Question 1

Annulment

Accepted Answer

Obtained an annulment of a marriage due to non-consummation between the spouses.

Question 2

Civil Dissolution​

Accepted Answer

Amicably settled a civil dissolution and a clean break between two civil partners, with our client retaining the former family home for an equitable lump sum. Settled a civil dissolution and a clean break between two civil partners, with my client retaining the former family home.

Question 3

Divorce & Family Finances​

Accepted Answer

Negotiated and amicably settled a divorce and favourable financial relief matter on behalf of a husband. Successfully pursued a financial relief application resulting in a substantive financial order and pension equalisation order favourable to wife. Obtained a freezing injunction on a husband's solely owned freehold commercial property to prevent a sale and thereafter pursued a contested application for financial relief for the wife. Secured a settlement in which our client obtained 100% of the husband's assets disclosed in proceedings due to his non-compliance and non-disclosure of business and financial interests. Represented wife in an ultra-high-net-worth matrimonial case resulting in a significant award for our client. Represented a wife in heavily contested proceedings and was awarded a significant lump sum to meet her housing needs arising out of a fairly short marriage. Represented wife in a medium-length marriage and obtained a transfer of the family home to her due to husband's non-engagement in proceedings. Negotiated and amicably settled a divorce and financial relief matter without having to engage in the court process. Acted on behalf of wife whilst husband was litigant in person in prison. Amicably settled a divorce and made a successful proposal obtaining a clean break on capital and income between the parties. Acted on behalf of wife and reached an agreement whereby she would stay in the former family home until the youngest child reached the age of 18.

Question 4

Domestic Abuse

Accepted Answer

Obtained an occupation order for a vulnerable wife who was being abused by her husband in the family home. Obtained a non-molestation order for client who was at risk of honour-based violence. The order successfully protected the client from her husband and her husband’s family who had been physically and emotionally abusing the client and her child. Made a successful application to discharge a non-molestation order with immediate effect.

Question 5

​International Law​

Accepted Answer

Pursued a successful jurisdiction race in the English courts and thereafter a heavily contested financial relief application involving foreign assets concluding with a favourable outcome for transfer of joint property to husband and costs order against the wife. Represented the Mother in international child abduction proceedings in which the Mother was alleged to have wrongfully removed the child, contrary to an existing court order, to a foreign jurisdiction. The Mother disputed this and raised significant concerns of abuse. A complicating factor was that the Father had removed the child from the Mother from the foreign jurisdiction and taken the child to yet another jurisdiction. The matter was heard over several days in the High Court and the child was eventually returned home for substantive welfare hearings.

