01604 210 979

Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Domestic Violence

Profile
Rachel Watkins is a family law specialist with extensive experience in complex and serious public and private law proceedings. Rachel’s expertise spans the full range of child related matters including those involving non-accidental injury, incest, and honour based violence with many cases having the added complexity of concurrent criminal proceedings.
Rachel is regularly instructed by local authorities, the Official Solicitor, parents, children’s guardians, children who require separate representation, intervenors and other persons seeking orders in respect of a child. Rachel also accepts instructions on a direct access basis.

Cases feature:
• Serious non-accidental injury
• Incest
• Forced marriage
• Deprivation of liberty
• Mental health and litigation capacity
• Honour based violence
• Chronic neglect
• Children beyond parental control
• Clients with learning difficulties
• Child arrangement orders including protracted disputes in relation to contact
• Removal from the jurisdiction of England and Wales
• Changing of a child’s name or school
• Domestic violence including non-molestation and occupation orders

Memberships
Middle Temple
Registered pupillage supervisor

Cases
S-L (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 1022 (Court of Appeal)

Y and E (Children) (Sexual Abuse Allegations) [2019] EWCA Civ 206 (Court of Appeal)

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01604 210 979

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]

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01604 210 979


Specialist areas
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements
Adoption and Special Guardianship

Profile
Grant is an experienced specialist family law practitioner in public and private children law. Grant always fights for the rights of his clients and has the ability to disseminate the most complex cases into the key facts in a calm manner, whilst providing clear and realistic advice. Grant uses his forensic approach to complex cases and skilled advocacy whilst maintaining a calm and warm manner with his clients. Grant has the experience of working with the most vulnerable individuals who have suffered significant trauma in their lives, and regularly works with intermediaries on particularly emotionally charged and complex cases.

Grant acts on behalf of parents, children’s guardians, children and intervenors in a wide range of cases:

• Serious non-accidental injury
• Fabricated and/or induced illness
• Sexual Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Chronic Neglect
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse (including FDAC proceedings)
• Adoption including Revocation of Adoption
• Special Guardianship
• Secure Accommodation/Deprivation of Liberty
• Child arrangements disputes, including intractable contact disputes

Education
University:
University of Leicester (BA)
Warwick Business School (MBA)

Law School:
BPP London (2005)

Memberships/Scholarships
Family Law Bar Association
Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
– Richard York Scholarship (2006)
– CPE Scholarship (2005)

What our clients are saying
Grant has a reputation for his high level of advocacy, demonstrating his forensic ability to find the ‘needle in the haystack’ and to always fight for his client. He is truly client focused and robust in his approach, whilst remaining calm in the ‘eye of the storm’. He cares about his clients and will do what is right whilst always being professional providing advice in a straightforward and direct style. Grant represents clients in the County Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.

Cases
Re X, T, A, E &S [2020] EWCA Civ 1680 (Court of Appeal – NAI Fact Finding -Judge had erred in his approach. It was not open to the Judge to find that T self-harmed as a result of the conduct of the parents.

Re S [2020] EWCA Civ 1382 (Court of Appeal – Judge had erred in his approach to, and analysis of, the medical evidence and findings of fact relating to a serious head injury suffered by the child.)

Re H-B-S [2020] EWCA Civ 1027 (Court of Appeal – Judge had been wrong to discharge interim care orders in the middle of a fact finding)

Re AB, CD, XB & YD [2020] EWFC 15 – (High Court – Fabricated Illness, Sexual Abuse – Finding of Fact – client exonerated)

Re T (A Child) sub nom OCC v (1) A (Mother) (2) B (Father) (3) T (BY Guardian) (4 & 5) C & D (Paternal Aunt & Uncle) (2017) (Successful challenge to Foster to Adopt – child returned to the family)

Re S [2015] (non-reported) – (Non-accidental injury (fracture) to a 6 month old baby – Finding of Fact hearing –child returned home to family)

Re P [2015] (a child) NCC v (1) LC (2) GA (3) P
[2010] EWCA Crim 1348

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01604 210 979

Specialist areas
Adoption and Special Guardianship
Care Proceedings
Child Arrangements

Profile
Samantha Dunn is an experienced and established family law practitioner that has specialised primarily in care proceedings. Samantha provides clients with frank but sensitive advice enabling them to make informed decisions throughout the duration of the case. Samantha thoroughly cares about the work that she undertakes and will often go ‘above and beyond’ for the benefit of her lay and professional clients. She is a tenacious and persuasive advocate adept in both negotiation and court room advocacy skills.

She has experience representing a number of Local Authorities, Guardians, parents and other interested parties / intervenors in cases involving:

• Serious non-accidental injuries (fractures – including baby-shake cases, bruising, sexual abuse cases);
• Physical and sexual abuse of children and / or adults;
• Fabricated and/or induced illness;
• Female Genital Mutilation;
• Chronic neglect, emotional and psychological abuse;
• Drug and alcohol abuse (including FDAC proceedings);
• Adults or children with learning difficulties and / or disabilities;
• Domestic Violence / Domestic Abuse (including honour-based violence);
• Adoption;
• Special Guardianship;
• Child arrangements disputes, including intractable contact disputes and alienation;
Samantha is qualified to accept instructions on a Direct Access basis.

Education
University:
University of Derby (2007)

Law School:
University of Nottingham (2008)

Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Middle Temple

What our clients are saying
Samantha is renowned for her no-nonsense straight-talking approach. She has excellent client care skills and will provide clients with firm but sensitive advice to ensure they are equipped and empowered to make the right choices throughout their litigation.

Cases
Re W-A (Children: Foreign Conviction) [2022] EWCA Civ 1118

T (A Child: Fact Finding) [2014] EWFC B115 (12 September 2014)

NCC v L & Anor [2014] EWHC 4828 (Fam) (21 July 2014)

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01604 210 979

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

Re A & B [2022] EWFC 44

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 (A Child) [2020] EWFC 34

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.

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