Martha Cover

Martha Cover is a children lawyer who specialises in care proceedings and adoption, including cases with an international element. She is frequently called to act in cases of inflicted infant trauma with concurrent criminal proceedings. Martha often represents competent children and young people acting directly on their instructions, including children who may have harmed other children.

Martha has appeared in over twenty leading cases in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. The most recent include Re N in the Supreme Court (2016), which re-defined the test for deciding whether to transfer public law proceedings to another European jurisdiction; Re  X (Number 5) (2018)  before Munby P; lifting reporting restrictions following a rehearing in the High Court which upheld earlier findings of physical abuse of an infant; and London Borough of Tower Hamlets  v B (2016), representing a teenager who had allegedly been radicalised by ISIS.

International Family Law

Private Law Children

Public Law Children

Human Rights

BA, University of Western Ontario 

LLM University of London, Queen Mary College 

Family Law Bar Association 

Association of Lawyers for Children 

Human Rights Lawyers Association 

Liberty 

Gray’s Inn 

What the Directories Say 

‘(Martha) has a very strong reputation for fighting her client’s corner with tact and good humour and not giving an inch. Peers are quick to laud her commitment to pro bono work.’ 

Strengths: “She’s warm and engaging, and explains things in a way clients can understand. She’s incisive, and she will identify and tackle the key issues. Her fearlessness stands out.” 

Chambers and Partners 2016 

‘A pioneer and icon in the field’ Legal 500 2015 

‘Committed, knowledgeable, authoritative and sympathetic.’ Legal 500 2014 

“she is respected by the judiciary and has a clear understanding of local authorities” Chambers UK 2014 

Martha Cover shows ‘exceptional sensitivity to children law issues, and has extensive experience of medical cases.’ Legal 500 2013 

“…hard-working, conscientious and experienced, and does good quality work.” Chambers UK 2013 

“is ‘a calm and authoritative figure with excellent legal knowledge’” 

Legal 500 2012 

“Sources praise her as ‘superb and fantastic’” Chambers UK 2012 

“has a ‘prodigious work rate’ and an ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of her practice area’.” Legal 500, 2011 

Migration and legal aid changes threaten the rights of families 

Martha Cover and members of the Association of Lawyers for Children write to The Guardian on the potential threat to the rights of families on the proposed migration and changes to legal aid. 

Williams v LB Hackney [2018] UKSC 37 

Re N (Children) [2016] UKSC 15 

Re X (A Child (No 2) [2016] EWHC 1342 (Fam) 

Re H (Children) [2015] EWCA Civ 583 

Kirklees Council v Re [2014] EWHC 3182 (Fam) 

A Local Authority and Others v C [2012] EWHC 1637 (Fam) 

Re K (Children with Disabilities: Wardship) [2012] 2 FLR 745 

A County Council v K & Ors (By the Child’s Guardian HT) [2011] EWHC 1672 (Fam) Judgments (05/07/2011) 

A County Council v K, C and T [2011] EWHC 1672 (Fam) 

Re Haringey London Borough Council v C, E and Another Intervening [2006] EWHC] 1620 (Fam) [2007] 1 FLR 1035 (Fam) 

Re U (Care Proceedings: Criminal Conviction: Refusal to Give Evidence) [2006] EWHC 372 [2006] 2 FLR 690 (Fam) 

Re N (Sexual Abuse Allegations: Professionals Not Abiding by Findings of Fact) [2005] 2 FLR 340 

Re W and X (Wardship: Relatives Rejected as Foster Carers) [2003] EWHC 2206 (Fam) [2004] 1 FLR 415 2003 Fam Law 883 

Re A (Care Proceedings: Asylum Seekers) [2003] 2 FLR 921 FD 

Re N (Contact: Minor Seeking Leave to Defend and Removal of Guardian) [2003] 1FLR 652 

Re M (Residence) [2002] 2 FLR 1059 

Re AS (Secure Accommodation Order) 1 FLR 103 [1999] 1 FLR 103 

Re A (Protection from Offenders Regulations) [1999] 1 FLR 697 

Re S (Appeal from Principal Registry: Procedure) [1997] 2 FLR 856 

Re W (Wardship: Discharge: Publicity) [1995] 2 FLR 466