Coram Chambers

Children.

Martha has specialised in children law for the last twenty years, and she usually represents parents and children in the most serious child protection cases. She is frequently instructed in cases of death or serious injury to children where there are concurrent criminal proceedings. Many of these cases involve complex medical evidence relating to traumatic infant brain injury and/or allegations of fabricated or induced illness. Martha also appears in cases where there are allegations of emotional harm to children who are being brought up in unusual belief systems. She appeared in the first reported ‘Miracle Baby’ case on behalf of the putative mother. She also specialises in adoption and the use of wardship. In recent years she has developed a niche practice representing legally competent teenagers who wish to intervene in intractable private law disputes concerning themselves and sometimes their siblings.

In November 2015 Martha was re-elected co-chair of the Association of Lawyers for Children. She has given evidence to the Justice Select Committee on the representation of children in  family proceedings, and to the House of Lords committee on adoption law reform. She regularly speaks and writes on the wider policy issues concerning care proceedings, adoption and the representation of vulnerable children in court.

Called 1979.Head of Chambers since 2010

Family Law Bar Association Association of Lawyers for Children Human Rights Lawyers Association Gray’s Inn

University of Western Ontario (BA); London University (LLM).