Practice Overview
Jessica specialises in all areas of family law relating to children, including private law and public law cases.
Jessica’s public law work often involves serious allegations of injuries and complex medical evidence or allegations of FII. Jessica represents local authorities, Guardian’s and parents, and is extremely experienced in cases involving clients with significant vulnerabilities. Jessica appears regularly in the High Court and has recently been in the Court of Appeal on a range of Appeals as part of her public law practice.
Jessica undertakes instructions for private law cases including child arrangements and surrogacy. Jessica has a strong practice in cases involving allegations of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour. Jessica has been counsel in the two, significant Appeals when the Court of Appeal considered the definitions of domestic abuse and how the family courts should approach such applications. Jessica also appears in the High Court in cases of international child abduction and Wardship.
Jessica has undertaken a significant project advising a foreign government on family law reform.
Jessica also undertakes financial remedies work, with a particular interest in pre and post nuptial agreements.
-
Children (Private Law)
In private law disputes, Jessica is known for her experience and her calm approach in complex cases and those involving parental alienation. Jessica regularly represents parents, grandparents and children. Jessica is experienced in applications for leave to remove from the jurisdiction.
She also advises same-sex couples regarding surrogacy, adoption and child arrangements.
-
Children (Public Law)
In public law cases, Jessica undertakes issues of non-accidental injuries, fictitious illness, sexual abuse, and other complex cases. She accepts applications under the inherent jurisdiction in respect of children and persons under disability. She is experienced at working on abduction applications to remove from the jurisdiction (convention and non-convention countries).
Jessica is expert at care and adoption cases. In such cases she has frequently represented local authorities, parents, Guardians, and has taken instruction via the Official Solicitor.
-
Court of Protection
Jessica regularly appears in the Court of Protection.
-
Family Finance & Property
Jessica is experienced in all areas of financial remedy applications, from pre-proceedings negotiations, onwards through to final hearings. She has also worked on pre-nuptial agreements as well as on drafting and advisory work.
-
Other Information
Jessica was the Member of Parliament for Erewash 2010 – 2015, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP. Whilst in Parliament, Jessica was able to raise awareness on important issues of family law, holding debates on issues such as updating the law on surrogacy and adoption reforms.
Jessica is also a former Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Pro Bono and opened the family law pro bono law clinic at BPP Law School in 2013. She was made a Fellow of the Westminster Abbey Institute in 2015, following completion of the Fellows’ Programme. Her course mentor was The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss GBE PC.
Jessica was elected as a Bencher of the Hon. Society of Middle Temple in 2018.
Jessica is an approved advocacy trainer through Middle Temple. She teaches advocacy to pupils and teaches family law on the new practitioners’ programme.
Jessica has also been a Trustee of The Children’s Society.
-
Notable Cases
Greg Hazeltine, Re [2024] EWHC 2982
SA, Re (Declaration of Non-Recognition of Marriage) [2023] EWCA Civ 1003
Re JW (Child at Home under Care Order) [2023] EWCA Civ 944
London Borough of Barking & Dagenham v RM & Ors [2023] EWHC 777
Re C (‘Parental Alienation’; Instruction of Expert) [2023] EWHC 345
Re H-N and Others (children) (domestic abuse: finding of fact hearings) [2021] EWCA Civ 448
F (A Child) (Care Order : Deprivation of Liberty) [2021] EWHC 3527 (Fam)
PBM v TGT v Another [2019] EWCOP 6, [2019] WTLR 995
H (Children) [2015] EWCA Civ 115
E, A and L (Children) [2014] EWHC B22 (Fam)
G (A Child), Re Court of Appeal (Civil Division) [2012] EWCA Civ 1377(31 October 2012)
A Council v B (Children) (Fact-finding: Adoptive Child: Artificial Insemination) Family
Division, [2012] EWHC 4241 (Fam); [2013] 2 F.L.R. 1229(08 March 2012)
S v S [2009] All ER (D) 182
-
What the Directories Say
"Jessica is an authoritative and robust advocate who is always well-prepared for cases." Tier 3, Legal 500, 2025
"Jessica is an excellent barrister. She is courteous to opponents and judges alike. She retains an admirable calm in her court demeanour and advocacy, which is very effective in gaining the ear of the judge. She is always well-prepared, and her knowledge of the latest legal developments and case law is second to none." Legal 500, 2024
News
Legal 500
Leading Junior
2024
