Max Montgomery

Family Law

Max has experience across the full spectrum of family law, with a particular focus on private children law and financial remedies. He also appears in applications for protective orders under the Family Law Act. Max is regularly instructed in contested interim and final hearings and is particularly experienced in cases involving serious allegations of domestic abuse and cross-jurisdictional issues. Recent matters include:

Private Children Law

Re L [2026] – successfully represented the applicant mother in an urgent directions hearing to obtain a Specific Issue Order and Prohibited Steps Order for the return of a child after the father had removed them from the mother’s care and withheld contact for over a month.
Re P [2025] – represented the respondent mother at a 3 day Final Hearing. Successfully defended the client against allegations of alienation and secured a Lives With Order in her favour.
Re S [2024] – represented the applicant mother at a four day Fact Finding Hearing; successfully obtained all findings sought of serious domestic abuse.

Child Abduction

Max has a developing practice in child abduction proceedings under the Hague Convention and the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court. He has appeared in the High Court in urgent proceedings concerning the return of children to England under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction. He has experience advising on jurisdictional issues and protective measures in cross-border disputes and is keen to develop his practice further in this area.

Financial Remedies

A v Z [2026] – represented the applicant wife at an FDR; achieved a favourable settlement involving a significant lump sum paid in the applicant’s favour.
IA v I [2025] – represented the 1st applicant in a complex financial remedies Final Hearing involving two applicants; obtained a favourable outcome in line with the 1st applicant’s open offer.
A v K [2024] – represented the applicant in an application to set aside a consent order made under duress in financial remedy proceedings; successfully set aside the consent order and obtained a costs order in the applicant’s favour.

Family Law Act

F v F [2026] – represented the respondent in a Return Hearing for an application for a non molestation order and occupation order on short notice, and secured a favourable settlement in the client’s favour.
C v C [2024] – represented the respondent in a Final Hearing concerning an application for a non-molestation order. Successfully defended serious allegations of domestic abuse and obtained a costs order in the respondent’s favour.

Public Children Law

Re M [2024] – represented the child’s guardian, led by Amanda Jepson, in a 10 day fact finding hearing in the High Court.
Re A [2024] – acted for a Local Authority in the High Court and successfully obtained an order to exercise parental responsibility under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction.

Webinars

Employment Law

Max acts for both claimants and respondents in complex Employment Tribunal litigation, with particular expertise in claims under the Equality Act. Max regularly advises on each step of the litigation, including the merits of settlement. He also has experience drafting pleadings and case management documents in preparation for hearings.

Recent matters include:

Successfully defending a sex discrimination claim at a 9 day Final Hearing (2026)
Representing the respondent at a preliminary hearing concerning time limits and successfully striking out all claims (2025)
Representing the respondent, a national supermarket, in a 4 day Final Hearing and successfully defending claims for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.
Successfully resisting an application for reconsideration on behalf of the Respondent following strike out of a claim for discrimination.

Inquests

Max has a developing practice in Inquests. In November 2023, Max was led by Richard Furniss as junior counsel to the Inquest for Senior Coroner, Sarah Ormond-Walshe, in the 11 day Inquest into the death of Sergeant Matt Ratana. The Inquest was widely report in the media.Max has also appeared as sole counsel in an inquest, including representing a bereaved family in 2026.