Family, Local Authorities & Public Law, Direct Public Access Barristers, Child Abduction

Sophie exclusively practises family law and is instructed in the full range of children’s matters in bothpublic and private law proceedings.

In public law children proceedings Sophie regularly represents parents, extended family members and is regularly instructed by local authorities. She has broad experience of non-accidental injury cases including head injuries, injuries from hanging and whipping, and recently a case in the Court of Appeal involving unexplained imprint injuries in a five week old baby. In private law children proceedings, her practice encompasses leave to remove from the jurisdiction, residence, contact, parental responsibility, and specific issue (change of name, holidays, school selection etc). Sophie deals with divorce and ancillary relief matters, including cases in the High Court on jurisdiction.

She advises on a wide variety of issues including nullity and financial relief applications under the Children Act 1989. Sophie regularly appears in injunction applications under the Children Act and the Family Law Act, Protection of Harassment Act injunctions as well as committal proceedings, drawing on her past experience as a criminal practitioner.Sophie accepts instructions in all venues of the Family Court including the High Court, PrincipalRegistry of the Family Division, County Court and Family Proceedings Court. International child abduction law is an area in which Sophie has experience and is a developing partof her practice.

Sophie’s clear and approachable manner is appreciated by professional and lay clients incircumstances where there are usually high levels of tension and emotion for them. She has two children of her own.

Sophie is qualified to accept instructions under the Direct Public Access to Barristers scheme

Year of call: 2003 Family Law Bar Association

BA (Hons) Law, University of CambridgeMA (Cantab)BPP Law School (Scholar and Exhibitioner of Middle Temple)