Harcourt Chambers

Victoria is a specialist family law barrister called in 2009 with a practice in both children and financial remedies, and a particular interest in surrogacy law.

Victoria offers clients in private law disputes specialist and practical advice focused on the outcomes they seek, alongside compelling and persuasive advocacy skills.

She regularly appears in intractable contact disputes and cases raising allegations of alienating behaviours.

She has considerable expertise in private law cases involving domestic abuse, and the sensitive and meticulous approach required.

Victoria is a composed and persuasive family law barrister. She enjoys an established, specialist practice across children and financial remedies cases. Victoria is considerate and empathetic with clients, whilst at the same time providing clear and pragmatic advice focused on the outcomes they seek. Victoria is an accomplished trial advocate with strengths in cross-examining witnesses whose evidence is key to the outcome of a case and making compelling, articulate submissions. Victoria is frequently instructed in complex private children law cases involving allegations of alienating behaviours. She has many years of experience of appearing in fact-finding hearings and multi-day final hearings. She has considerable skill in both securing findings of, and resisting allegations of, serious abuse. Victoria has particular expertise in surrogacy law and the relocation of children, both domestically and internationally. In 2019 Victoria was appointed as a Recorder and she sits on family cases on the South Eastern Circuit. Victoria also sits as a fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal within the Special Educational Needs and Disability jurisdiction.

Victoria offers clients in private law disputes specialist and practical advice focused on the outcomes they seek, alongside compelling and persuasive advocacy skills. She regularly appears in intractable contact disputes and cases raising allegations of alienating behaviours. She has considerable expertise in private law cases involving domestic abuse, and the sensitive and meticulous approach required.

Victoria has a particular strength in relocation applications and the forensic attention to detail required. She appears in cases involving Hague and non-Hague states, as well as domestic relocation and holidays abroad.

Victoria brings considerable legal expertise to surrogacy cases. Alongside her court work in surrogacy, she has co-authored a book ‘Surrogacy: Law, Practice and Policy in England Wales’ (cited in the Law Commission consultation paper). Her expertise in surrogacy law and parental order applications has led to her regularly delivering seminars on the topic to legal colleagues.

Victoria has a confident courtroom presence in family finance cases. She provides realistic advice to clients whilst being sensitive to the emotional backdrop of the case. She has a keen eye for detail and is an effective negotiator at FDR, including at private FDRs.

Family Law Bar Association

Victoria has a BA in Jurisprudence (Law with Law Studies in Europe) from Jesus College, Oxford University.