Trinity Chambers

• All areas of children law, including public law proceedings, adoption, special guardianship, private disputes including school and relocation cases, financial claims for children, and surrogacy;
• In relation to children law, particular experience and interest in the international movement of children, deprivation of liberty, and placement of children in Scotland by local authorities;
• Mental capacity, vulnerable adults, forced marriage, and other Court of Protection welfare matters; Judicial review in children matters, particularly relating to their support and protection from local authorities.

Willing to act on a Direct Access basis for suitable cases, particularly private law children matters.

APPOINTMENTS

• Chairman of the North East Family Law Bar Association 2014-2022
• Bar representative on the Newcastle Courts Family Practitioner’s Forum

LECTURES & SEMINARS

A frequent contributor to Trinity's ongoing programme of family lectures and seminars, and also to local law societies. Topics have included:

• Transparency in the family courts
• Interim care orders
• Removal of children from the jurisdiction
• Media attendance in family cases
• Implications of looked after child status
• Development of the law relating to non-consensual adoption
• Witness training for social workers
• Drafting techniques in relation to the threshold criteria
• Secure accommodation of children placed in Scotland
• Scottish and English perspectives on the deprivation of liberty of children

EDUCATION

BA (Hons) University College London.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Practised at the Chambers of Henry Setright QC and Brian Jubb in Gray’s Inn from 1994-2002.

Called 1993; Inner Temple. Publications include: ‘Your Home and the Law’ Ebury Press 1994.

Conversational French.

Family Law Bar Association; chairman of the North East FLBA 2014-2016.

University College London (BA).