News

Give someone else a voice

4 Brick Court's running team took part in the Great South Run (10 miles in Portsmouth on 26th October)on behalf of a favourite charity and your support would be greatly appreciated by the many children who have come to depend on VOICE. VOICE is a charity entirely dedicated to giving support advice and assistance to the 60,000 children in care in the UK at any one time.

The team from chambers included Jacqui Gilliatt, Louise MacLynn, Francis Cassidy, Lee Pearman and Paul Carver, joined by Jacqui's husband, John Sullivan, his friend David Parkinson and Jacqui's friends Carolyn & Tim Cobbold.

You can log on to our Just Giving website and translate our pounding the pavements of Portsmouth in to pounds for this charity.

Alternatively we will be happy to receive cheques made out to Voice at 4 Brick Court.

Click to find out more about VOICE
New files on 4bc Website

We have recently added to our website - the June 2008 updater - the Jargon Buster from A to Z (in Family Law General) & the Family Law Bibliography (also in Family Law General).
Standard of Proof in Care Proceedings

The House of Lords ruled on 11th June 2008 in an appeal in which three members of 4 Brick Court Chambers appeared before their Lordships on 19th and 20th May 2008. Marianna Hildyard QC and Isabelle Watson represented the Respondent father and Stuart Fuller (led by Stephen Cobb QC of 1 Garden Court Chambers) represented the Appellant children (through their Children’s Guardian). CAFCASS intervened.
Domestic Violence Practice Direction

This Practice Direction came into force on 9.5.08. See also the comments of Robert Stevens reported on the Family Law Week blog.
PLO Guidance for London

Judge Altman, the Designated Judge for London, has issued an Initial Local Plan for London dated 10th April 2008in respect of the implementation of the Public Law Outline (which is already in force). It applies to the London Care Centre which means the PRFD & Barnet, Kingston & Croydon County Courts & is relevant also to cases transferred into those courts from the FPCs.

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Practice Areas

Ancillary Relief	Domestic Violence
Children	Employment
Civil	Family Other
Community Care	Immigration
Criminal	Public Law

Children

Our family team is passionate about protecting the rights, integrity and the safety of the family without losing sight of the welfare of the children who are subject of the proceedings. By reason of the emergency nature of these matters, members of Chambers are well used to making ex parte applications to secure the location of an abducted child, in order that the matter can in due course be properly decided by the Court.

We believe that assured advice and advocacy are key elements in a successful working partnership between client, solicitor and counsel, particularly in the field of family law where tensions and anxiety levels are high and issues within a case may develop with speed. In conjunction with a skilled clerk's room the team is committed to delivering client care of the highest standard.

Child Abduction has long been recognised as a strength of 4 Brick Court. The law in this area has grown considerably in recent years, with members of chambers appearing in many of the leading reported cases. The Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985 ("The Hague Convention") together with the New Brussels II regulations provide a complex backdrop for the return of abducted children. The Hague convention itself only applies to those member countries signed up to the provisions of the Treaty, whilst Brussels II legislation applies only to the European Community. With the ever expanding bordors of Europe and India about to be a signatory to the Hague Convention, this is clearly a busy area for members of Chambers.

Our Family Team offers sympathetic an accessible legal representation combined with high standards of research, preparation and representation.

You should see the details contained in the Administration section.

Click to see barristers who work in the practice area Children.