Laura Briggs KC

Practice Overview

Laura specialises in the law as it relates to children. She maintains a practice in public law cases and in disputes between private individuals, including those with an international element. She acts in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, non-accidental injury, fabricated induced illness and radicalisation. In the private law sphere, she represents parents and children in the most serious cases, involving domestic abuse, allegations of emotional harm, parental manipulation and issues relating to parental mental health.

Laura has practised in the Cayman Islands and has advised in proceedings in France and Jersey. She is a qualified arbitrator. In 2016 Laura was appointed a Recorder, sitting in family law on the South-Eastern circuit.

• Children (Public Law)

  Laura represents applicant Local Authorities, Respondent parents and Children’s Guardians in care proceedings. She is well versed in child protection procedure within Local Authorities, including decision making pre-proceedings. She advises authorities on their policies and procedures as well as on the evidence in individual cases.  

  In fact-finding hearings, Laura deals with cases in which there is a dispute on the medical evidence and where court-appointed experts disagree. She defends parents, relatives, children and third parties when they are alleged to have caused harm to a child, including cases in which there are high volumes of digital material. 

  She has been involved in public law proceedings with an international element, particularly where children are placed abroad or are repatriated to this jurisdiction from war zones.

   

  Notable cases include:

   

  M (Children) [2019] EWCA Civ 1364 

   

  P-S [2018] EWCA Civ 1407

   

  Re W-C [2017] EWCA Civ 250

   

  K (Children : injuries) [2016] EWFC B120 (01 November 2016)

   

  X and Y (Children: Fact-Finding Judgment) [2016] EWFC B117

   

  X and Y (Children: Final Judgment) [2016] EWFC B118

   

  London Borough of Barking & Dagenham v C & M [2014] EWHC 2472

   

  Re M (Children: Jurisdiction) [2016] EWFC B92

   

  K (Children: Injuries) [2016] EWFC B120
• Children (Private Law)

  Laura is in high demand in her private law practice, representing mothers, fathers and children. In particular, she has experience in private law cases involving serious allegations of domestic abuse, including sexual abuse, assault and coercive controlling behaviour. She appears in cases involving allegations of parental manipulation of children and cases in which parents have serious psychological and psychiatric conditions.

  Notable cases include:

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

  Re D (A Child) (Appeal out of Time) [2020] EWHC 1167 (Fam)

  In the Matter of H (Children) (Appeal: Case Management: Part 25 of Expert Treatment) [2019] EWHC 237 (Fam)

• International Family Law

  Laura represents parents in the UK and abroad in cross-jurisdictional disputes and where applications are made for permission to remove a child from the jurisdiction is sought. Laura has experience in practising internationally and in cases in which jurisdiction is an issue. Laura has represented parents accused of abduction in this jurisdiction and elsewhere. Laura has also dealt with cases involving the repatriation of children and their adoption from convention and non-convention countries.

  Notable cases include:

  Re Return of a Child [2020] JRC037A 

  Re Return of a Child [2020] JCA141A 

  T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order), Re [2020] EWCA Civ 797

  Re Orphans from Syria [2019] EWHC 3202 (Fam) 

  London Borough of Barking & Dagenham v C & M [2014] EWHC 2472; Re M (Children: Jurisdiction) [2016] EWFC B92

• Adoption

  Laura represents applicants for adoption in international and domestic cases. She has experience in non-Convention international adoptions and in cases involving adoption breakdown.

  Notable cases include:

  T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order), Re [2020] EWCA Civ 797

• What the Directories Say

  "She's first class. Very hands-on, conscientious, committed and skilled, she's open to considering alternative methods to achieve our aims."  Chambers and Partners, 2023

  "Laura is incredibly hard-working and has an immense capacity to think on her feet and assimilate a huge amount of information in a very short space of time." Chambers and Partners, 2023

  "A sterling reputation across the field of children law." Spear's 500, 2022

  “Technically brilliant with a fine attention to detail. Laura is a charismatic and persuasive advocate and a tremendous lateral thinker.” Tier 2 – Legal 500, 2022

  "Is truly exceptional, she masters the detail of most complex cases with ease." Tier 3 - Legal 500, 2021

  "A cool and effective advocate who glides around the courtroom." Band 3 - Chambers and Partners, 2021

  “Has an affinity with everyone she engages with from judges, opponents and clients; a precise thinker.” Tier 3 - Legal 500, 2020

  “Clients always adore her. She’s not aggressive, which is something clients like, but she’s got a persuasive manner about her and can push a point without alienating the judge or upsetting people." Band 4 - Chambers and Partners, 2020

  “Laura really does fight for everything her client wants and doesn’t stop until that’s been achieved.” Band 4 - Chambers and Partners, 2020

  "Laura has an excellent ability to grasp the key issues and facts from an early stage." Legal 500, 2019 

  "She has an approachable manner, and is a persuasive and confident advocate." Chambers and Partners, 2019

  "She's very personable and has a good client manner with people from all walks of life. She shows fantastic attention to detail, is able to pick out the key issues in cases and is really effective in court."  Chambers and Partners, 2017

  "She is brilliant with vulnerable and less able clients – patient and compassionate."  Legal 500, 2017

  "She has amazing attention to detail, is brilliant with clients, is a great advocate, has a very calm persona and is very effective." Chambers and Partners, 2016