4PB

Private Children Law; Public Children Law

Overview

Jo specializes in contentious and highly complex cases at High Court level and above involving:
• The death of/catastrophic injuries to a child
• Non Accidental Head Injury (NAHI)/ Shaken baby allegations ( TRIAD cases)
• Vitamin D/Rickets/EDS/genetic disorders and congenital malformations which can mimic child abuse
• Fabricated Induced Illness (FII) allegations
• ISIS cases: alleged radicalisation of children/ risk of flight to Syria
• Sexual abuse (Intergenerational/ Inter sibling/ maternal rape/ genital mutilation/ internet exploitation)
• Ritualized child abuse/cultural practices such as Kndoki
• Child protection cases involving concurrent criminal prosecution for attempted murder/ child cruelty and neglect/ sex offences
• Parent or subject child with disabilities (with a particular interest in Child in Need issues, learning disability issues and the rights of, and services for, a disabled child and/or adult parent within care proceedings)
• Cases involving cross examination of a child or vulnerable adult
• Re-litigation/challenge to historic findings of abuse based on emerging science/ fresh factual evidence.

Complex private law proceedings involving allegations of domestic abuse and coercive, controlling behaviour, physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect of a child or alleged parental/partner abuse). Transfer of residence applications and contact disputes. Jo has delivered training to the judiciary and social care professionals on DA/CCB and Vulnerability following her work in RE HN.

Alongside her practice in the Family Division, Jo Delahunty KC worked alongside Mike Mansfield KC and Barristers from Garden Court Chambers and Doughty Street to represent 77 families at the Hillsborough inquests. On 26.4.16 the longest running Inquest in English legal history came to an end and the jury found that the 96 victims of the disaster who died on 15.4.89 were unlawfully killed and that no fan behaviour caused or contributed to the deaths. Jo Delahunty KC was responsible for leading the team on behalf of 77 families that successfully exposed the failures of the South Yorkshire Ambulance Service to respond to the disaster and the jury found that those failings were so fundamental that they led to or caused loss of life.

Jo has been ranked as a ‘Band 1, Leading Silk’ by Chambers and Partners in successive editions including the most current
She has been named a ‘Tier 1, Leading Silk by The Legal 500 in successive editions including the most current
Jo has been selected by her peers to be included in the Eighth Edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom for her work in Family Law.

Jo has been included as one of 100   ‘Women of Distinction’ in Middle Temple’s exhibition ‘Celebrating a Century of Women in Law‘

Awards

Panth Seva Medal (2024) Chambers and Partners 2024 (Star Individual) Legal 500 2024 Leading Silk (Tier 1) Lexis Nexis Case of the Year 2021 Winner for Re HN Chambers UK Bar Awards 2021 Outstanding Contribution to Diversity & Inclusion Winner Lexis Nexis Family Law Awards 2020 Family Law QC of the Year Shortlist Lexis Nexis Legal Personality of the Year 2020 Finalist Inspirational Woman in Law – Barrister of the Year Finalist 2019 Finalist Legal 500 UK Awards Family Silk 2018 Legal Claims Award 2017 ‘Outstanding Achievement’* Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year ‘Outstanding Achievement of the Year’ Award 2016* Modern Lawyer ‘Outstanding Achievement of the Year’ Award 2016* (*Group Recipient for the Hillsborough Inquest Family Lawyers) Finalist Family Legal 500 Silk of 2014 Winner of Jordan’s Family Silk 2013 Finalist Chambers and Partners Family QC 2013

Appointments

Recorder (South Eastern Circuit) Family: Public and Private Law 2009 Bencher the Honorable Society of Middle Temple 2011 Professor of Law Gresham College, London, 2016-2020 Freedom of the City of London 2019 Emeritus Gresham Professor Law 2020 Fellow Gresham College 2020 Lexis Nexis Awards Judge 2021-Present Jo sits on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of Middle Temple Centre for Child and Family Reform (CCFLR) committee 2012–present

Professional Memberships Association of Women Barristers (AWB) Association of Women Judges (AWI) Family Law Bar Association United Kingdom Association of Part Time Judges (UKAPTJ)

Patron

Patron of the Association of Women Barristers (AWB) Ambassador for Bridging the Bar Patron of AMEND (The Association for Multiple Endocrine Disorders) Patron AADR

Education & Qualifications

Questioning Vulnerable Witnesses in Proceedings – Bar Council and FLBA MA (Oxon) Jurisprudence