Fiona Griffin > Chambers of George Coates > Guildford, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of George Coates
Guildford Chambers
STOKE HOUSE, LEAPALE LANE
GUILDFORD
GU1 4LY
England

Work Department

Family.

Position

  • Fiona has considerable experience representing parents, grandparents, guardians and local authorities in care and adoption proceedings within the Family Proceedings Court and the County Court.
  • She frequently conducts complex finding of fact hearings including cases where allegations of sexual abuse, physical abuse and the administration of drugs to a child have been sought. She has particular expertise in analysing complex expert reports and dealing with parents with learning disabilities.
  • Fiona is instructed extensively on private law Children Act cases often involving intractable contact disputes, domestic violence intervention, psychological and psychiatric reports and more recently the enforcement of contact orders. She is experienced in conducting leave to remove applications.
  • Her practice also includes advising and advocacy in all areas of matrimonial finance including advising and acting in Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 cases. To reflect the economic climate she has experience in cases involving bankruptcy, interveners and the dissipation of assets.
  • Fiona undertakes the full range of family law injunctions both in relation to Non Molestation and Occupation Orders.

Career

Called 2003; Gray’s Inn.

Memberships

Family Law Bar Association; Lawyers Christian Fellowship; treasurer of the Guildford and Surrey FLBA Region.

Education

Keele University (LLM Child Law); Cardiff University (Bar Vocational Course); University of Wales, Aberystwyth (LLB Law (Hons)).

Lawyer Rankings

Regional Bar > South Eastern Circuit > Family: children and domestic abuse

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2

Fiona GriffinGuildford Chambers ‘Fiona has the ability to communicate with a wide range of people. She has interpersonal skills, alongside the ability to express arguments and ideas clearly. She has an analytical mind and a logical approach.’

Guildford Chambers is ‘an excellent set with a strong and unrivalled family team’. Fiona Griffin has longstanding experience of representing parents, grandparents, guardians and local authorities in public and private family law proceedings. Christine Julien has ‘excellent communication and interpersonal skills along with an analytical mind’ and specialises in representing children and vulnerable parents in public law proceedings, with particular expertise in cases involving allegations of physical abuse of children. Andrew Austin is a ‘very robust advocate with keen attention to detail’ and advises on the full range of private children law disputes related to abuse, parental alienation, implacable hostility, and relocation of children.