Practice Overview

Siobhan is a leading junior and specialist family practitioner with extensive experience in all aspects of the law relating to children. She is “Amazingly robust, she gets through to the root of the case and is incredibly effective.” and “A force to be reckoned with who will fight hard for the client”. Her main area of practice lies in acting for children, parents, and extended family members in public law proceedings. She is frequently instructed to represent young mothers within care proceedings. 

  • Children (Public Law)

    Siobhan is regularly instructed on highly complex matters including those involving the death of children, extensive medical evidence, allegations of non-accidental injury and extreme sexual abuse. She has detailed knowledge of cases related to factitious induced illness and cases in which there are parallel criminal proceedings. 

  • Children (Private Law)

    Siobhan has a particular familiarity with representing children in private law applications whether through their guardian in Rule 16.4 cases or separately. She represents parents within any private law parental disputes, with a specific emphasis on applications for domestic and international relocation. 

  • International Family Law

    Siobhan is experienced in cases involving the international movement of children including both convention and non-convention abduction cases and other matters with an international element. 

  • Court of Protection

    Siobhan undertakes court of protection cases and particularly in those cases which overlap with public law proceedings.

  • Notable Cases

    D (A Child), Re (Abduction: Child's Objections: Representation of Child Party) [2023] EWCA Civ 1047 

    A Local Authority v The Mother & Ors [2020] EWHC 1233

    C (Children: Covid-19: Representation) [2020] EWCA Civ 734

    K (Threshold – Cocaine Ingestion – Failure to give evidence) [2020] EWHC 2502

    Re TA (A child) [2016] EWFC 21

    Re R BL (A Child) (Supervision Order) [2015] Lexis Citation 47 

    A&B (Children) [2013] EWHC 4150

    A & B (Children) [2014] EWHC 818

    The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham v SG & Ors [2014] EWHC 3761 

    A Local Authority v J [2008] EWHC 1484

    Westminster City Council v RA, B AND S [2005] EWHC 970

    RE S (Identification: Restrictions on Publication) [2003] EWCA Civ 963 

    Re M (Intractable Contact Dispute: Interim Care Order) [2003] EWHC 1024

Chambers and Partners

Ranked

Band 2 - 2023

Legal 500

Leading Junior

Tier 5 - 2023