“Shiva is a calm, measured and very powerful advocate. Her cross-examination and submissions are targeted and effective. She can quickly draw all the issues in a case together, and her tactical ability is second to none.”
Legal 500, 2025“An excellent KC, who is very skilled and knowledgeable.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
About
Shiva Ancliffe KC is an established tenacious silk, specialising in all aspects of private law children cases and public law care cases.
She has a growing arbitration practice and her wealth of experience in private children matters, and her fair approach, make her ideally suited for children’s arbitration work.
Shiva is also a qualified mediator and children’s arbitrator.
Experience
Shiva specialises in all aspects of private law children cases including complex fact-finding hearings, parental alienation, and those with an international element.
She also has considerable experience in public law care proceedings and undertakes complex cases including non-accidental injury, serious sexual abuse, and factitious illness. Her practice also involves, forced marriage, child abduction and adoption.
Shiva has a growing arbitration practice and her wealth of experience in private children matters and fair approach make her ideally suited for children’s arbitration work.
Outside of work, Shiva is a co-opted trustee of her local Women’s Aid branch.
Practice Areas
International Family Law
Private Law Children
Public Law Children
Dispute Resolution
Local Authority
Cases
Y, V & B (Fact-Finding: Perpetrator) [2024] EWCA Civ 1034 (13 September 2024)
C (Child: Ability to Instruct Solicitor) [2023] EWCA Civ 889 (26 July 2023)
A Local Authority v The Mother & Anor [2022] EWHC 3043 (Fam)
Local Authority B v BD & Ors [2022] EWHC 2341 (Fam)
Re S (A child) [2019] EWCA Civ 1845
Y (A Child) (s.38(6) Assessment) [2018] EWCA Civ 992
London Borough of Brent v D and Ors [2017] EWHC 2452 (Fam)
LB Hounslow v M and F [2015] EWFC B214
Re H (A Child) (Analysis of Realistic Options and SGOs) [2015] EWCA Civ 406
Re B (Placement Order) [2014] EWFC B180
GO v EN & Ors [2014] EWHC 3622 (Fam)
Local Authority 1 & Others v AF (Mother) & Others [2014] EWHC 2042 (Fam)
Re: W (Minor) (Contact application:procedure)
FD 12.10.99
Re ZZ and Others [2014] EWFC 9
London Borough of Camden D (Mother) & Ors [2013] EWHC B35 (Fam)
Education and Professional Memberships
LLB (Hons) – Birmingham City University
Bar Vocational Course
CIArb Children Arbitration course
Family Law Bar Association
Lincolns Inn
Association of Lawyers for Children
Bar Council Remuneration Committee
Resolution
Languages
Farsi
Testimonials
“Shiva is a calm, measured and very powerful advocate. Her cross-examination and submissions are targeted and effective. She can quickly draw all the issues in a case together, and her tactical ability is second to none.” Legal 500, 2025 Ranked: Tier 4
“A barrister with a lot of emotional intelligence, she manages to draw out confessions and admittance of abuse in the most elegant way.” Chambers and Partners, 2025
“Clients really like her as she has an empathetic nature few others can match.” Chambers and Partners, 2025
“An excellent KC, who is very skilled and knowledgeable.” Chambers and Partners, 2025
“Shiva is authoritative, skilled with judges, and is a powerful force as a trial advocate.” Legal 500, 2024 Ranked: Tier 4
“Hard-working, earnest and driven to represent her client with the utmost skill, she is a very determined advocate.” Chambers and Partners 2023
“Shiva is a grafter who has great mastery of the detail in a case.” Chambers and Partners 2023
“Shiva is extremely intelligent and has a forensic approach to cases. Her advocacy skills are excellent, and submissions are very impressive.” Legal 500 2023
“She’s tenacious and leaves no stone unturned. Whether it’s a litany of unattractive allegations or complex medical evidence, she will quickly get the measure of them.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“An effective, hard-working cross-examiner and negotiator who always has her clients in the forefront of her mind.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“She is knowledgeable, helpful and works effectively to put forward cohesive cases.” Chambers and Partners 2022
