All members of Senate House Chambers take on privately and publicly funded work at every level of court. Our barristers provide a wealth of specialist knowledge and experience.
International Child Law
Our specialist children’s law barristers deserve their reputation for providing expert advice and advocacy in international child law proceedings. All parties, including local authorities, parents, children, and CAFCASS, have benefited from their expertise.
Our barristers respond promptly to regular urgent calls for advice and representation in this critical sector. We understand that timing is everything and can make all the difference to the child or children in question. This applies to applications for injunctions, recovery and Wardship.
Our members undertake cases across all elements of international child law including:
Our international children’s law team have a detailed knowledge and understanding of all relevant international treaties, including The Hague Convention and Brussels II.
Our practitioners in this area also provide a dedicated out of hours advice and advocacy service in light of the need to ensure effective representation in cases such as these where time is so often of the essence.
For advice or representation that is timely, thorough and effective, contact us:
Tel – 01604 210 979
Fax – 01604 622 283
Email – clerks@senatehousechambers.com
Senate House Chambers International Child Law Team
Joint Head of Chambers
Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Domestic Violence
Profile
Penny Van Spall is an experienced child law practitioner specialising in both public and private law proceedings. Penny comes from a previous background of being a social worker and also a probation officer. Penny is able to deal with empathy and clear advice to those who struggle with capacity or mental health issues as well as those who are professional and articulate. Penny will work in an open fashion with clients and their instructing solicitors, assisting clients to understand the process and issues whilst also listening carefully to their respective instructions.
Penny acts on behalf of local authorities, parents, children’s guardians, competent children and intervenors in a wide range of cases including:
• Serious non-accidental injury
• Fabricated and/or induced illness
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Sexual abuse
• Concurrent criminal proceedings
• Children/ families where special educational needs
• Chronic neglect
• Drug and alcohol abuse (including FDAC proceedings)
• Adoption including adoptions with international elements
• Special Guardianship
• Domestic Violence
• Child arrangements disputes, including both live with and contact disputes
Education
Sunderland Polytechnic…BA(Hons)Communications Studies
Sheffield University…CQSW and Post Graduate
Diploma in App Socio Studies
Nottingham Law School…CPE
Nottingham Law School….Bar Vocational Course
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Midland Circuit
Gray’s Inn
What our clients are saying
Penny Van Spall is described as an experienced advocate who is skilled at dealing with difficult issues in a straight forward manner. Penny is a child focused and empathetic advocate who will give difficult advice when required. Penny works hard to explain matters to clients.
Cases
F v F (2007 EWHC 2543 [FAM]
Joint Head of Chambers
Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Representation of Children
Profile
Lianne Murphy is a highly experienced child law practitioner specialising in public law proceedings. She is adept at communicating with lay clients of all ages and cognitive abilities, managing each case with care and compassion. She works hard to ensure a level playing field for all clients, enabling them to fully engage with the legal process. Lianne’s highly developed forensic skills and medico-legal knowledge make her well suited to the rigorous demands of Non-Accidental Injury and Fabricated and Induced Illness cases. She is regularly led by King’s Counsel and often acts as a Leading Junior Counsel in more complex proceedings.
Lianne represents parents, children’s guardians, competent children and intervenors in a wide range of cases:
- Serious non-accidental injury
- Fabricated and/or induced illness, including hospital intervenors
- Female Genital Mutilation
- Concurrent criminal proceedings
- Human Rights Act claims arising from public law proceedings
- Chronic neglect
- Drug and alcohol abuse (including FDAC proceedings)
- Special Guardianship
Education
Inns of Court School of Law (2001)
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Lincoln’s Inn
What our clients are saying
Lianne Murphy is described as having ‘A first-class mind whose attention to detail in medical cases is second to none.” She is renowned for her in depth knowledge of Human Rights.
Lianne has consistently been listed as a leading junior in Family and Children Law in the Legal 500.
Cases
Z (A Child), Re [2020] EWFC B13
P (A Child), Re [2018] EWCA Civ 720 ([2018] 1 WLR 4486, [2018] 2 FLR 893, [2018] 3 FCR 9, [2018] EWCA Civ 720, [2018] WLR 4486, [2018] WLR(D) 228;
M (Care Proceedings: Finding of Fact Hearing: Fractures) [2017] EWFC B50 (14 July 2017)
Northamptonshire County Council v AS and Others [2015] EWCH 199
Devjee v Patel [2006] EWCA Civ 1211
Pro bono work
Lianne is very much committed to pro bono representation and is willing to continue to represent clients in circumstances were funding is no longer available and the interests of justice require continued representation.
Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Domestic Violence
Profile
Lucy Fairclough is an experienced advocate specialising in child law. Prior to specialising in family law, Lucy also practised at the criminal bar prosecuting and defending offences including serious sexual offences and domestic violence This background has provided Lucy with invaluable experience, skills and knowledge that is particularly beneficial in cases involving and issues of sexual abuse, non-accidental injury, domestic violence and in cases requiring cross examination of a child. In the court room Lucy is a robust and tenacious advocate; with her clients Lucy is able to give firm and clear advice whilst remaining compassionate and sympathetic.
Lucy acts on behalf of local authorities, parents, children’s guardians, competent children and intervenors in a wide range of cases:
• Serious non-accidental injury
• Fabricated and/or induced illness, including hospital intervenors
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Sexual abuse
• Concurrent criminal proceedings
• Human Rights Act claims arising from public law proceedings
• Chronic neglect
• Hearing impaired families
• Drug and alcohol abuse (including FDAC proceedings)
• Adoption including adoptions with international elements
• Special Guardianship
• Domestic Violence
• Child arrangements disputes, including intractable contact disputes
Education
University:
University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (2003)
Law School:
Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University (2005)
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Grays Inn
Midland Circuit
Women in Family Law
What our clients are saying
Lucy has a strong reputation for being a professional, accomplished and dedicated advocate who has particular skill in client care. Lucy is particularly adept in cases involving an intermediary and at managing vulnerable and challenging clients.
Cases
ED, RE [2015] EWFC B84 (29 May 2015)
hm@senatehousechambers.com | 01604 210 979
Specialist areas
Care Proceedings
Non-accidental injury
Perplexing presentation/ fabricated & induced illness
Non-accidental injury, Including child death
Complex medical evidence.
Profile
Hannah has been consistently ranked in the Legal 500 as a Tier 1 Leading Junior in Children Act cases for several years.
In February 2023, Hannah was appointed as assistant Coroner for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to support the Senior and Area Coroners across the full range of Coroner’s duties for the county, including presiding over inquests.
Hannah has significant experience and expertise in Public Law Children matters, and some private law children in cases where serious allegations are made. A specialist in complex proceedings, Hannah regularly appears in cases involving the most serious of allegations and has a wealth of experience both in being led by King’s Counsel and in leading other junior members of Chambers. Hannah regularly appears in High Court proceedings.
Hannah acts on behalf of Local Authorities, parents, children and interveners in a wide range of cases including:
• Cases involving child death
• Serious non-accidental injury
• Fabricated and induced illness
• Admission of children to hospital for treatment
• Sexual abuse
Hannah is routinely requested in cases where a detailed and forensic approach is required, her advocacy style is described as formidable and she is an extremely popular choice for lay and professional clients alike, particularly where cases require expert cross-examination. Hannah is regularly instructed in cases involving very complex medical evidence, she has a sound grasp of medical conditions and processes and understands how to forensically explore and challenge medical evidence in a way that penetrates the real issues at the heart of a case, whilst also ensuring that this sometimes impenetrable medical terminology is entirely understandable for the benefit of lay and professional clients alike.
Education
University: Nottingham Trent University (LLB 1st Class)
Law School: Nottingham Law School
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Inner Temple
Judicial Appointments
Assistant Coroner 2023
What our clients are saying
Legal 500 2023 – “Hannah is one of the best junior barristers in children’s law work. She is well known for having the expertise and experience to manage the most serious cases including those involving physical, sexual and emotional harm and cases concerning the fatality of a child. She is the go-to barrister who work extremely hard and is a formidable advocate.”
Chambers & Partners 2022 – “A respected barrister with a particular focus on public law proceedings. She is noted for her expert representation of parents but also acts for local authorities and children. She has experience in the Court of appeal.” “She has the ability to take on any issue even at the last minute. She works tirelessly on cases that she is instructed on, bringing a great deal of experience. She is a persuasive Court advocate.” “A magnet for complex family work in her area.”
