5 St Andrews Hill

Alexandra is a busy specialist family law barrister, regularly providing advice and representation at all stages of proceedings involving children (both private and public), domestic abuse, divorce, and financial settlements.

Alexandra is a busy specialist family law barrister, regularly providing advice and representation at all stages of proceedings involving children (both private and public), domestic abuse, divorce, and financial settlements.

Alexandra has extensive experience in the full range of family law matters, and also has the benefit of a background at the criminal bar. Her background and expertise make Alexandra well able to adapt her approach to suit different clients and situations, and she empathises and works patiently to gain her client’s confidence and to protect and promote their interests. Alexandra prepares thoroughly, gives sensitive and realistic advice, and fights her client’s corner tirelessly in court.

She is sensitive to the emotion and conflict that often accompanies family law proceedings, and understands that there is often a hugely complex history behind the issues at hand.

Alexandra has trained as a mediator with the Regents School of Psychotherapy and Counselling and with the benefit of those skills, Alexandra encourages and supports parties to reach a resolution by agreement where it is appropriate to do so.

• Alexandra accepts instructions on a direct access basis in appropriate cases.

Alexandra was called to the Bar in 2013. Accredited mediator (Regent’s School of Psychotherapy and Counselling). Qualified to accept Direct Access Instructions. Grade 2 Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutor.

Family & Children

Children (Public & Private) Alexandra represents and advises clients in the full range of private law children disputes as well as in public law proceedings.

In private law proceedings, Alexandra regularly acts for clients facing a dispute about the time their child spends with each parent, and the day-to-day logistics and practicalities of co-parenting. Alexandra brings a realistic and pragmatic approach to her advice, which often saves a good deal of heartache, time and financial cost.

Alexandra also has significant experience with complex and lengthy cases involving implacable hostility, parental alignment/alienation, mental health and allegations of domestic abuse. Those cases are often unable to be or unsuited to negotiated settlements, and Alexandra supports her clients throughout the process, ensuring they understand each stage and are working at all times towards the best chance at a favourable outcome.

Alexandra also has experience in more specialist applications, such as domestic and international relocations, school choices, medical treatment disputes and applications by grandparents for contact. Alexandra also has experience in successfully pursuing enforcement applications where a parent is in breach of a court order.

In public law proceedings, Alexandra regularly represents parents, local authorities, children and other family members. Understanding the approach to any given case from these different angles is hugely beneficial to preparing for contested hearings in particular, and to being able to anticipate the case against a client. She has appeared alone and as a led junior in complex cases involving neglect, torturous parenting, non-accidental injury, drug and alcohol addictions. Alexandra regularly represents vulnerable clients with learning difficulties, disabilities, mental health diagnoses and addictions, and has a particular interest in ensuring those vulnerable clients are able to fully participate in proceedings.

Alexandra has successfully argued in respect of legal designation in public law proceedings, and also has experience with deprivation of liberty orders. Finances Alexandra has broad experience in the family finance field, and she regularly represents clients across all stages of financial remedy proceedings, including at contested final hearings and in subsequent proceedings to enforce.

She has experience of cases involving intervenors, non-disclosure, non-matrimonial property, disputed foreign and company assets, as well as financial provision for children under Schedule 1 and TOLATA.

Alexandra has worked on a significant number of pre and post-nuptial agreements, both in terms of drawing up and entering into those agreements, and in terms of financial remedy proceedings which involve the question of whether to uphold or depart from them. Domestic Abuse and Injunctions Alexandra has been instructed in police applications for Forced Marriage Protection Orders and Domestic Violence Protection Orders, and regularly appears in matters where protective Family Law Act injunctions are sought, representing those seeking or responding to Non-Molestation and Occupation Orders.

International Family

Many of Alexandra’s private and public children law cases have an international element, and she also acts in international abduction cases. Alexandra has significant experience in making and opposing pre-emptive applications for permission to remove a child from the jurisdiction, both temporarily and permanently, and in relation to Hague and Non-Hague Convention countries.

Inquests & Inquiries

Alexandra accepts instructions in relation to Public Inquiries and Inquests.

Other Experience Alexandra has been instructed to advise in respect of disclosure involving issues such as legal privilege and public interest immunity, particularly where there are parallel criminal and family proceedings.

Alexandra was junior counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Alexandra has a background in prosecuting and defending in criminal proceedings, including private prosecutions.