3PB

Family

Oliver Thorne is an experienced Barrister who specialises in private law children matters, matrimonial finances and cohabitation disputes.

Oliver regularly appears at all levels of the Family Court including before Magistrates, District Judges, Circuit Judges and High Court Judges.

Oliver is known for his friendly and professional approach as well as his robust advocacy and detailed cross-examination. Oliver has been described by both Solicitors and lay clients as being able to identify and focus on the heart of the issue or issues in dispute.

Outside of work Oliver enjoys spending time with his young children and when time permits he enjoys skiing and sailing. For many years Oliver was the chair of the board of trustees of a self-advocacy charity for people with learning difficulties.

Oliver is characterised by clients as patient and understanding, he approaches cases with sensitivity.

Financial Remedy  Oliver has conducted a wide range of cases from medium to high net worth matters including the instruction of forensic accountants to value companies and family businesses and matters involving a party’s potential entitlement under discretionary/family trusts.

Oliver has acted in enforcement cases and cases where non-disclosure has been alleged, as well as cases involving discrete and complex legal issues. Oliver frequently appears in multiday high value financial remedy hearings.

Private Remote FDR Hearings

Oliver is available for private remote FDR hearings. For more information on private remote FDR hearings please click here.

Cohabitation and TOLATA Disputes  Prior to specialising in family law, Oliver also undertook a considerable amount of civil litigation, he now puts these skills to use in respect of TOLATA matters. Oliver regularly advises in conference, drafts particulars of claim and defences and attends mediation and hearings in respect of all types of Cohabitation disputes.

Private Law Disputes  Oliver regularly acts for parents as well as grandparents and guardians in respect of matters involving child arrangements and specific issue orders. Oliver has undertaken lengthy fact-finding hearings in respect of both domestic violence and sexual abuse. Oliver has experience of parental alienation cases and has been successful in obtaining orders for both suspended and immediate changes of living arrangements.

Oliver also has considerable experience of both domestic and international relocation including cases where one party has sought to remove the children to Ireland, Denmark, South Africa and Columbia.

Examples of recent cases:  K v H [2017] Oliver was successful in arguing that the court should not vary a consent order on the basis of a change of circumstances. The issue in the case was the relationship between the ability to vary a Consent Order under rule 4.1(6) and the jurisdiction of the Court under a ‘Barder event’.

L v L (2017) Oliver represented a Husband and was successful in arguing that the false allegations made by the Wife in Children Act proceedings amounted to conduct and had significantly impacted on the Husband’s earning capacity.

Re: C and G (children) (2017) In a private law dispute Oliver obtained a change of living arrangements order on the grounds that there had been significant parental alienation.

Re: K (a child) (2015) Oliver acted for a father in care proceedings concerning whether or not there had been non-accidental injuries and if so who the perpetrator of those injuries was. Although it was found that the father had caused the injuries it was found the injuries had been caused without any intention.

Year of call 2005.

Education Law Association (ELAS)

• 2003 Bachelor of Law, LLB (Hons) Bournemouth University • 2004 Masters of Law, LLM King’s College, London • 2005 Bar Vocational Course - Inns of Court School of Law • 2007 Admitted as a Solicitor, England and Wales • 2009 Higher Courts Advocate (All Proceedings)