Reported Cases
Central Bedfordshire Council v F & Ors [2022] EWFC 130
Y (Leave to oppose adoption) [2020] EWCA Civ 1287
Z (A Child), Re [2020] EWFC B13
Northamptonshire County Council v AB & Anor [2019] EWHC 1807 (Fam)
O (A Child): Interim Care Order [2019] EWCA Civ 583
H-L (Children: Summary Dismissal of Care Proceedings) [2019] EWCA Civ 704
P (A Child), Re [2018] EWCA Civ 720
ES (A Child), Re [2017] EWFC B96
ED, Re [2015] EWFC B84
X County Council v AB & CD [2015] EWFC 98
NCC v L & Anor [2014] EWHC 4828 (Fam)
Cooke, R (on the application of) v Director of Public Prosecutions [2008] EWHC 2703 (Admin)
Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Domestic Violence
Financial Remedy Proceedings
Profile
Andrew has developed a strong reputation in all areas of Family Disputes. He is regularly instructed in complex private and public law cases. He has developed a reputation as a fearless advocate who dispenses with advice in a frank and down to earth manner.
Professional clients can expect Andrew to be a team player, who goes the extra mile and values the importance of working together. Andrew is instructed across all levels of court allocation. He regularly deals with complex physical and sexual abuse allegations, and within the private law sphere has developed a trusted reputation for cases involving complex parental alienation.
Andrew represents Parents, Local Authorities, Children (directly or through their guardian), intervenors, grandparents and divorcees. Andrew without doubt has an ability to get straight to the point, he is a strong negotiator, and a resolute cross examiner.
Andrew is regularly instructed in cases involving complex issues such as; international relocation, parental alienation, significant substance misuse, mental health issues, domestic violence and non-accidental injury.
Andrew has participated as both Appellant and Respondent in many appeal hearings. A number of those appeals have resulted in re-hearings being directed.
Andrew also regularly accepts instructions directly from members of the public under the Direct Access scheme and sees many referrals as a consequence of his successes.
Education
University:
University of Sussex LL.B (Hons) Law (2009):
University of Edinburgh LL.M Law (2010)
Law School:
BPP Law School (London)
Bar Professional Training Course (2011)
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
What our clients are saying
Andrew is well known for getting results and having a strong presence in the court room. Known for good communication skills, robust advice, and a forensic cross examiner.
Cases
Bedford Borough Council v CD & Ors (Rev 1) [2020] EWHC 3298 (Fam)
Bedford Borough Council v CD & Ors (Rev 1) [2020] EWHC 1996 (Fam)
Re B [2023] Andrew represented a Local Authority in a legally complex case where there was a positively assessed special guardian, and a known prospective adopter, neither of which the child lived with at the time of the final hearing. Andrew successfully obtained care and placement orders on behalf of the Local Authority following legal argument.
Re DS [2022] Andrew represented a father where allegations were made of the most serious form of sexual abuse against both him and his brother in law. After a 10 day fact find where two sets of care proceedings were consolidated, no findings were made against Andrew’s client, who was exonerated, immediately allowed to return to the family home and the care proceedings were dismissed.
Re LM [2022] Andrew, led by Kings Counsel, gave difficult advice to compromise an appeal brought against his client in the Court of Appeal, recognising the decision of the first instance Judge and the actions of his client was not sustainable in law.
Re RM [2022] Andrew represented a father where significant historic findings had been made against him at an earlier fact find hearing and an application for further assessment of him had been refused. Following Andrew’s cross examination at the welfare hearing where care and placement orders were sought, the Judge acceded to Andrew’s application for expert risk assessment and an adjournment of the final hearing for that assessment to be completed.
Re D [2022] Andrew represented maternal family members during a lengthy welfare hearing at the High Court to determine where a child would live following the killing of her mother by the father. The father was held on remand for murder throughout the duration of the trial.
Re C [2022] Andrew sought an order for adoption on behalf of foster carers in a very complex case where the foster carers had cared for a child for almost 3 years at the time of the hearing, but where there was a positively assessed family member and the added complexity of linked care proceedings in relation to a sibling child being heard at the same time.
Re E [2021] Andrew represented a mother, led by Queens Counsel, where the parents were in the pool of possible perpetrators following discovery of two rib fracture during a routine X-Ray. Andrew’s team brought about the withdrawal of the case by the Local Authority and the parents were exonerated.
Re T [2021] Andrew successfully sought the transfer of living arrangements for two sibling children from the mother to the father where there had been earlier findings of parental alienation and a failed therapeutic process.
Re RN [2021] Andrew successfully sought findings on behalf of his client of the falsification of various allegations of domestic abuse including that the mother had falsified an allegation of attempted murder.
Re L [2021] Andrew dealt with a complex conjoined cases where the birth parents sought contact with a previously adopted sibling group in private proceedings at the same time as adoptive family were involved in public law proceedings following the breakdown of the adoptive placement.
