Vanessa Meachin KC

3PB

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.

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Phone: 0330 332 2633

Email: [email protected]

Profile: 3pb.co.uk

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Family.

Position

Vanessa Meachin KC is a family law specialist and has developed a practice in which she enjoys the considerable mix of care, adoption, matrimonial finance and private law children act applications. In recent years she has coupled her family law practice with a developing interest in court of protection work. She appears frequently in complex and sensitive cases involving children in private and public law areas in the Family Division and Family Court. She represents parents, children and local authorities.

In Vanessa’s financial remedies practice, her cases routinely involve substantial assets, corporate assets and issues relating to land and foreign property. She also deals with cases involving financial provision for the family on death and financial provision for children.

Family

Vanessa was called in 1990. She is a family law specialist and has developed a practice in which she enjoys the considerable mix of care, adoption, family finance and private law children act applications. She has appeared in the Court of Appeal at regular intervals in her career. Since 2009 she has been a Recorder on the South Eastern Circuit (Family and Civil). She is a pupil supervisor and regular speaker at seminars. She is a member of ALC, CoramBaaf and FLBA. She is an affiliate member of Resolution. She accepts instructions under direct access.

Recent cases:

X County Council -and- BE(1) AD (2) CD (BY HER CHILDREN'S GUARDIAN) (3) [2021] EWFC 112
Lancashire County Council -v- M (1) F (2) and C (3 By his Children’s Guardian) [2020] EWFC 43
W (A Child) [2019] EWCA Civ 1966
RE B (A Child) (Post-Adoption Contact) [2019] EWCA Civ 29
Re M (Children) (Suspected Trafficking - Competent Authority) [2017] EWFC 56
Re D + Ors (Children) 2017 EWFC B87
Re C (a child) [2016] EWFC B110
Re D (Appeal: Procedure: Evidence) [2015] EWCA Civ 409/ [2016] 1 FLR 249
Re D [2015] All ER (D) 136
A local Authority V AB and others [2015] All ER (D) 14
Re K (Wardship: Publicity) [2014] 1 FLR 548
Re K (Wardship: Publicity) (No 2) [2013] EWHC 3748 (Fam)/[2014] 2 FLR 310
A Local Authority v X and a Child [2013] EWHC 3274 (Fam)/ [2014] 2 FLR 123
Re K (A child: Therapy) [2013] All ER (D) 367
Re W (a child) (removal at birth: contact) [2013] All ER (D) 254
Birmingham City Council v AG and A [2009] EWHC 3720 (Fam)/[2010] 2 FLR 580
Re R (Placement order) [2007] EWHC 3031 (Fam) [2008] 1 FLR 1259
Re B (Appeal: lack of reasons) [2003] EWCA Civ 881/ [2003] 2 FLR 1035
Re G (Leave to Appeal: Jurisdiction) [1999] 1 FLR 771

Career

Year of Call: 1990
Year of Silk: 2018

Memberships

Association of Lawyers for Children
Family Law Association
Legal Committee member of British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering.

Education

LLB (Hons)
Recorder (2009) - South Eastern Circuit

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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.'

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