Question 6

Local Authority / Care Proceedings

Accepted Answer

Concluded lengthy care proceedings with children being returned to our client under a Child Arrangement Order. Secured the return to family of a teenage daughter who was in foster care and subsequently a specialist Child Sexual Exploitation unit throughout proceedings. Prevented a child being adopted concluding with the new born baby being placed with paternal family in Algeria. Represented a father accused of holding extremist views in care proceedings. Secured the return of the children to the father and proved that there was no evidence that he holds extremist views or that his children were at risk of being radicalised. Successfully submitted on behalf of a mother that a fresh assessment of the family be undertaken at a final hearing and opposed the Local Authority’s recommendation of removal of children. The assessment was positive, and the Guardian and Local Authority changed their recommendation of removal of all children. Ensured that proper support and assistance was put in place for a mother with alcohol problems after the Local Authority recommended her child be removed at the initial and final hearing. The final hearing was adjourned, the mother accessed the support, made the requisite changes and the Local Authority recommended that the child remain in the care of the mother. Represented a mother with mental health issues whose child was being threatened with removal by the Local Authority due to her detention in hospital. A working together agreement was negotiated and the child remained in the care of his mother. Represented a father in Lithuania whose child had been removed by the Local Authority in London. Successfully obtained an assessment by an independent social worker who positively assessed the father and recommended that the child live with him in Lithuania. ​Represented a Father in care proceedings in a matter involving allegations of neglect; parental conflict; lack of engagement with professionals and drug use. Initially only 1 of the Father’s 3 children were placed in his care. Partway through proceedings the older 2 children were placed in his care as concerns regarding his parenting were minimal. The matter ended with a Child Arrangements Order made in favour of the Father and a Supervision Order. Successfully represented a mother during care proceedings for her second child in circumstances where there was less than a year since the removal and adoption of her first child. The mother was able to demonstrate sufficient change to allow the child to remain with her in a mother and baby foster placement. Following those proceedings, the Local Authority sought removal of the child later in the year alleging mother had not sustained the changes she was required to make. Argued successfully to have the case dismissed and to allow her to keep care of her child and for steps to be taken for her to move into the community. Represented a Mother in care proceedings in respect of her two children in a matter involving mental health issues; alleged drug abuse and historic domestic abuse. The older child was initially removed at the outset of proceedings under an Interim Care Order and placed with foster carer’s while the younger child remained in the parent’s care. The matter was successfully ended with reunification of the older child with the family and a Supervision Order. Represented a Father in the family’s second set of care proceedings in a matter concerning ongoing parental acrimony; ongoing drug use; allegations of domestic abuse and lack of emotional attunement towards the child in circumstances where the Father’s contact was constantly at risk of disruption. The matter was successfully ended with a Supervision Order and a shared life with order between the parent’s including substantial overnight contact to the Father. Assisted counsel at multiple court hearings for a complex case where the father had taken his children to Lebanon and the Local Authority has issued proceedings to have them returned to the UK. Supported the client throughout the hearings and assisted in the communication between all parties concerned. Represented a client who had mental health difficulties in a PLO matter where her children were being threatened with removal by the Local Authority due to her mental health and the aggressions in the home. An agreement was negotiated between the parties and the children remained in the parent’s care. Represented a client with her child protection matter, ensuring that measuring were in place to protect both her and the child and assisting the client to ensure that the necessary steps on the child protection plan were followed.

Question 7

Nuptial Agreements

Accepted Answer

Drafted a pre-nuptial agreement on behalf of wife in order to protect her future inheritance. Advised client on the implications of entering into a pre-nuptial agreement and advised that she would have more security if she did not enter into the agreement. Prepared a pre-nuptial agreement for a client to protect significant pre-marital assets and inheritance.

