St John's Buildings

Family - Children

Jessica is a children family law specialist. She is experienced in all stages of proceedings, including multi-day fact-finding and final hearings, and in appeals. Jessica has a particular interest in cases with an international element and non-accidental injury cases.

Jessica is regularly instructed in public law proceedings, acting on behalf of local authorities, parents and children through their Guardian. Her practice encompasses a wide range of issues which includes but is not limited to: domestic abuse; non-accidental injury; neglect; drug/alcohol misuse; sexual abuse; parents and children with disabilities, and child abduction. Jessica also has experience in cases involving deprivation of liberty and secure accommodation.

Jessica is experienced in drafting case summaries, threshold documents, skeleton arguments and schedules and summaries of findings.

Jessica also has extensive experience representing parents and extended family members in private children matters. She is regularly instructed in sensitive and highly emotive private children cases including those with allegations of domestic violence, rape and parental alienation, and private law cases with a public law dimension. She is equally adept in cases involving specific issues such as change of name or school and prohibited steps.

Jessica has a particular interest in matters with an international element and has experience of advising and representing parties in internal and international relocation cases.

Jessica was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in 2017, having been awarded the Jules Thorn Scholarship. She completed pupillage in 2019 at 36 Family (part of The 36 Group) in London and practiced there for two years before moving to the Northern Circuit in 2021.