About
Hannah joined Coram in July 2024, having previously managed a busy practise at a leading set on the North Eastern Circuit for several years.
Hannah’s practice spans across all areas of family law, including care proceedings, financial remedies, private law children, and Family Law Act applications (such as non-molestation orders and occupation orders). Hannah is direct access qualified, and, in this capacity, has assisted clients in acrimonious private law proceedings.
Hannah is recognised by professional clients as a safe pair of hands, known for her instinctive judgment, client-handling, and efficiency. In addition to this, Hannah has been described by members of the Bench as invariably well prepared, and her advocacy as polished and persuasive.
As a result, in her early years of practice, Hannah has been instructed as both sole and junior counsel (having been led by King’s Counsel and senior juniors) in multiple complex multi-day fact finds. These cases have involved serious and rare non-accidental injuries, with complicating genetic issues and expert evidence (usually involving multiple court appointed experts).
When not in court, Hannah regularly writes for and features in the Family Law Journal on all aspects of family law.
Experience
Hannah read Law at Jesus College, University of Cambridge (2018), before completing her LLM in Bar Professional Practice a BPP University Law School, Birmingham (2019), where she was awarded on “Outstanding” in the BPTC element of the course (coming top in her cohort).
Hannah was called to the Bar in 2019 and was a member of a leading set on the North Eastern circuit from October 2020, following the successful completion of pupillage.
Hannah quickly developed a busy and successful practice in all aspects of family law, with her receiving frequent and repeated instructions from both professional and lay clients (on a direct access basis).
Hannah is regularly instructed in matters involving allegations of domestic abuse, implacable hostility, and alienating behaviour. Hannah also has a wealth of experience in representing parties in multi-day domestic abuse finding of fact hearings. Hannah has recently been instructed in cases relating to both internal and external relocation, resulting in an article being prepared for the Family Law Journal.
Hannah also has significant experience in representing the Local Authority, parents, and children (through their children’s guardian) in public law proceedings, with her workload frequently encompassing allegations of non-accidental injury (including fabricated and induced illness, head injuries, and complex bone injuries). Hannah has experience in managing vulnerable witnesses, including those that lack litigation capacity, and is accredited by the Bar Council for having completed vulnerable witness advocacy training.
Hannah is also experienced in dealing with a range of financial remedy matters, with her financial remedy practice encompassing modest to high value cases involving issues such as conduct, add-back, dissipation of assets, the management of small to medium businesses, managing debts, pensions, and enforcement. Hannah has also delivered several webinars and published articles on the topic of costs in financial remedy proceedings.
Hannah has been direct access qualified since 2021 and is regularly instructed in Private Law Children on this basis.
Practice Areas
Finance and Private Client
Private Law Children
Public Law Children
Family Law Act Injunctions
Publications
Temporary removal from the jurisdiction: practical advice and existing guidance [2024] Fam Law 508.
‘Failure to remove’ cases: when does the duty of care arise – and what is the impact on the family justice system? [2023] Fam Law 298.
Modest assets and the evolution of the financial remedy court [2022] Fam Law 881.
Modest assets at the time of Covid-19: practical considerations and cost-effective case management [2021] Fam Law 116.
The Barrister Magazine: “Domestic abuse case law update: a whistle stop tour of the last two years” number 97, Trinity Term Edition, 2023
Publication in the Legalease Journal: Domestic Abuse: What do we do now?, Family Law Journal, June 2021, Issue 204.
Cases
A (Transfer of Residence) [2021] EWFC B58 (19 August 2021)
The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police v FP & Anor [2024] EWFC 130 (07 May 2024)
Education and Professional Memberships
LLM in Bar Professional Practice, BBP University Law School, Birmingham – Distinction (2019) with an Outstanding in the BPTC element of the course.
BA in Law, Jesus College, University of Cambridge – Upper second class (2018)
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
Family Law Bar Association