St John's Buildings

Crime, Family - Children

In her Criminal practice, Nicola is an experienced Crown Court advocate. She has prosecuted and defended a wide variety of offences from rape to importation of drugs, burglary to serious assaults. She is a member of the CPS rape panel and regularly prosecutes in cases involving sexual offences, including those of an historic nature and those involving child complainants.

She has been junior counsel in murder trials including disclosure junior in a multi-handed gang murder in Sheffield.

She is experienced in dealing with offences involving child witnesses and other vulnerable witnesses.

Nicola also has a wide range of experience in relation to family cases. She undertakes all aspects of children work, both private and public law.

In public law she appears for local authorities, parents and children. She has extensive experience of representing local authorities in cases including those with multiple parties and a number of experts. She has represented parents with learning difficulties, victims of domestic violence and those with addiction problems. She has represented parents and the child in complex fact finding hearings. Through her criminal practice she has gained extensive experience of conducting cases involving young and vulnerable witnesses and is able to effectively transfer this experience into the family court.

She represents parents in all forms of private law disputes including those where a children’s guardian has been appointed. She has regularly appeared on behalf of parties in non-molestation and occupation order applications including those with allegations of significant and sustained domestic violence.

Nicola was born and raised in the Sheffield area and then studied Law at Magdalen College, Oxford. She was called to the Bar in 2001 and completed pupillage at 18 Red Lion Court, London before moving back to Sheffield and joining Chambers in 2002.