Introduction

Christina is an experienced advocate in all aspects of private child and Family Law Act proceedings.

Committed to supporting families who face challenges related to disability, Christina provides advice and representation on various issues including parental rights, spending time arrangements, child protection and adoption.

Christina ensures that families challenged by disability have equal access to justice and that their unique needs are understood and considered throughout the legal process. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of disabled individuals and their families and strives to promote their interests and those of their children.

Apart from her legal work, Christina also advises on matters relating to disability discrimination, special educational needs, and disability-related benefits. She understands families’ challenges and is committed to helping them navigate the legal system to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Christina’s dedication to supporting families managing disability-related challenges has been highly-praised and commended by multiple legal bodies and associations. She is dedicated to providing the highest level of legal support and representation and is a trusted ally for families facing difficult and complex legal issues.

Family

Christina is a highly skilled practitioner in Children Act, and Family Law Act matters, with a particular interest in supporting families facing challenges related to disability. She has nurtured a strong client base within the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking communities in the UK, collaborating with charities and representing individuals from these communities.

Apart from her dedication to providing legal guidance to families with non-traditional or alternative family structures, such as non-biological parents, single caregivers, and same-sex couples, by helping them understand their legal options and the recourse available to them in navigating non-traditional or alternative family structures. Christina has over a decade of experience as a criminal prosecution and defence trial advocate, and her peers and clients commend her skills in witness handling and evidence analysis.

Christina's practice also encompasses animal protection within family law, focusing on the impact of family proceedings on the lives of companion animals. She has worked alongside animal protection and domestic abuse charities in the UK and internationally, advising on the safeguarding and wellbeing of animals in cases involving domestic abuse or relationship breakdown, particularly in situations involving children subject to Children Act proceedings.

Before being called to the bar in 2014, Christina was admitted to the roll of solicitors in September 2012 and worked at several Legal 500 firms. She has also worked as a legal journalist and interpreter throughout her legal career.

Christina holds Direct Public Access and Litigation Extension qualifications and is committed to providing exceptional legal representation to all her clients.

International Crime

Christina was seconded to the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague during her career. She made significant contributions to the Prosecution Division's policy on children. In this role, she also provided valuable assistance in prosecuting cases involving child soldiers and children subjected to sexual slavery.

In addition to her work on the prosecution team, Christina was involved in the ICC's advocacy training program as both a member of the training panel and an assessor. Her contributions to this program have helped to ensure that future generations of legal professionals are well-equipped to address the complex challenges posed by international criminal law.

In recognition of her expertise and commitment to justice, Christina was appointed an associate counsel to the ICC in December 2017. This appointment permits her to represent victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, furthering her dedication to upholding the principles of international justice and human rights.

Publications

Bar Council
• Women In Law, Guest Blog, March 2022
• Guest blog: Greater representation is needed of those with visible and nonvisible disabilities at the Bar, 17 June 2021

Barrister Magazine
• Assistance Animals, Access and Ableism, April 2023
• The cost-of-living crisis and the disabled community, Hilary Term 2023
• Child exploitation: trafficking and abuse – an abrupt end to childhood, Michaelmas Term, 2022
• Disability Inclusion and the Bar: a long way to go, Trinity Term, 2022
• UN Security Council considers devastating Impact on international conflict on disabled women and girls, Hilary Term issue, 2022.
• The Cyber Violence Crisis – why are women still the primary victims?, Hilary Term issue 2022.

Counsel
• DNR Orders, Disability and the right to decide, June 2023
• Is the Distality Confident Scheme up to the Task? March 2023
• War crimes in Ukraine: The international legal response, May 2022
• COVID’s impact on the welfare of companion animals, 24 February 2022
• Banning Conversion Therapy, February 2022
• Daily Battles of the Differently Abled, December 2021
• The ICC, the Rome Statute and crimes against the LGBT community, July 2021
• Women’s safety: attitudes must change, May 2021
• Draft Domestic Abuse Bill: Progress or Pitfall, May 2019.
• ICC: court of last resort, December 2016.

Criminal Bar Quarterly
• How departure from the ICC by African states has triggered immunity vs impunity debate, Spring 2018.

Criminal Law & Justice Weekly
• Increasing sentences for animal cruelty offences, 21 October 2017.
• ICC & “Honey Trap”, 14 October 2017.
• NATO’s Article 5, 5 August 2017.
• How medical fraud is highlighting growing danger of press freedom in Mexico, 26 May 2017.
• Europe: gender-based violence, 4 March 2017.
• Is the Minsk ceasefire working? 28 January 2017.
• Why an Olympic medal strengthens Kosovo’s appeal for independence, 24 January 2017.
• Street justice? – the war on drugs in the Philippines, 29 October 2016.
• The International Criminal Court’s draft policy on children, 15 October 2016.

Family Law Journal
• Undermined, ignored and shamed: the invisible victims of domestic abuse and the role of the family justice system, December [2023] Fam Law
• LGBT+ Familes - Beyond the 'Alternative' Structure, 24 May 2021
• The John Edwards inquest – domestic abuse, contact arrangements and children’s wishes and feelings, March 2021.
• Finding the ‘fact’ in fact-findings: the trouble with PD 12J, June 2019, Vol. 49. [2019] Fam Law 589

Global Journal of Animal Law
• Protecting Companion Animals from Domestic Abuse: A comparative analysis of legal developments in the U.S. and the U.K., Co-written with Dr Marion C. Willetts (Illinois State University), Vol.9 (2021)

Journal of Animal Welfare Law
• Domestic violence: the impact on pets’, December 2014.

