Rebecca is recognised as a capable lawyer and advocate who is known for her organised practice; strategic thinking; legal knowledge and expertise. She has extensive experience in dealing with extremely vulnerable adults who suffer from mental illness and learning disabilities and with younger clients. Rebecca is adept at explaining complicated legal processes and evidence to lay clients and providing advice in an empathetic manner and in a way that the client understands.

Rebecca regularly acts for Local Authorities running cases with complex evidence and where there are conflicting opinions held. Rebecca maintains good relationships with the social workers involved and assists to ensure that decision making is made effectively and efficiently enable positive progress of the case and the children involved.

Rebecca receives instructions in all areas of public and private family law and has particular expertise in issues of international law and cases with complex factual matrices.

Rebecca acts on behalf of local authorities, parents, children and family members in public law proceedings. She is regularly instructed in cases with allegations of sexual abuse, violence, non-accidental injury, neglect and substance misuse. Rebecca has been instructed Counsel and led junior in cases involving allegations of serious sexual abuse against children and non-accidental injures including brain injuries. She is adept at marshalling large volumes of medical evidence and has experience of cases in which the expert evidence is conflicting. Rebecca has dealt with contested leave to oppose adoption and adoption cases. Rebecca also has experience of cases involving an international element and providing advice to local authorities regarding processes to be followed where children are removed from this country without permission.

In private law proceedings, Rebecca is instructed on behalf of parents, children and extended family members in the full range of applications. These include difficult cases of implacable hostility, shared care arrangements, special guardianship and fact-finding hearings regarding domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Notable Cases

Re J (2022) – private law case for the Guardian involving cross-examination of children in respect of allegations of sexual abuse.

Re T (2020 – 2022) – Representing a Mother with significant mental health difficulties in a case with a plan of adoption where there were family members willing and able to provide a home for the children.

Re NM (2021) – Representing a LA where proceedings were initially brought as a result of long-term neglect but sexual abuse allegations were made during the course of proceedings.

Re G (2021) – representing the LA in a case where the family removed the child to Romania without the LA’s position when an ICO was in force.

Re A (2020-2021) – Junior. Representing an adult intervenor alleged to have perpetrated sexual abuse when he was a young child. The case included part-time submissions to finalise the case prior to hearing the respondents evidence.

Re P (2020) – Representing a Mother with learning and physical difficulties in a care case with a plan of adoption

Re A (2019-2020) – Representing a Father in a public law case in which he was alleged to have bitten his child and issues of domestic abuse. This case involved a number of experts and cultural issues.

Re M (2018) – Junior led by QC. Representing the LA in a case involving non-accidental injury where underlying medical conditions was an issue and involved and numerous experts.

Re N (2017-2018) – representing a mother in a protracted private law case involving numerous and serious cross-allegations of domestic and sexual abuse. Findings were made against the Father.

Training & Seminars

Rebecca has provided training to local authorities in respect of legal issues including: public law cases with an international element; private law proceedings where local authorities are involved including the use of Family Assistance Orders; the use of s.20 and s.17; the legal framework for Care and Supervision orders and the evidence required for leave to oppose applications. In addition Rebecca has also been involved in ‘court craft’ training for social workers.

Rebecca has also provided training for social workers in Court of Protection proceedings including the use of ‘best interests’ assessments and the evidence required for the court to make informed decisions.