Clare Woodhouse
Clare's expertise is in all areas of family law.
Clare is an English solicitor in the Family Team of Benest & Syvret. She joined the team in February 2021.
Clare is a very experienced family and divorce lawyer with over 18 years of experience. She specialises in matrimonial cases, separations and children matters, both public and private. She has experience in cross jurisdiction children’s matters including Hague Convention proceedings. Clare handles a variety of family matters and is well known for her logical and analytical way of resolving matters for her clients. She regularly acts for clients who are very vulnerable with learning difficulties or mental health issues. She has also completed the Mind course and is a qualified Mental Health First Aider which enables to identify the mental health vulnerabilities of clients.
In addition, Clare has participated in mediations and contested private matters, covering a broad range of issues including residence, contact and other family law orders. She has significant experience with complicated contact and residence private law matters including parental alienation. She has also been involved in an application for contempt and breaches of confidentiality within family proceedings. Clare has advised on many divorces, dissolution of civil partnerships and pre-nuptial agreements. Clare has also been involved in personal injury claims for damages for now adult clients who suffered whilst in care of the Children’s Service and cases involving human rights breaches of children and their parents.
Clare is well known for her passion and in-depth knowledge of children’s public law. She pro-actively progresses matters towards conclusion in order to avoid delay for children. She is very knowledgeable about this area of law and has extensive experience ranging from contested care orders through to recovery orders and secure accommodation order.
From March 2021, Clare worked alongside Advocate Benest on a highly contentious case involving parental alienation which eventually resulted in a removal of the child from the care of his mother into the care of his father.
In November 2021, Clare worked with Darry Robinson in a matter concerning a child who had been unlawfully placed in a UK residential unit. The appeal on this matter led to a change in law around placing children off island and an introduction of the Children (Arrangements to Assist Children to Live Outside Jersey) (Amendment) (Jersey) Law 2022 which was adopted by the States Assembly on 2 March 2022.
In recent years, Clare has developed her practice to work within the Dispute Resolution Team predominantly undertaking personal injury cases against the Minister for Children and Families acting for adults who experienced harm whilst in the Jersey care system and cases involving human rights breaches of children and their parents. In addition, Clare has participated in mediations on personal injury matters.
Clare undertakes medical negligence cases and has a number of clients who are claiming negligence against the Health Department for negligence and misdiagnosis by the Rheumatology Department at Jersey General Hospital.
Clare is also currently involved in a vicarious liability case against an employer.