Question 8

Private Law Children

Accepted Answer

Successfully represented the Respondent in contested private children proceedings from the initial FHDRA to successful settlement at a DRA. The case involved allegations of domestic abuse which on initial consideration were deemed insufficient to justify further involvement from Cafcass. Successfully argued that the issues were significant and that given the history between the parties and concerns as to the Applicant’s mental health and therefore that any contact should be supervised in a contact centre so as to allow a s7 report to be prepared. Upon receipt of the s7 report which recommended a ‘lives with’ order to the Respondent, was able to negotiate a settlement at the DRA stage without the need for a Final Hearing. Settling a lengthy and contested divorce and child arrangement matters for a relative of a prominent British politician. Agreeing a consent order for a child arrangement order further to a relocation of the mother. Represented the Applicant after the issuing of proceedings for urgent orders in light of ongoing difficulties between the parties and significant concerns as to the emotional wellbeing of the children in light of self-harm behaviours and increasingly anxious behaviour. Prepared a detailed statement setting out the concerns of both the Applicant and in relation to the children and making clear the need for a consistent, stable routine for contact arrangements and that issues needed to be dealt with mutually between the parties. Following receipt of a positive s7 report, was able to assist in successfully negotiating a settlement between the parties at a DRA. There was significant back and forth negotiations which meant that initially there appeared no scope for agreement and that a Final Hearing would be necessary. Careful analysis of the s7 recommendations and creative considerations for contact arrangements meant a final agreement could be agreed leading to a significant saving in time and costs. ​Return of a child to a London borough after a mother had fled with no notice to the father and thereafter for residency of the child to change in the father's favour. Order for change of a children's first names back to the initial birth certificate registration after the mother had unanimously changed the children's names without the father's consent. Represented father in a contested children matter and achieved a return of children who had been abducted to Iraq, as well a custodial sentence for the mother who had abducted them during the 2004 Iraq War (Re Kechiche [2005] EWHC 2184 (Fam)). Represented father and successfully obtained a transfer of living arrangements of the children in his favour. Obtained a child arrangement order for a client whose husband was subjecting her to domestic abuse and honour-based violence. The husband made two further applications but were both dismissed at the initial hearings as severe violence against the client and her children was successfully proven. Represented a mother in complex case regarding parental responsibility as the mother was suffering with a life-threatening condition in hospital and lacked capacity to consent to child’s vaccinations and where he should reside while she is unable to care for him. Obtained the use of intermediary support at Court for an elderly client and a client with severe traumatic brain injury. This support assists vulnerable clients in understanding the process and helping them to communicate their views, and ultimately ensures the client has a fair hearing. Represented the Mother in proceedings during which the Father would raise ongoing allegations of harm by the Mother against the child and sought to have the child removed from her care and placed in his care with limited contact. Successfully disputed the allegations and obtained a sole lives with order in favour of the Mother. Represented a client in extremely acrimonious proceedings where the father would accuse mother of abducting the child; making false allegations and where he refused to provide consent . Finding of fact made against the father in respect of domestic abuse and the court ordered that permission be given to the client to visit her family abroad for 6 weeks. The child remained living with the client and no contact ordered due to risks.​ Represented the Respondent Mother in an ongoing private law matter, having taken the matter on after the first hearing having concluded. Successfully persuaded the court that the behaviour of the Applicant alongside third party evidence of the same constituted domestic abuse. Obtained an injunction during the course of the proceedings and ultimately obtained a pre-emptive s91(14) order on behalf of the Mother. Represented the Mother in a lengthy dispute involving allegations against her and her new partner of harming her 4 children. The Father took the children into his care and refused to return them due to concerns of harm. Following lengthy and acrimonious proceedings, successfully had all 4 children returned to the care of the Mother and a finding of domestic abuse made against the Father. Agreeing a consent order for a children arrangement order on behalf of father. Successfully obtained a specific issue order for the return of a child so contact can take place with mother. Amicably agreed where the children will live and how much time they will spend with each parent and prepared a parenting plan to reflect the agreement reached. Represented a vulnerable mother in private law children proceedings and pursuing a case to ensure that she and her child were protected from risk of harm from the applicant. Assisted in cross-referencing three separate statements of the opponent to ensure the client was able to consistently respond to all issues raised in a contentious CAO matter involving significant disputed allegations of domestic abuse. Advised a client following previous children proceedings, negotiated and liaised with the other side, then filed an urgent application to represent the respondent mother on an enforcement matter. Represented a respondent mother on a child arrangements matter where there had been past domestic abuse and pursuing a case to ensure that contact arrangements between the child and father were in a safe environment with no risk of harm to either the child or mother. Assisted instructing solicitor and counsel in a private children matter who represented respondent mother. The Father had made an application for a CAO to see the children but due to the length of time with no contact, mother was seeking indirect contact only in order to safeguard the children due to previous domestic abuse by the father which they had witnessed. Assisted by way of communication between the parties, attending court hearings and drafting, considering and amending court documents.

Question 9

Wills & Lasting Power of Attorney

Accepted Answer

Prepared mirror wills for clients to include a provision to appoint a Guardian for their young children in case they pass away while their children are minors. Drafted a will for a client to ensure their estate will be dealt with in accordance with their wishes on their death. Severed joint tenancy for a client and subsequently prepared a will on their behalf to ensure their ex-spouse would not inherit their share in the property. Prepared property and financial Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for a client to allow her daughter to be able to access her bank accounts immediately. Prepared a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), as well as a Property and Finance Lasting Power of Attorney for a husband and wife to appoint their three children to act jointly as their Attorneys. Revoked Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for a client and prepared replacements to reflect their new wishes and appoint a different Attorney.

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