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Degrees and other qualifications BA/ MA Oxon 1989/1992
Trinity College Oxford
CPE Commendation 1993/1994
Bar Qualification 1995
Professional associations Member Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)
Practice Profile
Francesca practises almost exclusively in Children Act cases where there is a large degree of criminal overlap. She specialised in criminal law for 10 years before joining the family bar. She is routinely instructed at High Court level. The bulk of her work involves cases where there is a need for fact-finding (or argument around the need for fact-finding) and consequential applications between the criminal and family jurisdictions.
She has recently been involved in a number of Children Act fact-finding hearings where the original criminal proceedings resulted in acquittals or a lack of final prosecution or where further more wide-ranging findings were subsequently made in the family court.
She undertakes work for all parties, but is very regularly instructed by Guardians.
A large portion of her case-load deals with non-accidental injuries to children. She has a particular interest in underlying bone disorders.
Reported Cases
T v S (Wardship) [2012] 1 FLR 230
Re J (child giving evidence) [2010] EWHC 962 (Fam) 2 FLR 1080
Re S (a child) [2009] EWCA civ 945
Re M [2007] 2 FLR 1006
Some recent cases from 2012
Representation of child where father accused of murdering mother.
Representation of father where child murdered by maternal side of family.
Representation of mother when father threatened to kill family.
Representation of Local Authority where mother diagnosed with psychopathy.
Represented parent accused of causing very serious brain injuries to baby- parents completely exonerated.
Represented Guardian and parents in cases where babies suffered very serious skull fractures.
Representation of Local Authority in case where very young baby suffered broken limbs. Parents found responsible.
Representation of Local Authority in several cases where children have been abducted from the UK and require repatriating in circumstances where there had been pre-existing Local Authority involvement with the children. Both Hague and Non Hague countries involved.
Languages
Fluent French
Personal, including interests Two children, skiing, sailing, golden retriever named Sam, lacklustre member of weight-watchers.
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