Ms Jyoti Wood > 4 King's Bench Walk > London, England > Barrister Profile

Ms Jyoti Wood

Work Department

Family, Crime, Immigration & Human Rights

Position

Barrister

Career

Jyoti’s practice encompasses the areas of family, crime and immigration & human rights law.  

Jyoti has been instructed as sole counsel in several notable cases including the case of DPP v Barreto [2019] EWHC 2044 which prompted legislative change, the case of GM v GF [2022 EWFC 84] concerning allegations of sexual abuse of a child by the father and has succeeded in appeals to the Court of Appeal in both criminal and immigration matters and to the Family division of the High court. 

Jyoti acts in private and public family law matters and has significant experience acting in cases where one or both parties have mental health conditions including where intermediaries have been appointed by the court. Jyoti has extensive experience dealing with allegations of serious sexual violence between parents, allegations of violence and sexual violence against children, coercive and controlling behaviour and Family cases involving immigration law issues. Jyoti’s children law practice includes applications for both internal and external relocation, child arrangements disputes involving allegations of violence, drug or alcohol misuse, parental alienation, intractable contact disputes and child abduction. She also frequently acts on behalf of the police in Family proceedings in the High Court which involve issues of disclosure between Criminal and Family courts, including acting in closed material proceedings on issues of national security.  

Jyoti appears before the First-Tier and Upper Tribunals and the High Court in asylum, deportation and human rights appeals, entry clearance cases and bail applications.  She advises on the merits of both fresh claims and appeals as well as drafting grounds for judicial review applications. Jyoti has experience representing vulnerable clients including victims of torture, victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

Jyoti has experience in all areas of criminal law and frequently acts on behalf of clients charged with violent, sexual and financial offences and has most recently secured acquittals on charges of GBH, sexual assault, class A drug supply and burglary. Jyoti has an established reputation as a strong and effective trial advocate, with exceptional client care skills.  

Jyoti is involved with the Universal Periodic Review project at the Centre for Human Rights at Birmingham City University. The UPR is a process under the auspices of the Human Rights Counsel in which all UN member states participate every 4-and-a-half years. Jyoti co-authored a stakeholder report on the UK’s human rights compliance which formed part of the 4^th cycle of the UK’s UPR. The report focussed on the rights of migrants, asylum seekers & refugees, detention and racism.  

Memberships

Human Rights Lawyers Association

Family Law Bar Association

Resolution

Education

Jyoti studied English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford before going on to study law at City University, London. Jyoti was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 2016 as a Lord Denning Scholar, Levitt Scholar and Hardwicke Entrance Award winner.

Personal

Jyoti has worked as a volunteer for a number of charities including the National Centre for Domestic Violence and she continues to work as a workshop facilitator for the Schools’ Consent Project.