Barbara Connolly

Family Law; Children Law; Court of Protection

Barbara Connolly KC specialises in all aspects of family law, with particular emphasis on cases involving children and vulnerable adults.

Barbara regularly acts for parents, children, local authorities and other interested parties in the Family Courts and Court of Protection. She has extensive experience in care proceedings (including those involving complex medical issues and allegations of non accidental head injury or poisoning, and other serious physical, emotional and sexual abuse, and cases involving the withdrawal of medical treatment), adoption, wardship and applications under the inherent jurisdiction, international child abduction, forced marriage and surrogacy (including cases with an international element / complications).

Barbara also advises local authorities in connection with media applications in respect of publicity, and the use of documents disclosed within care proceedings by the media and others. She has acted in the Care Standards Tribunal and has public inquiry experience. She regularly gives talks at conferences and seminars on family law, both in England and internationally.

Barbara’s more recent significant reported cases include:

Re T (Fact-Finding: Second Appeal) [2023] EWCA Civ 475 Re R (Children: Control of Court Documents) [2021] EWCA Civ 162 Re A (Children) (Fact-finding: Appeal) [2019] EWCA Civ 74 Re G-P (A Child) [2019] EWCA Civ 56 Re P (Children) (Care proceedings: Special Guardianship Orders) [2018] EWCA Civ 1407