St John's Buildings

Family - Children

Harriet specialises in all areas of the law relating to children.

Harriet is regularly instructed at all stages of public law proceedings, with particular focus on multi-day final and fact-finding hearings. She takes instructions from all parties, ranging from vulnerable clients, intervenors, parents, children, and local authorities. She has appeared at all levels of proceedings, including lengthy proceedings in the High Court.

Harriet is frequently instructed to represent parties at urgent hearings at short notice.  Harriet’s workload includes, but is not limited to, dealing with a wide range of issues such as neglect, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, non-accidental injury, and parental alienation.

Harriet has experience of drafting detailed threshold documents, case summaries and providing advice to clients at all stages of proceedings.

Harriet also regularly acts for parents and relatives in disputes over contact and residence. She has experience in working for complainants or alleged perpetrators in domestic violence cases.

Harriet has a particular interest and experience of dealing with complex cases involving medical issues and serious allegations and has appeared in a number of multi-day final and fact-finding hearings.

Before joining the Bar, Harriet was a caseworker for a medico-legal charity supporting families through the inquest process. She also worked as part of a team at a multi-national law firm working on the Ian Paterson (rogue breast surgeon) litigation, which led to a £37million global settlement across more than 750 claims.