; beneficial ownership; entitlement; intention; unmarried couples)

Interests

Theatre, opera, reading, writing poetry, travelling, skiing, sailing, hill walking.

Chris Jeyes is a Legal 500 “Leading Junior” barrister for 2026.

“'Christopher is always very well prepared. He is always calm and deals with any client with confidence. He is persuasive when making submissions to the court.'”
With nearly 30 years’ legal experience and a wide-ranging legal career which has included time at the traditional bar as well as in Government Legal Service, and as a partner in a large regional solicitors firm, Chris has appeared at all levels of the court and tribunal system. Chris is well-placed to advise and represent individuals and companies in the most complex of proceedings.
In the past Chris has dealt with:
Contractual and Employment disputes, both Claimant and Defendant, including wrongful and unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE, deduction from wages and other similar issues
Commercial cases including contractual disputes, breach of trust and economic torts
Chancery applications by trustee in bankruptcy (proprietary estoppel, constructive trust etc)
Inquests and coronial law (including art.2 Middleton inquests, deaths in custody, failures of social services, unlawful killing in high speed maritime accident)
Civil trials on all tracks of the court system
Criminal trials including multi-million pound international fraud allegations, and civil High Court proceedings arising from the same (as well as the whole range of serious criminal work, both prosecution and defence)
Money laundering and confiscation (regularly instructed to prosecute and defence confiscation cases, and took a leading role in the landmark case of Haden [2024] 1 WLR 4777)
Judicial review proceedings in the High Court
Appeals by Way of Case Stated to the High Court (both bringing and defending)
Appeals in the Court of Appeal, particularly in relation to complex confiscation issues and statutory interpretation
A novel human rights appeal on Guernsey law to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (the Supreme Court wearing a different hat)
Road traffic up to and including death by dangerous driving
Licensing (both for the authority and the licensee, before the Committee, in the Magistrates’ and in the Crown Court)
Local authority prosecutions and other work (trading standards, planning, environmental, injunctive)
Personal injury including occupier liability, highways, employer liability, road traffic (including fraud).
Chris is a door tenant at Quartz Chambers, Nottingham, and  a tenant at Drystone Chambers, a specialist London criminal set. Chris is based in the East Midlands but travels nationwide (and beyond).
Aside from practice at the Bar, Chris is an expert in AI and its application to professional work. Through a separate consultancy he advises on AI governance and strategy, and trains lawyers and others on the proper and effective use of artificial intelligence. Education:
Brunel University – First Class HonoursNottingham Trent University – Diploma in Law with DistinctionBPP Law School – Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent with Outstanding Aspects)Grays Inn – Call 2005, Holker Scholar & Mould Scholar (one of the 4 senior awards), winner of the inaugural Gray’s Inn Mooting CompetitionRed Bag 2012 (an award from a silk to a junior for exceptional work)