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Introduction
Nick is originally from the West Country. Prior to his training to become a Barrister he studied at Cambridge and Harvard. He also worked as a political lobbyist in Westminster.
Nick completed the Graduate Diploma in Law at Oxford Brookes University in 2004 and obtained a Distinction and in 2005 he completed the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London where he was graded Outstanding. During the course of his law studies, Nick was also awarded Lord Bowen and Lord Denning scholarships by Lincoln’s Inn.
In 2006 he completed a broad-based pupillage at St Philips and as a new tenant practised across a range of fields. He now practices in the area of Care Proceedings and also has an interest in cases involving Forced Marriage and FGM.
Nick has joined with other members of Chambers in providing seminars and lectures to Solicitors and Social Workers throughout the region. He has also published a number of articles in the area of Children Law (those on the retention of children after contact being short-listed for the inaugural Family Law Awards and being taught at University level).
Nick is very committed to what he does. He aims to provide a highly professional service and in a manner, he hopes, that is both approachable and sympathetic.
Public Law Care and Adoption
Nick represents Local Authorities, parents and children across the West Midlands. In particular, he has experience of cases involving inflicted injuries, sexual abuse (including inter-sibling), the placement of children in foreign jurisdictions, the murder of one parent by another and radicalization. He also has experience of representing the Police (and other parties) on applications relating to PII and of cases involving Forced Marriage and FGM.
Recent cases of particular note have included Nick representing:
- As Second Junior, a Mother facing allegations of intra-familial sexual abuse at a Fact Finding Hearing lasting four months
- A Grandmother securing the placement of her grandchildren with her in Jamaica and a £15,000 costs order against the Local Authority
- An 18-year-old foreign national securing his adoption by his British Aunt
- A Local Authority securing findings against parents that they had branded their baby with placement then to take place with extended family in rural Bangladesh
- A Father in proceedings for an FGMPO following admissions made in previous Care Proceedings that there had been an intention to arrange for FGM to take place
- A baby in proceedings for Care and Placement Orders where there was a successful application for the non-disclosure of her existence to her paternal family on account of her Mother being at risk of an “honour” killing
- A teenaged Mother securing the return of her baby following her involvement in CSE and gang culture
Published Cases:
- Re Y (A Child) (Care Proceedings: Fact Finding) [2016] EWFC 30; [2016] 2 FLR 1074; [2016] Fam Law 1080
- Re C (A Child) [2016] EWFC B110
- B (Care Proceedings: Finding of Fact Hearing: Skull Fractures) [2017] EWFC B30
- Re K, T and U (Placement of Children with Kinship Carers Abroad) [2019] EWFC 59
Reported Cases
Striking Out the Strike Out: Private Law Fact-Finding Hearings and Weak Allegations [2009] Fam Law 687
Safeguarding Children Living with Trauma and Family Violence, Evidence-Based Assessment, Analysis and Planning Interventions[2010] Fam Law 213 (Book Review)
Different Approach to Children’s Allegations [2011] Fam Law 430
The Retention of Children after Contact Part 1: Core Principles [2011] Fam Law 497
The Retention of Children after Contact Part 2: Ex Parte and On Notice Hearings [2011] Fam Law 623
The Retention of Children after Contact Part 3: The Role of Cafcass and Other Considerations [2011] Fam Law 708
FGM and the Redundancy of the Term “Male Circumcision” [2017] Fam Law 88.
Education
Appointments and Memberships
Lincoln’s Inn
The Midland Circuit
Family Law Bar Association
West Midlands Family Law Bar Association
Pupil Supervisor
