Spear’s Awards finalist Ben Parry-Smith of Payne Hicks Beach on what makes a good family lawyer tick

Ben Parry-Smith of Payne Hicks Beach, nominated for the Lawyer of the Year – Family award at the Spear’s Awards 2025, tells us about the challenges that keep him at the top of his game – and the rewards that come with them

By Spear's Partners

Ben Parry-Smith, partner, at Payne Hicks Beach // Payne Hicks Beach

Congratulations on your nomination for the Spear’s 2025 Awards. What does it mean to have been nominated?

It’s reassuring on those (thankfully rare) days when not everything has gone to plan to have a bit of external validation!

What do you think distinguishes the approach you/your firm take to your work

I think we have an old fashioned and ethical approach: we care about our costs being proportionate to the assets. We particularly enjoy standing up to bullies and fighting for the weaker party (though it’s far more relaxing acting for the richer/powerful person).

What makes you most proud of your career?

Seeing all those around me progress in their careers, win their own work and build their own practices.

What forces and trends do you think are shaping your industry right now, and how do you think things will change in the future?

I would bring back Calderbank offers so people actually give advice early and make sensible offers. Plus, where there aren’t welfare issues, I would permit without prejudice correspondence in children cases.

What do you think draws HNW clients to your firm?

Dull, but having the ability to field a great team and get advice from colleagues across the private client sphere.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

Surprising advice from a serious silk, now Court of Appeal Judge: don’t stop bouncing into grand rooms being irreverent, being fun and being you. I remember being astonished that this titan of family law would take the time before he went up to the bench to tell me to continue to puncture pomposity, to carry on being a little mischievous…

What would you personally hope to achieve in the future – for yourself or your firm?

To carry on cheerfully helping people in difficulty and being appreciated for it. And I would like to get to support my wife’s brilliant medical career more.