Introduction
Nick, originally from the West Country, has been at St Philips throughout his time at the Bar. In 2006, he completed a broad-based pupillage here and, as a new tenant, practised across a range of fields. He now practises 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 published a number of articles in the area of children law (those on the retention of children after contact having been short-listed for the inaugural Family Law Awards and having been taught at university level). He has also acted as a pupil supervisor and is a member of the pupillage committee.
Nick is very committed to what he does and aims to provide a highly professional service 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 Midlands. He has experience of cases involving: inflicted injuries, sexual abuse (including inter-sibling), the placement of children in foreign jurisdictions, allegations of 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 cases involving forced marriage and FGM.
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 secured 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
- A mother falsely accused of murdering the father of their children
Reported Cases
Re Y (A Child) (Care Proceedings: Fact Finding) [2016] EWFC 30 [2016] 2 FLR 1074 [2016] Fam Law 1080 [2016] 5 WLUK 521
Re C (A Child) [2016] EWFC B110
Re B (Care Proceedings: Finding of Fact Hearing: Skull Fractures) [2017] EWFC B30
Re P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27 [2019] 4 WLUK 684
Re K, T and U (Placement of Children with Kinship Carers Abroad) [2019] EWFC 59 [2019] 9 WLUK 399
Re D [2019] EWFC B65
Re J (Care Proceedings: Placement in Bangladesh) [2020] EWHC 490 [2021] Fam Law 190 [2020] 3 WLUK 740
Re A & B (Fact Finding: Head, Bony, Eye and Soft Tissue Injuries) [2020] EWFC 104
[2020] 11 WLUK 628
Articles
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
1995 – 1999: Theology & Religious Studies BA (Cambridge: First Class)
2002 – 2003: Herchel Smith Scholar (Harvard)
2003 – 2004: GDL (Oxford Brookes: Distinction) & Lord Bowen Scholar (Lincoln’s Inn)
2004 – 2005: BVC (Inns of Court School of Law: Outstanding) & Lord Denning Scholar (Lincoln’s Inn)
Appointments and Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
West Midlands Family Law Bar Association
Pupil Supervisor & Pupillage Committee Member
Testimonials
“Nick is very thorough, well prepared and a highly effective advocate. His drafting is also exceptional. Highly respected by all of the Judges on the Midlands circuit, as well as in the High Court.” Legal 500
“Fantastically analytical and a creative problem solver.” Legal 500
“He has great client empathy and fights their corner in court.” Legal 500
“His advice is clear, sound, and extremely thorough.” Legal 500
