Region Area

Barristers

Julia Townend

Julia Townend

4PB, London

Work Department

Family Law

Position

Julia practises in all areas of family law, with an emphasis on divorce, the financial consequences of relationship breakdown and private law children disputes. She also has experience in Court of Protection work with a family element.

Julia provides practical legal advice and excellent advocacy at all court levels, with maturity and expertise beyond her level of Call. She is approachable yet professional, and is respected by those in the field. She obtained tenancy after successful completion of her pupillage at 4 Paper Buildings, during which she won the Inner Temple Pupillage Advocacy prize in 2012. Last year Julia was shortlisted as Jordan's Young Family Law Barrister of the Year. 

As well as her own very extensive court experience, Julia has worked as part of the legal teams in two Supreme Court cases – she assisted Alex Verdan QC in Re B (A Child) [2013] UKSC 33 and worked as part of the team representing the child (TM) in the matter of LC (Children) [2013] UKSC 221. Julia was a junior in a previously reported high value cross-jurisdictional financial remedy case in which an application was made for the variation of a lump sum by instalments. She has been led in the High Court by Jonathan Cohen QC in proceedings where there were serious allegations of fabricated and induced illness, and by Sally Bradley in a lengthy fact-finding hearing involving sexual abuse and vulnerable individuals with learning disabilities. Julia was junior counsel in Re AD and AM (fact-finding hearing) (Application for re-hearing) [2016] EWHC 326 (Fam) which clarified the law applicable when findings of a court are reopened and subsequently in Re AD and AM (fact-finding hearing) [2016] EWHC 2912 (Fam). 

Julia co-authored the chapter dealing with orders pursuant to section 8 of the Children Act 1989 in the latest edition of Rayden and Jackson on Divorce. She is a regular contributor to other law journals and family law publications. 

Education

Stroud High School; University of Cambridge (Girton College); Kaplan Law School

Mentions

London Bar

Family: children and domestic abuse

LEADING JUNIORS5
Julia Townend –4PB ‘Julia is extremely smart, tactically very astute and always knows the papers inside out. She has an excellent eye for detail and is an excellent negotiator. Her client care is impeccable, and her advocacy is focused and laser-sharp, which judges appreciate.’
London Bar

Family: divorce and financial remedy

LEADING JUNIORS4
Julia Townend –4PB ‘Julia is a superb advocate with a great eye for detail, meticulous in her preparation and quick on her feet. She is calm, reassuring and pragmatic with clients.’