Indira Varma

Indira joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2024, upon the successful completion of her pupillage under Emily Beer, Lisa Peacock, Amy Stout, and Mark Jones. Indira welcomes instructions in the full scope of family and civil law.

Indira regularly represents clients in highly contested private children and family law act proceedings. She often appears in cases where there are serious allegations of domestic abuse, stalking, forced marriage, parental alienation, and intractable contact disputes. Indira is focused on supporting extremely vulnerable clients during all stages of domestic abuse proceedings and has a particular specialism in dealing with matters involving honour-based abuse as well as coercive and controlling behaviour.

In addition, Indira has extensive experience in public children law. She has represented Local Authorities as well as parents at all stages of care proceedings and is dedicated to supporting her clients navigate their way through emotional and complex hearings. Indira often appears in cases involving chronic neglect, child abuse, and children with significant additional needs. She also has appeared in DOLs proceedings.

Indira is developing her practice in financial remedy proceedings. She has represented clients at First Appointments and at FDRs. Her ability to negotiate robustly and effectively has resulted in many of her cases settling at the FDR stage in favour of her clients.

Further, Indira also has experience in civil law and has advised on TLATA and housing matters. She has successfully represented clients in property disputes as well as in bankruptcy, and insolvency proceedings.

Prior to commencing her pupillage, Indira was a paralegal at a Tier 1 specialist family law firm focused on public children’s law. During her time there, Indira built a solid background in working with Local Authorities and Children’s Guardians.

Indira was previously an advocate for the charity Karma Nirvana where she provided essential support to victims of honour-based abuse and forced marriage. She has extensive experience in supporting clients in complex and often life-threatening situations.

In addition, Indira was part of two campaigns that successfully criminalized virginity testing and child marriage. She also assisted with the campaign to raise the age of consent for marriage to eighteen.

Indira has provided pro-bono support to Dad’s House, a charity dedicated to supporting single parents through private family proceedings.

During her legal studies, Indira spent time working at the Human Rights Law Network in New Delhi where she assisted on cases concerning abortion rights, child trafficking, and religious divorce.

“Indira is an incredibly intelligent, passionate, and dedicated advocate who is committed to achieving positive, practical outcomes for clients in the least acrimonious way possible. She has a rare empathy for her clients, going above and beyond to ensure they feel listened to and very well supported. Indira’s strategic mind and shrewd professionalism makes her a powerful, impressive and unstoppable opponent in the Court room. However, her genuine care for clients and the pride she takes in her work shines through in every matter she takes on.  She seems to thrive in high pressure situations and can handle whatever curve balls are thrown at her with her trademark composure and focus. I could not recommend her more highly." - Instructing Solicitor