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Barristers

Martina  Van der Leij

Martina Van der Leij

Position

Dr Martina van der Leij specialises in family law.  She is regularly instructed by local authorities, parents and Guardians in cases involving:

  • infant death, shaken babies, other non-accidental injuries to children
  • sexual and physical abuse of children
  • factitious or induced illness
  • conflicting medical opinions
  • mental health issues.

Martina also accepts instructions in private law cases and ancillary relief, as well as Court of Protection cases and matters involving the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

She is joint head of chambers’ family law group.

Before coming to the Bar, she worked as a clinical research scientist.  She has a PhD from UCL and completed a postdoc at KCL. This background and the critical, analytical approach it cultivated has served her well when dealing with complex care cases that have significant medical or expert evidence.

Career

Call: 2001

2022: Appointed a deputy district judge sitting in family and civil.

2023: Appointed a Recorder - she sits in the Financial Remedies Court.

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