Bella Tait
Consultant Barrister
Year of Call: 2021
“We have instructed Bella on numerous occasions for a wide range of cases. Bella is personable yet professional, she provides the most vulnerable client with robust advice in a sensitive manner. She is a formidable advocate and there is a strong sense of her fighting for the client. Bella also turns her hand to finances, she is thorough and sensible. Whether it be public, private or finance proceedings Bella is reliable and goes above and beyond on every case. She is a pleasure to work alongside.”
“From the first time that we met, Bella put us all at ease and ensured our wellbeing as a priority. She is so knowledgeable and professional yet relatable too. She made you feel comfortable and no question was too small. We got through the case because we had Bella in our corner, it felt like she was fighting a case for her own family. An excellent barrister who is brilliant at her job but does it with kindness and compassion. Thanks for all your support and getting us a good outcome.”
“Bella Tait was extremely professional, friendly and supportive. She was stern and able to deal with a very difficult Final Hearing and was successful in achieving a final order with terms I feared were impossible at that stage. She was calm and guided me in a very traumatic and scary experience and achieved an outcome I was worried would not be possible for me and my son.”
-
Bella is a family law barrister with a busy and balanced practice across public and private children law and financial remedies. Called in 2021, she has developed a reputation for clear, confident, and relatable advocacy; a barrister who combines empathy with sharp analysis, and who makes complex proceedings feel manageable for both clients and solicitors.
Her approach is both dynamic and grounded. Bella brings structured, persuasive advocacy to court, while maintaining an approachable, human style that quickly builds trust. She is particularly strong with vulnerable clients, bringing emotional intelligence, clarity and calm to highly sensitive disputes. Solicitors value her reliability, thorough preparation, and her ability to deliver both legal rigour and plain-spoken explanations.
Bella is already recognised for handling demanding public and private children law disputes, difficult fact-finding hearings, complex allegations and relocation matters. Alongside her children law practice, she is increasingly instructed in financial remedy work and is steadily building a specialism in Court of Protection/DoLS matters.
-
Public Law/Care Proceedings
Bella has experience acting for parents, children, local authorities and intervenors. She has a particular interest in cases involving:
Neglect and emotional harm
Expert involvement
Complex family dynamics
Private Law Children
A significant part of Bella’s workload includes:
Fact-finding hearings
Domestic abuse allegations
Parental alienation and high-conflict cases
Relocation applications
Expert evidence and complex dynamics
Clients describe feeling heard, understood, and guided through the process with clarity and compassion.
Financial Remedies
Bella has a growing private-paying finance practice, enjoying the strategic, problem-solving element of it and is regularly instructed in:
FDRs
FDAs
First appointments and directions
Needs and fairness-based disputes
Negotiation-led settlements
Court of Protection/DoLS
Particular interest in:
Capacity disputes
Best interests decisions
Welfare and residence issues
-
Advocacy and professional style
Bella’s advocacy is distinctive:
Engaging and conversational, yet firm, focused and authoritative.
Narrative-driven courtroom style, giving coherence to complex factual backgrounds.
Adaptable to judges and clients, balancing technical precision with plain English explanation.
Emotionally intelligent, reading the dynamics of the courtroom and responding strategically.
Fearless when required, while retaining civility and professionalism.
Professional ethos and values
Client-centred, always: Bella cares deeply about ensuring clients understand the process and feel supported.
Honest and collaborative: Works openly with solicitors, keeping communication clear, timely and constructive.
Prepared and rigorous: Known for being on top of the detail, responsive and well-organised.
Human and down-to-earth: Maintains warmth and empathy while managing cases with seriousness and skill.
Values wellbeing and professionalism: Ensures clients feel emotionally safe and legally protected.
-
Prior to pupillage, Bella worked as a family law paralegal in the NYAS legal team and as an advocate for children in care, gaining valuable insight into 16.4 guardian work and social services. Bella worked in the most complex private law cases including dealing with allegations of domestic abuse, parental alienation, instructing experts, inherent jurisdiction, wardship and international abduction.
Outside of law, Bella's background includes teaching English and counselling, skills that enable her to build rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, Bella is proficient in Italian up to a business level.
-
-
Through the Direct Access Scheme, barristers provide tailored expertise at a lower cost due to their self-employed status. Fixed fees are agreed upfront, ensuring budget control.
Barristers’ roles mirror those under solicitor instruction – offering advice, representation and document drafting. Most cases can be managed under this scheme, though some may require solicitor involvement.
Unit Chambers eases the challenges of cases involving children, prioritising clear communication and understanding. While we don’t handle administrative aspects like court document delivery, we guide and support clients. Our fee structure is transparent with upfront agreements.
Get started with a free online consultation to assess direct instruction suitability.
-
MA Italian and Politics [2:1], University of Edinburgh
MSc Childhood Studies (specialism in children’s rights) [Merit], University of Edinburgh GDL [Distinction], Manchester Metropolitan University
BPTC [Very Competent], Manchester Metropolitan University
-
Rising Star Award, Liverpool Law Society's Annual Dinner and Legal Awards
Pro Bono Champion, Unit Chambers
BPTC Exhibition Scholarship, Inner Temple
BPTC Top Student Scholar, MMU
Sports Scholar, MMU and Blues Award, Edinburgh
-
Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
FLBA
Manchester Law Society Liverpool Law Society
Northern Circuit
Contact us about instructing Bella
If you’d like to work with Bella or any of our other barristers, send us your details and we’ll get back to you.
engage@unit.law
03330154121
