Christopher Adams, who regularly acts for local authorities, parents, and children in cases surrounding serious injuries to children, and Christopher Watson, who is experienced in international adoption and inherent jurisdiction cases, jointly head up the children law group at St Philips Chambers, within which sits specialist family practitioner Sara Lewis KC, who is often in the High Court due to her ‘fantastic knowledge of the medical issues’, representing clients in cases of the upmost seriousness surrounding complex medical evidence and allegations of causing catastrophic and fatal injuries to children, as well as sexual abuse and fabricated and induced illness cases. The set is praised for having ‘top-class barristers’, and head of the family team as a whole is Carolyn Jones, a ‘formidable advocate’ who handles both public and private law matters. The ‘sagacious and highly experienced’ Gemma Bowes has considerable strength in proceedings surrounding forced marriages, fabricated illness, and extremism. Nicholas Brown boasts expertise in care proceedings, with particular expertise in cases regarding FGM; he has an ‘eye for detail and is extremely knowledgeable about the law and procedure’. Yolanda Pemberton exclusively acts in public law matters and is highly equipped to act in cases surrounding historic sexual abuse, neglect, and radicalisation. William Horwood predominately acts in public law proceedings and is sought after for his expertise in handling cases regarding the placement of children outside of the UK.
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Profile

Profile

Work Department

Family

Position

Yolanda specialises in all aspects of child law with an extensive background in all aspects of public law, private law children work, Forced Marriage (including FGM), Brussels II, Wardship and Inherent Jurisdiction.

Yolanda has an extensive background and experience of representing local authorities, parents and children in public law cases involving serious injuries to children, FII, fractures, bruising, attempted suffocation, sexual abuse (including subject child as victim and perpetrator), complex medical issues, mental health, including parents who require the assistance of the Official solicitor (acting for both parents via the Official Solicitor) and child death. In addition, Yolanda has experience of representing both parents and local authorities in adoption proceedings.

In private law children work this includes representing parents, grandparents, children and all other family members in cases involving child arrangements orders including high conflict and intractable disputes (including involving 16.4 appointments), applications to remove children from the jurisdiction, applications to relocate children within the jurisdiction, specific issues relating to education, medical and religion, issues of mental health, fact-finding hearings and domestic abuse within families.

Yolanda is known for her meticulous preparation of all of her cases, being able to quickly and expertly get to the core of any dispute and known to be uncompromising in her approach for any client, ensuring they receive the best and most robust representation.

Yolanda excels with vulnerable clients in complex cases.

Yolanda has experience before all levels of judiciary including the Court of Appeal.

Career

Called 2002, Lincoln’s Inn.

ADR Trained Mediator.

Direct Access Accredited.

She is a founding Board Member of Women in Family Law.

Memberships

Association for Lawyers for Children; Family Law Bar Association.

Education

University of Warwick; Inns of Court School of Law.

Content supplied by St Philips Chambers

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Very receptive chambers with clerks that are responsive and helpful. Anthony Burgess and Sarah Doyle particularly amenable and friendly and do their best to accommodate any requests.'
  • 'St Philips is the go-to chambers in Birmingham with top-class barristers, but having top class barristers do not make the chambers alone - it is also having top class clerks in Kelly Fullwood and Mark Mansell. The clerking at St Philips is brilliant and very supportive and will go that extra mile to support you and the case.'
  • 'The clerks are very helpful and accommodating, especially Kelly Fullwood, who is always friendly and happy to help.'
  • 'Mark Mansell, Anthony Burgess, and Kelly Fullwood are all very capable clerks. Their response times are fast and they work hard to ensure continuity of counsel wherever possible.'
  • 'All the clerks are helpful, particularly Mark Mansell and Kelly Fullwood, who are excellent. Experienced and know the individual strengths of their barristers.'
  • 'Mark Mansell, along with his clerking team, have an excellent reputation in the local area providing a quality service which makes this chambers the first port of call when looking to instruct counsel. Mr Mansell has always strived to assist in difficult situations and, at times, at very short notice.'
  • 'St Philips' clerks are at the top of their game! The most efficient, seamless and no-hassle service offered at every turn. Mark Mansell, Kelly Fullwood, Anthony Burgess, Sarah Doyle and Ellie Hogan-Evans are professional, passionate, friendly and incredibly committed. The solicitors of Birmingham would be lost without them!'
  • 'The clerks are fantastic and will try and move heaven and earth if needs be to help me. Kelly Fullwood is quite simply a magician.'