Introduction

Deborah is a specialist family law leading junior who acts in a wide range of complex and sensitive cases relating to private and public law children.

Deborah is Directory Ranked as a Leading Junior

Public Law:

Deborah conducts complex and serious cases involving non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, induced illness, domestic violence, chronic neglect, fact findings, care cases with an international aspect, adoption and special guardianship.

Deborah is instructed by parents, local authorities and children's guardians.

Private Law:

Deborah represents parents in intricate and difficult cases. Deborah works on cases which require separate representation of children, unexplained resistance by children to spend time with a parent, alienating behaviour by one parent and serious domestic and sexual abuse in private law cases.

International Family Law:

Deborah undertakes fact findings on habitual residence and cases pertaining to temporary or permanent relocation of children internationally or to other areas of England and Wales, international child abduction, inherent jurisdiction and wardship.

General:

Deborah is committed to training and skill sharing. She regularly provides keynote lectures for the 33 Bedford Row Autumn Lecture series and has participated in training social workers and other professionals.

Deborah has completed specialist vulnerable witness training where witnesses have a variety of specialist requirements. She has extensive experience of working with trained intermediaries and in cross examining vulnerable witnesses.

Deborah acted for a child in in a Human Rights Claim to the ECHR in a matter related to surrogacy and Birth Registration in conjunction with head of the immigration and international team in chambers, Dr Chelvan and Haydee Dijkstal.

Qualifications

BSc, Joint Honours Psychology and Sociology, University of Leeds

Common Professional Examination in Law

Bar Professional Examinations - Inns of Court School of Law

Memberships

Memberships and Associations:

Family Law Bar Association

Bar Council

Association for Lawyers for Children

Direct Access

Deborah is accredited to accept work under Direct access, also known as Public access, and does so mainly in the area of Private Law Children and also for extended family members in care and adoption cases.  In order to instruct Deborah on a Direct access basis, contact the clerks on +44 (0) 20 7242 6476 or at clerks@33bedfordrow.co.uk. 

Notable Cases

Reported Cases:

T (A Child), Re [2020] EWFC 4 (FAM)

D and E (Parent with Autism) [2020] EWFC

E (A Child: Care Proceedings Fact Finding) [2023] EWCA Civ 858

D and A (Fact-Finding : Research Literature) [2024] EWCA Civ 663 (19 June 2024)

Y, V and B (Fact-Finding: Perpetrator) [2024] EWCA Civ 1034