Re CE (2020)
Andrew appeared for a mother, accused of parental alienation as assessed by a psychologist. Andrew was instructed late in the proceedings when a fact find, and welfare hearing were listed. His advice, and representation brought about agreement to the proceedings and resulted in the vacating of the fact find hearing and the child remaining in the care of his client.
Re B (2020)
On behalf of the children, Andrew successfully opposed an appeal brought by the parents and the children were removed into foster care and the conclusion of the appellate process.
Re TE (2020)
Andrew represented a father who faced a number of allegations of domestic violence over a decade. Following the fact find hearing the court found those allegations not proven and went on to find the mother was the aggressor in the relationship.
Re J (2020)
Andrew appeared as junior for a father to the sibling of a murdered child in the High Court. The case involved complex issues of non-disclosure, significant police disclosure, and a forensic enquiry into the conduct of foster carers at the welfare stage.
Re P (2019)
Andrew acted for the children where he sought the transfer of living arrangements of two children who were living with the mother to their father’s care. This was a complex parental alienation case where the mother had previously made serious allegations of abuse against the father. The children were successfully transitioned at the conclusion of the case.
Re H (2019)
Andrew appeared for a mother who made allegations of significant domestic violence and coercive control, including gaslighting and influence of the child. The proceedings had jurisdictional issues and the court ultimately found all the allegations made by the mother proven.
Re RJ (2018)
Andrew represented a father in a parental alienation case who faced twelve allegations of physical abuse against his child made by the mother. The court found none of these allegations proven and went on to find that the mother had alienated the children from the father and that the child was at risk of significant harm in the care of the mother.
Re PD (2018)
Andrew appeared on behalf of the mother and successfully sought an order for no direct contact between a child and her father. The court made the order sought by Andrew following his cross examination of a consultant psychiatrist, community psychiatric nurse, and CAFCASS officer who had all recommended that there be direct contact between the father and the child.
Re HW (2017) On behalf of a father, Andrew successfully appealed the decision of the lower court to make care and placement orders following a final hearing. The appeal consisted of two days of legal argument and was opposed by both the Local Authority and the children’s guardian. The appeal was allowed, and the matter listed for rehearing.
Re EW (2016)
Andrew, acting for a local authority, successfully appealed the decision of a District Judge to adjourn care and placement order applications for a further six months to allow time for the mother to engage in further theory. This was following a fully contested 7-day trial. The appeal consisted of two days of legal argument and was opposed by the legal teams on behalf of the mother and father.
Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Wardship
Profile
Paul has a busy and diverse family law practice, with an emphasis on public law Children Act proceedings. He acts for parents, local authorities, guardians and interveners and has appeared at all levels of the Family Court and the Court of Appeal. Paul’s practice includes cases involving non-accidental injuries, FII, neglect, substance misuse, mental health, physical & sexual abuse and domestic abuse.
Education
Law LLB (Hons) University of Sussex (2012)
BPTC Kaplan Law School (2013)
Languages
French – Proficient
British Sign Language – Basic
Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Middle Temple
What our clients are saying
Chambers & Partners 2023
Paul Froud is an expert in public children law. He handles a range of cases, from those dealing with sexual abuse to neglect and non-accidental injury matters.
Strengths: “Paul is a fierce and very knowledgeable barrister.”
“Paul has always gone above and beyond on several of my cases and his client service is impeccable.”
“He works incredibly hard on cases and always goes the extra mile to provide excellent client care. He is very popular with professional clients and guardians for his practical and well-prepared approach.”
Chambers & Partners 2022
An expert in public children law who represents local authorities, parents and guardians. He handles a range of cases, from those dealing with sexual abuse to neglect and non-accidental injury matters.
Strengths: “He is hard-working and has the ability to understand and grasp cases and to advocate the key issues with great skill.” “Paul is down-to-earth, practical and sensible. His position statements are always extremely accurate and persuasive. He fights his client’s corner and is not afraid to make waves where it is appropriate to do so.”
“I particularly singled out Mr Froud for his efforts. […]. In cross-examination and in submissions he did all he could to argue her case, fairly and with sincerity.”
HHJ Vincent, Family Court at Oxford (Re X [2018] EWFC B25)
Cases
Re Y (Leave to Oppose Adoption) [2020] EWCA Civ 1287
X and Y (Private Law – Change of Name – Termination of Parental Responsibility) [2021] EWFC B24