Barristers
Ralph Marnham
- Phone020 7427 5200
- Email[email protected]
- Profilewww.4pb.com
Work Department
Court of Protection - Vulnerable Adult; Direct Access; Inquests and Inquiries; International Children Law; Private Children Law; Public Children Law
Position
Ralph joined Chambers in October 2020 following successful completion of his pupillage under the supervision of Andrew Powell, Lucy Cheetham and Harry Gates. Ralph specialises in public, private and international children law, as well as the law relating to surrogacy. He has experience appearing at all levels in the Family Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal. He is known for his empathetic, constructive, and practical approach.
Ralph has also worked as a judicial assistant in the Family Division of the High Court. Before joining Chambers, he worked as a family paralegal at TV Edwards where he gained experience in all aspects of family work. He has volunteered as an advocate and independent visitor for the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), as a refugee support caseworker for the British Red Cross, at the Personal Support Unit (now known as Support Through Court) and as a prison mentor for young offenders.
Prior to coming to the bar, Ralph worked in management consultancy and public relations. He is bilingual in French having worked and studied in Paris. In his spare time, he enjoys cycle touring, tennis and running.
International Children Law
Ralph has a busy practice in child abduction cases and regularly appears in the High Court on applications under the 1980 Hague Convention, Wardship and the Inherent Jurisdiction. He has been instructed on a number of reported cases, including Re M (A Child) [2020] EWCA Civ 992, a seminal case on the scope of the High Court’s parens patriae jurisdiction to protect British children abroad.
Private Children Law
Ralph is regularly instructed in complex private law cases, representing parents, children and grandparents at all stages of proceedings, including fact finding and final hearings. He frequently acts in cases involving relocation, allegations of parental alienation, intractable hostility and domestic violence. He has successfully appealed final orders and has experience in enforcement proceedings.
Ralph is particularly interested in the developing area of surrogacy law and has represented parties at final hearings on applications for parental orders in the High Court.
Public Children Law
Ralph has an active public law practice. He often represents parties in proceedings that involve non-accidental injury, sexual abuse and deprivation of liberty. Ralph has acted as junior counsel in complex High Court cases, and has experience in issues relating to capacity and mental health.
Inquests and Public Inquiries
As a pupil, Ralph worked on the IICSA inquiry (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse), Children in the care of Lambeth Council strand. Ralph assisted 4pb barristers who were representing the core participant, Lambeth council.
Publications/Training
Alongside his practice, Ralph frequently delivers lectures to solicitors and has assisted with the expert witness training of paediatricians at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Career
Year of Call: 2019 GLD Junior Junior scheme
Languages
French (Bilingual)
Memberships
Lincoln’s Inn Family Law Bar Association Association of Lawyers for Children Young Legal Aid Lawyers
Education
BA (Hons), History (First Class), Trinity College Dublin MA, International Relations and Defence, University of Paris II, Panthéon-Assas GDL, Oxford Brookes BPTC, City University