Pump Court Chambers

Children public law: Leslie undertakes complex and high-profile public law children cases for parents, local authorities and children’s guardians both at fact-finding and at welfare hearings. He also represents parties at appellate level in the High Court, Court of Appeal and in the Supreme Court. Recent cases include: alleged murder of a child; serious non-accidental head injuries to a child including widespread brain damage; multiple fractures including skull, rib and limb fractures; alleged sexual abuse of children; alleged fictitious or induced illness; serious neglect, drug and alcohol issues; complex immigration issues; cases where local authorities have failed to perform their statutory duties to support families. Financial remedies: he has a substantial financial remedies practice at all levels of court including cases before district judges, High Court judges and the Court of Appeal. Recent cases include: ‘big money’ cases where the assets values have exceeded £10m; cases where there are substantial business assets requiring an analysis of company accounts and expert valuation evidence; cases where the assets include substantial farm land or other inherited wealth; cases where one or both parties have significant trust assets; cases where there are high-value pensions on one or both sides; situations where urgent applications are required including freezing injunctions and search (Anton Pillar) orders. Children private law: he represents parents and sometimes children in a range of private law disputes including residence, contact, removal from the jurisdiction, other specific issue applications and child abduction cases. Recent cases include: cases involving residence and contact disputes including issues over shared or joint residence and parenting; specific issue applications, including disputes over schooling and medical care; allegations of sexual abuse by a parent; applications to remove children from the jurisdiction; child abduction cases.

Called 1989, Gray’s Inn; QC 2011; deputy district judge of the Principal Registry of the Family Division 2003; ADR mediator 2005; recorder (South Eastern Circuit) 2012.

Leslie has lectured widely on children, financial remedies, judicial review and probate related issues for Chambers, for the FLBA, for the Western Circuit, and for the Family Justice Council. He has also recently spoken at judicial review seminars for Central Law Training and the London Boroughs Legal Alliance and has recorded training material for Cpdcast. Leslie is happy to provide individual training for firms of solicitors or local authorities.

Family Law Bar Association (Appointed: 2010, Elected: 2013) Family Law Bar Association Money & Property Sub-Committee (Chair: 2011-13, 2015-) Western Circuit

ADR Qualified Mediator IFLA Trained Arbitrator MA (Law), Cambridge University MA (Criminology), University of Toronto Connaught Scholarship, University of Toronto Clare College, Cambridge (1987 MA Law 2:1).

Leslie enjoys his family life, sport which includes running, regular visits to the gym and being a season ticket holder at AFC Wimbledon. When time permits, Leslie also loves going to the theatre and cinema and gardening.