St Ives Chambers

Rebecca is a Barrister specialising in Family Finance, Private Law Children and Public Law Children.

Rebecca is a family law specialist with an established practice in family finance matters and in public and private children’s cases. Noted as having an approachable, professional and highly likeable manner with clients, solicitors and judges alike, she is considered a tenacious and incisive advocate with maturity beyond her year of Call. She is regularly instructed in complex disputes, often appearing against senior barristers of leading family chambers and has been instructed to appear against Queen’s Counsel in both children and matrimonial finance matters.

Rebecca is sensitive toward the particular challenges which are posed in family litigation.  She has experience cross-examining sensitive witnesses, both with and without the assistance of the Official Solicitor. Rebecca welcomes instruction at an early stage in proceedings in order to work in partnership with her solicitors so that her clients have the benefit of their full legal team.

Rebecca is a junior civil counsel member of the Attorney General’s Panel.

Rebecca is the co-author of the book ‘A Practical Guide to Practice Direction 12J and Domestic Abuse in Private Law Children Proceedings’ published by Law Brief Publishing in December 2021. The link to the book can be found by clicking here.

Year of Call:  2015

Family Finance

In financial remedy proceedings Rebecca deals with cases ranging from those dominated by need to those where the assets are substantial or difficult to trace. Rebecca regularly appears for applicants, respondents and interveners at all stages of proceedings, including multi-day final hearings, under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004. She also represents parties in applications pursuant to the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989.

Rebecca has a wide range of experience in family finance matters in cases involving:

Company valuation and complex company structures Fraudulent non-disclosure Dissipation of assets Assets abroad Complex pension assets to include public sector pensions The enforcement of consent orders The set aside of orders on the grounds of misrepresentation Cases involving insolvency Farming assets and agricultural issues

Rebecca regularly advises clients in conference, both before and after the issue of proceedings and is able to provide prompt written advice in all areas of family law. Rebecca prides herself on providing realistic and pragmatic advice whist always being prepared to fight her client’s case. Rebecca is happy to represent clients in all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution, including arbitrations and private FDRs.

Private Law Children

Rebecca is popular with solicitors and clients in difficult, complex and/or high-conflict private children cases. Rebecca receives instructions in private law proceedings acting for both parents and children (through their rule 16.4 guardian) in complex welfare cases and is known as a tenacious advocate both inside and outside of court.

She has wide experience in the representation of parents and children in private law proceedings. These include experience of:

complex child arrangement proceedings; cases involving Re W determinations and where appropriate, the cross-examination of children (and other vulnerable witnesses); cases with an international element including international relocation; applications relating to surrogacy; female genital mutilation (FGM); forced marriage; adoption.

Rebecca represented the children, instructed by the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), in a case spanning 27 months. The case concerned a finding of parental alienation by one expert of two, and the impact of domestic violence on child arrangements. The proceedings were described by the expert psychiatrist as “about as acrimonious as they get”.

To view this reported case, please click here.

Rebecca also receives instructions in applications for injunctive relied under the Family Law Act 1996.

Public Law Children

Rebecca is regularly instructed on behalf of local authorities, parents (including those with learning difficulties), intervenors and guardians in public law proceedings. Rebecca has received instruction in cases involving the following:

ongoing neglect; substance misuse and addiction; serious physical, psychological and/or sexual harm; life-changing injuries occasioned to children; fabricated/induced illness; child death; jurisdictional issues; deprivations of liberty; cases with an international element; cases with linked criminal proceedings.

Rebecca has experience dealing with interim hearings, finding of fact hearings, final hearings and appeals up to High Court level including cases involving the invocation of the inherent jurisdiction.

Rebecca approaches each case with care and a determination to achieve the best possible outcome for her lay client. Rebecca is known for quickly identifying the most important aspects of a case, and for taking a command of matters in Court. She is also adept at swiftly building a rapport with clients, to ensure that they feel at ease and have confidence in her representation.

Rebecca has advised on claims arising under the Human Rights Act and for potential applications for Judicial Review.

English

The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn

Family Law Bar Association

West Midlands Family Law Bar Association

Family Rights Group

Young Legal Aid Lawyers

Midland Circuit

Black Country Junior Lawyers Division

Bar Professional Training Course, Nottingham Law School, 2015

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Birmingham, 2014