MembersFrances Irving

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Frances Irving

M. A. (The University of Edinburgh)
Frances Irving

Profile

Profile

Frances was brought up and educated in Scotland, and trained as a social worker at Edinburgh University. She worked in this field for many years, in matters relating to children’s welfare, both in Scotland and then Hong Kong, before taking up practice at the Bar. She was called to the Bar in 1996 in London and 1997 in Hong Kong.

She joined Des Voeux Chambers in 1999 having served part of her pupillage there.

Frances has developed a busy practice exclusively in the family jurisdiction and with all aspects of matrimonial law.

She has experience in many ancillary relief cases involving;

  •  Nuptial settlements
  •  Trust and companies
  •  Third party interests
  •  Jurisdiction and forum disputes

She was one of the team of counsel who acted in the Court of Final Appeal case of LKW v. DD.

A great deal of Frances’ work concerns children’s issues, being:

  •  Custody, Care and Control
  •  Relocation applications
  •  Applications under the Guardianship of Minors Ordinance
  •  Wardship
  •  Hague Convention cases

Publications / Lecture / Talks

Frances has given frequent talks and workshops to practitioners on family law and practice and has taught Family Law and Matrimonial Practice at Hong Kong University SPACE. She was a contributing editor to Family Law and Practice in Hong Kong.

Frances is a member of the Working Group on Children in Family Proceedings chaired by The Hon. Mr Justice Hartmann JA. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Association.

Accolades

Frances Irving has been recognised as a Tier 1 Leading Junior for Family and private client by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025 – Hong Kong Bar.

- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Hong Kong Bar (2025)

Frances Irving was ranked by Chambers and Partners Greater China Region 2024 as Spotlight in the field of Family/Matrimonial.

Chambers Review shared that “Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers focuses her practice exclusively on the family law sphere and draws regular praise for her assured handling of both matrimonial and child-related cases. Her significant expertise in complex matrimonial and financial cases involving settlements, third-party interests and family trusts sits alongside her extensive child-related experience advising on custody, care and control, wardship and Hague Convention cases.

Clients commented that “Frances is better known for children cases.

- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2024)

Frances Irving has been ranked as Leading Junior Counsel under the category of Leading Family & Divorce Law Barristers – Hong Kong.

- Doyle's Guide (2024)

Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers focuses her practice exclusively on the family law sphere and draws regular praise for her assured handling of both matrimonial and child-related cases. She is accredited as Spotlight Table for Family/Matrimonial: The Bar:

Her significant expertise in complex matrimonial and financial cases involving settlements, third-party interests and family trusts sits alongside her extensive child-related experience advising on custody, care and control, wardship and Hague Convention cases.

Frances is praised as “she is wonderful for cases involving child custody matters. She really cares about her clients and goes over and beyond her role as a barrister to help with a case.

She is emotionally dedicated and feels for her clients; she is very client-centric.

Frances Irving is someone I would recommend for custody matters in matrimonial cases.

- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2023)

Frances is praised for being “absolutely excellent” and a specialist in child custody matters. “If you want someone to really fight, she’s the one; you don’t want her on the other side.” She focuses her practice exclusively on the family law sphere and draws regular praise for her assured handling of both matrimonial and child-related cases. Her significant expertise in complex matrimonial and financial cases involving settlements, third-party interests and family trusts sits alongside her extensive child-related experience advising on custody, care and control, wardship and Hague Convention cases.

- Chambers & Partners Greater China Region (2022)

Frances Irving is a key name in the set for child law cases. ‘She is excellent on children law matters.’ She is recognised as a Leading Junior for Family & Private Client Law.

- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Hong Kong Bar (2022)

Frances Irving has been ranked as Leading Junior Counsel for Hong Kong Family & Divorce Law by the Doyles Guide 2022.

- Doyles Guide (2022)

Frances Irving focuses her practice exclusively in the family law sphere and is widely endorsed for her capable handling of matrimonial and child-related cases. She is “excellent on children matters” and “a strong matrimonial barrister, too.” Her significant expertise in complex matrimonial and financial cases involving settlements, third-party interests and family trusts sits alongside her extensive child-related experience advising on custody, care and control, wardship and Hague Convention cases.

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2021)

“Excellent in children matters. Frances is one of two juniors at Des Voeux Chambers who is held in high regard by peers and solicitors, particularly for her child law work.” Frances Irving is singled out as a Leading Junior for Family & Private Client Law.

- Legal 500 Asia Pacific: Hong Kong Bar (2021)

Frances Irving has similarly been recognised by Doyles Guide, Hong Kong 2021 as a Leading Junior Counsel in the Family, Divorce and Matrimonial arena.

- Doyles Guide (2021)

Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers acts exclusively in the family law space, operating across the full spectrum of practice area disciplines, but being particularly well known for her handling of matters affecting children, including custody, care and control, removal application and wardship issues. Sources characterise her as “very highly regarded, very detail-focused and very, very well prepared” and as a “tough and well-respected advocate who is not afraid of a scrap” when the occasion demands it.

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2020)

Frances Irving received acclaim as a Leading Junior Counsel category by the Doyles Guide for Leading Family & Divorce Law Barristers – Hong Kong, 2020

- Doyles Guide (2020)

Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers concentrates wholly on family matters, operating in both the financial and custody spaces, her expertise covering such areas as nuptial settlements, ancillary relief and third party interests. She is best known for her work where the interests of children are concerned – and where she has valuable prior experience as a social worker – one source calling her “very experienced” in this area and pointing out that she “fights her corner” here particularly tenaciously.

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2019)

Frances Irving has been recognised by Doyles as a Leading Junior Counsel in the Family, Divorce and Matrimonial arena from 2016 – 2018 inclusive.

- Doyles Guide (2016 - 2018)

Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers devotes her entire practice to family law matters, covering all branches of the discipline, but focusing most closely on child and welfare issues, one interviewee describing her as “one of the most experienced handlers of children’s matters” and adding: “She’s great on that.” She acted for the respondent father in JDYS v EYCK, a shared care dispute in which her client sought to have the case referred to the Court of Appeal.

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2018)

“Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers practises exclusively in the family sphere, covering the full range of matrimonial concerns, and is recognised by sources as “very experienced with children’s matters” in particular, having begun her career as a social worker handling child welfare issues in the UK. She is further characterised as a “tough advocate who’s always committed.” She recently acted for the successful party in a long-running custodial case made complex by the fact that the parents were unmarried.”

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2017)

“Frances Irving of Des Voeux Chambers has a broad family practice that spans a variety of financial, matrimonial and child disputes. Areas of specialism include ancillary relief matters involving such issues as prenuptial and postnuptial settlements and trusts. Irving is also adept at handling child-related work, particularly custody applications and Hague Convention cases.”

- Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2016)