Ashley Murray

Retired Barrister of Ashley Murray Chambers.

Ashley when in practice (retired March 2025) was an innovator of a more discrete service to both solicitors and clients. He was the first family law barrister on the Northern Circuit nearly three decades ago to identify the need to provide his solicitors and clients with a comprehensive complimentary written summary of the issues discussed and advice given following his conferences. He led the way on Circuit in the introduction of the now standard detailed written summaries and financial schedules in divorce money cases.

He had up to his retirement been consistently ranked as a leading practitioner in Divorce and Family Finance work by the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners Lawyers Directories over many years. He was the first practitioner on the Northern Circuit to specialise exclusively in divorce and financial remedy cases over 29 years ago. On 14th May 2014 Ashley was accredited as a Solicitor’s Regulation Authority approved external CPD provider. He was the original campaigner and instigator of the present ‘Money Judge’ system uniquely introduced outside London over a decade ago to the North West. He was authorised by the Lord Chancellor to sit as a Judge on family and criminal cases for over 27 years and was authorised by the President of the Family Division as a Recorder to preside over divorce money appeals from District Judges.

He is the co-author of ‘Cohabitation, Law Practice and Precedents’ eighth edition – March 2020 (Jordans Publishing Ltd) of this standard legal publication. He has had many articles published over the last twenty years in leading family law journals. He has also provided over many years regular Family Law Finance Flyers to his solicitors and also to the District Judge Bench. These articles and flyers are now accessible here on line. His published works have been referred to in the House of Lords (Radmacher v Granatino [2010] UKSC 42) and the Court of Appeal (Jones v Jones [2011] EWCA Civ 41).

He has over many years presented seminars to the Law Society and solicitors throughout the North West as well as to the Chester Law College concerning divorce and financial remedy law and practice. He has presented a lecture on prenuptial agreements in Perth, Australia in 2017. He received a Harmsworth Scholarship from the Middle Temple and was called to the Bar in July 1974. Thereafter he joined Oriel Chambers, Liverpool in 1974 as pupil to the late Judge John Stannard. He remained in Oriel Chambers for a few weeks short of four decades (2014) and when he left he was the longest ever serving member of those Chambers and Head of the Family Group. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1992 and a Recorder in 1998. He was appointed a Governor of the Bury Grammar Boys and Girls Schools in the 1980’s and a director of the same in 2009. He and his wife, Deborah are the parents of 4 children, Tara, Elicia, Jordan and Joshua and the grandparents of five grandchildren Adriana, Isabella, Elliot, Lawrence and Liana.

Recommendations “Ashley has now uniquely on the Northern Circuit completed over 2 decades of being consistently placed year by year in Band 1 as Matrimonial Finance Counsel by both of the National Professional Legal Directories: Chambers and Partners 2022 and Legal 500 2022.”

“Ashley Murray – Specialises in advising on divorce and related financial remedy issues. He regularly advises clients on complex prenuptial agreements and represents high-profile individuals in ancillary relief cases.

Strengths: “Ashley is an absolute pleasure to deal with: always thoroughly prepared, his bedside manner puts clients immediately at ease and his knowledge of the law is second to none.” “He has meticulous preparation and his attention to detail is phenomenal. He has such a good grasp of the law; if he says something, judges will go with it.” – 2022, Chambers and Partners

“Band 1” – >2025, Legal 500

'Ashley is the absolute best barrister in the north for dealing with high-net-worth cases. His knowledge and expertise is second-to-none, his paper work is thorough and easy to understand, and he always puts the client at ease.'

Band 1 - >2025 Chambers and Partners

“Ashley … specialises in advising on divorce and related financial remedy issues. He regularly advises clients on complex prenuptial agreements and represents high-profile individuals in ancillary relief cases.

Strengths

"He's really good and has a winning manner about him."