Call: 2000 (Inner Temple)
Associations: Family Law Bar Association, Midland Circuit
Education: LLB Hons, MPhil (Keele)
Practice Areas: Family Law
Suzanne has a successful practice covering all areas of family law. After a successful business career, she was an employed barrister before practising briefly as a solicitor-advocate and then transferring to the independent bar with considerable experience in civil matters.
Family Law
Suzanne specialises in all areas of family law including public and private law and financial remedy cases. Suzanne is pleased to accept instructions on a direct access basis.
Public Family Law
Suzanne is regularly instructed by parents and other family members, guardians, local authorities and intervenors in the County Court, High Court and Court of Appeal. She is experienced in cases involving sexual abuse, non accidental injuries, emotional abuse and neglect and is often instructed for vulnerable clients who specific skills from counsel. Suzanne has been instructed in cases involving complex medical and forensic evidence, ABE interviews as well as wardship cases involving international abduction. Suzanne appears on a regular basis in the County Court, High Court on the Midland and Northern Circuits as well as the Central Family Court in London and Court of Appeal.
Private Family Law
Suzanne is regularly instructed by parents and other family members in respect of contact/residence often for vulnerable clients in cases involving domestic abuse/violence and intractable contact disputes.
Suzanne is also instructed on financial remedy cases, often involving complex finances of high value as well as TOLATA applications. Suzanne appears on a regular basis in the County Court, High Court on the Midland and Northern Circuits as well as the Central Family Court in London and Court of Appeal.
Notable Cases
B v A [2011]
Re A [2012]
A v N [2014]
Re J [2015]
S v W [2015]
Re GWC [2016]
Recent Cases
C v B (Children Act Proceedings in the County Court) – Lengthy contested Children Act proceedings where the Respondent Father acted in person. Suzanne represented the Applicant Mother in heavily contested proceedings and was successful in securing final protective Orders for the Mother and her children including extended Non-Molestation Order and s.91 (14) restriction preventing Father from bringing further Applications without leave of the Court.
S v K & Others (Financial Relief Proceedings in the County Court) – Complex Final Hearing in Financial Relief Proceedings where Applicant acted in person against 6 Respondents who were all members of the same family. Suzanne represented two Respondents in contested Final Hearing where the Applicant acted in person. The case involved multiple parties many of whom held a financial interest in the various marital assets. After a 7 day Final Hearing, Suzanne successfully secured a final Order in her clients’ favour with an Order that the Applicant pay the costs of the proceedings.
Personal
Outside chambers Suzanne is a keen participant and fan of several sporting and outdoor activities and enjoys music.
Languages spoken: French, German, Italian.