Legal Woman Magazine
• Domestic Abuse and the Latinx Community – Stigma, Status and Stereotypes, 16 July 2021.
• Career blog, 21 June 2021.
• The Weekend Read: Violence Against Women and Girls: Are we moving in the right direction?, April 2021.

Magistrate Magazine
• Update: developments in legislation regarding dangerous dogs, August 2011; re-published in The Journal of Animal Welfare Law, Autumn 2011.
• Update: Legal Aid and the Magistrates Court, June 2009.
• Young heads on old shoulders: opening the Bench to a new generation, May 2009.

The Advocate
• Review: mobile policing units in London, May 2009.

Seminars

•        International Criminal Court's Bar Association, Panel Discussion, Disability in International Humanitarian Law, 25th January 2024

•        House of Commons, All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group ‘s meeting with Naturewatch Foundation, 24th October 2023

•        Panellist, Disability Crime, Law & Policy, Disability Expo, July 2023

•        Keynote speaker, Family Law Seminar (Domestic Abuse and the Disabled Community), 33 Bedford Row Chambers, 29 March 2023

•        Panellist, Middle Temple Young Bar Association, International Women’s Day Celebration “Nevertheless, She persisted”, 09 March 2023

•        Speaker, First 100 Years, International Women’s Month Event, 02 March 2023

•        Panellist, ED&I, YRES Conference, Dec 2022

•        Student Open day, Middle Temple, 26 March 2022

•        International law, Conflict & Disability, Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar, 28 March 2022

•        Neurodiversity and Disability, Neurodiversity in Law, 22 March 2022

•        Celebrating Disabled Women in Law, Association of Disabled Lawyers, 14 March 2022

•        How far have we come? Celebrating Women at the Bar, International Women’s Day event, Middle Temple, 10 March 2022

•        Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar X Women High Up, International Women’s Day Event, 8 March 2022

•        Brining [Dis]Ability to the Bar Launch, 28 January 2022

•        Applying for Pupillage as a Disabled* Person or Person with Physical and Mental Health Conditions’, AllBar, 21 January 2022

•        Access Ability Event (Invisible Disabilities) in collaboration with Solicitors’ Regulation Authority, 13 December 2021.

•        Disability History Month, Riverside Radio, interview, 19 November 2021.

•        Interview, UK Disability History Month 2021

•        In collaboration with Advocates for Animals, Understanding Animal Protection Law, webinar, 8 April 2021

•        Protecting Companion Animals, Domestic Abuse and the Family Courts – Perspectives from England & Wales, webinar in collaboration with Positive Links, 2 September 2020.

•        Domestic Abuse and CoVid-19, webinar in collaboration with Positive Links, 6 May 2020.

•        Keynote speaker at the National LGBT Domestic Abuse conference: Recognise & Respond: Strengthening advocacy for LGBT+ survivors of domestic abuse, 9 May 2019. 

Appointments

• Disability Panel, Bar Council, February 2022.
• Bar Council Social Mobility Advocate, October 2021
• Counsel at the International Criminal Court – 2017
• Middle Temple advocacy trainer
• Magistrate – family court – 2014
• Magistrate – crown court (appeals) – 2013
• Admitted to the roll of solicitors - 2012
• Magistrate – criminal court (adult) – 2008 

Languages

• Spanish - Native proficiency
• Portuguese - Professional working proficiency
• French - Professional working profeiency
• Afrikaans - Limited working proficiency
• Russian - Elementary proficiency

Awards & Prizes

• Winner – Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 (Politics & Law) 2023
• Shortlisted - Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2024 -
• Woman of the Year
• Advocate of the Year
• Unsung Hero
• Shortlisted – SheInspires Awards 2023 – SHEro Award
• Shortlisted – Modern Law Awards 2023 - Private Client - Lawyer of the Year
• Nominated - National Diversity Awards 2023 - Positive Role Model for Disability
• Highly Commended - Lexis Nexis Awards 2023
• Shortlisted – Women & Diversity in Law 2022:
• Woman of the Year
• Advocate of the Year
• Unsung Hero
• Mentor of the Year 
• Finalist – Family Law Awards 2022 – Family Law Community Interaction Award
• Finalist – Chambers & Partners 2022 – Diversity & Inclusion Future Leader 
• Winner – Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 (Politics & Law) 2022
• MTSA Disability History Month Exhibition 2021.
• Finalist – Mentor of the Year, FL Leadership Summit & Awards 2021.
• Finalist – Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year, Advocate Pro Bono Awards, 2021.
• Finalist – Barrister of the Year, Next 100 Years, Inspirational Women in Law Awards, 2021.
• Finalist – Disability Inclusion, UK Diversity Legal Awards, 2021.
• Finalist – Diversity Champion, UK Diversity Legal Awards, 2021.
• Winner – Family Law Barrister of the Year (UK) – Lawyer Monthly Magazine, Women in Law Awards, 2021.
• Winner – Rising Star in Law, WeAreTheCity Awards, 2021.
• Shortlisted – Rising Star in Law, WeAreTheCity Awards, 2019.
• Finalist – Lawyer of the Year, UK Diversity Legal Awards, 2018.
• Finalist – Diversity Champion, UK Diversity Legal Awards, 2018.
• Listed in Amnesty UK’s Suffragette Spirit campaign, March 2018.