Park Square Barristers

Children Law and Criminal

Children Law
Ranked in Chambers & Partners (2025) for Family and Children Law.

Helen is Joint Head of our Family Team. She honed her skills as an advocate in High Court proceedings dealing with the most serious allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children.

Helen has the advantage of a background in criminal law, both defending and prosecuting. She was a Grade 4 Prosecutor and prosecuted cases of utmost seriousness and was on the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Panel. She is therefore confident in dealing with cases where clients face proceedings in both Family and Criminal jurisdictions.

Public Law

Helen represents Parents, Children’s Guardians, Intervenors and extended family members in Public Law proceedings.

Helen is instructed in complex cases involving allegations of non accidental injury including serious injury such as bone fractures and brain damage; sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation; addictions to drugs and alcohol; chronic neglect

Her caseload frequently involves expert evidence on complex medical issues arising from allegations of non-accidental, sexual assault and psychological harm.

Helen has particular skill dealing with vulnerable witnesses and court users who find proceedings challenging and for whom communication is difficult eg because of their cognitive function, or because communication is through an interpreter. She has worked very successfully with Intermediaries.

She represents victims and perpetrators of all forms of domestic abuse; people with learning disabilities, poor mental health and addictions;

Helen also receives instructions through the Official Solicitor for lay clients who lack capacity ensuring that whilst the instructions of the OS are followed, the wishes and feelings of the party are fully expressed to the court.

Private Law

Helen has considerable experience in residence and contact cases where the issues are complex and problems can seem intractable.

In these cases, where emotions can run high, her approach is empathetic and patient. Her advice is analytical, thoughtful, robust, and always child focussed.

Crime

Helen has been a Grade 4 prosecutor and approved to prosecute Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO). She has prosecuted and defended the most serious criminal offences including murder, manslaughter, blackmail, drugs (including large scale manufacture and distribution) and all manner of sexual offences, in particular those involving children, rape, voyeurism and indecent images.

Call 1983

Appointments: Grade 4 Prosecutor 2022 Deputy Head of Family Team PSQB 2025 Head of Family Team PSQB

1981 University of London, Queen Mary College - BSc(Econ) Economics and Politics

1982 City University, London - Diploma in Law