AREAS OF PRACTICE

Family / Childcare Law

Liz specialises in family/childcare law and has practiced in that field for over 20 years. Her particular expertise lies in public law children related issues. She has acted for parents, Local Authorities, children's guardian and the Official Solicitor, including long running High Court public law matters.

She has extensive experience in cases where there are allegations of sexual abuse and physical abuse of all types including Munchausen by Proxy.

In Private Law, Liz has considerable experience of residence, contact and removal of children from their jurisdiction.

Increasingly Liz is sought out to represent clients with speech/language difficulties and learning disabilities, as she has a huge amount of personal experience to draw upon.

Recently Liz undertook the Bar Council's Direct Access training.

SIGNIFICANT RECENT CASES

M & L (Children) (2007) EWCA Civ 1307

Acted for the Mother in Care proceedings where findings were sought that stepfather had sexually abused her daughter and physically and sexually abused the mother also. The issue on appeal was if the Judge had erred in considering the allegations of abuse by the father upon the mother when determining any “lingering doubts” he had in respect of the stepdaughter’s evidence. The appeal was dismissed.

T (a Child) (2010) EWCA Civ 1585

Acted as Senior Counsel for the Local Authority in the County Court, in a Finding of Fact hearing that lasted 35 days. There were 9 interveners and allegations that the father had sexually abused his two children and incited the interveners to do the same. The issue on appeal is whether the costs of the privately funded paternal grandparents who were interveners, and exonerated from all findings sought against them, should be paid by the Local Authority. In the Court of Appeal I was led by Janet Bazley QC. The Local Authority was ordered to pay the costs of the grandparents. The decision of the Supreme Court regarding leave to appeal is awaited

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS / APPOINTMENTS

Family Law Bar Association
North Eastern Circuit

Bar Pro Bono Unit