South Eastern Circuit
With ‘a profound understanding of family law and non-accidental injury cases’ and considerable experience in care, adoption, and private law matters Vanessa Meachin KC heads up the family law group at 3PB, ‘an excellent set with a range of barristers of the highest quality in the field of complex care proceedings’. Emma Griffiths leads the children law practice, and head of chambers Elizabeth McGrath KC has a ‘brilliant bedside manner’ and an active private and public law practice, the former including cases surrounding domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, and parental alienation, and the latter demonstrating expertise in proceedings with international elements. Lucy Hendry KC is an ‘extremely effective and dynamic advocate’ and is highly proficient in representing an array of clients, including children, intervenors, and guardians, including those with cognitive and capacity issues. Turning to the juniors, Nicola Martin also has a broad ranging practice, encompassing care cases arising from serious and fatal injuries to children, and private law cases concerning abduction and relocation. Aimee Fox is highly skilled in handling proceedings centred around children with significant educational needs. Matiss Krumins is another notable practitioner with prowess in administrative law and judicial review proceedings - he appeared in the unusual case of The Father v Worcestershire CC, representing the local authority in the Supreme Court against a litigant in person, who sought the return of his children from a care order not through any family law remedy but through a writ of habeas corpus. Lucy Clayton has a strong focus on cases surrounding issues of parental alienation, sexual abuse, and coercive control, as well as surrogacy-related matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Family; Court of Protection
Position
Emma is an experienced family law specialist who practises in all areas of public and private children law and has a developing practice in the Court of Protection. She is fearless in her representation both inside and outside court to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.
Family
Care and Adoption
Emma has considerable experience of acting in cases involving allegations of all types of “significant harm.” She is instructed by parents, grandparents, local authorities and children’s guardians.
Emma is particularly sensitive to the needs of vulnerable clients and those with specific communication needs. She is particularly skilled at supporting clients through what are often highly emotive proceedings while offering robust and pragmatic advice
Private Law Children, Injunction and Domestic Abuse
Emma has extensive experience of dealing with the range of Children Act applications, including highly acrimonious and intractable disputes, special guardianship and relocation (internal and external) cases.
Emma represents both alleged victims and perpetrators of domestic violence in applications under the Family Law Act 1986.
Emma gives practical and realistic advice and will seek to resolve issues by consent if possible. When this cannot be achieved, she is a tenacious advocate who has a forensic approach to documentation. She is always thoroughly prepared and fully conversant with the relevant legal principles and case law.
Reported Cases
K (Forced Marriage Protection Orders, Abuse of process) 2021] EWFC B94
MB v PB [2022] EWCOP 14
Court of Protection
Emma has a developing practice in Court of Protection and Mental Health Law. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Care Law and is a regular contributor to 3PB Oxford’s Quarterly CoP Breakfast Briefings. She has advised local authorities in respect of DoLS applications and issues of Ordinary Residence.
Career
Year of Call: 1998
Memberships
- FLBA
- Association of Lawyers for Children
- Bar Representative of Oxford Local Family Justice Board
- COPPA
Education
- BA Spanish and Russian, Bristol University
- PG Diploma in Law
- PG Diploma in Social Care Law
Content supplied by 3PB
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Ian Charlton is always attentive and will always be available to help. Isabelle Lea is extremely good, has excellent communication and makes you feel that she has everything under control.'
- 'Ian Charlton is a go-to. You can completely trust his opinion.'
- 'David Sadler is efficient, helpful and provides excellent customer service.'
- 'The clerks are helpful and always willing to assist, and they will go above and beyond in order to accommodate choice of counsel. They are so helpful. Gemma Hyett is wonderful to deal with.'
- 'The clerks' room is excellent. Ian Charlton, Gemma Hyett, Rob Leonard and Philip Jones are exceptional and will do anything they can to help and are very approachable.'
- 'Isabelle Lee and Gemma Hyett are fantastic; very swift to respond and always on top of their barristers' diaries.'
- 'An excellent, strong clerking team. Ian Charlton is always accommodating and helpful and is extremely well supported by Isabelle Lee, Gemma Hyett, and Philip Jones who are always pleasant, responsive and helpful and cannot do enough.'
- 'Ian Charlton and Rob Leonard are class acts. They go the extra mile on availability as well as fee negotiation. You feel like you have a genuine relationship with them. They really look after you.'