Pollyanna Furness

Private Children

Pollyanna represents parents at all stages of private children proceedings. She is regularly instructed on complex matters and has appeared in cases involving multi-day fact-finding hearings, cases where Local Authorities are involved with the family and relocation applications.

Pollyanna is building significant experience in cases involving intractable contact disputes and/or allegations of parental alienation. Pollyanna has successfully represented parents at contested hearings concerning interim transfer of residence following findings of alienation. Pollyanna is also regularly instructed on behalf of the child in cases where these issues are prevalent, including in Re GB (Part 25 Application: Parental Alienation) [2023] EWFC 150.

Pollyanna regularly accepts instructions in cases with an international element, including disputes involving abduction, pre-emptive applications for port alerts and passport orders, and relocation. During her pupillage, Pollyanna assisted on a long running international private children case in the High Court which involved complex arguments as to jurisdiction.

Pollyanna has experience of cases involving the instruction of a r. 16.4 Guardian, and she regularly accepts instructions on behalf of the child through their Guardian.

Matrimonial Proceedings and Financial Remedies

Pollyanna accepts instructions in all aspects of financial remedies proceedings. Pollyanna has been instructed to advise and represent clients in cases involving a range of issues such as litigation capacity, applications for notice to show cause, set-aside applications under s.37 MCA 1973, enforcement of financial orders, and cases involving intervenors (including advising potential intervenors). During her pupillage, Pollyanna was exposed to, and assisted on, multiple complex and high-value cases.

Pollyanna has been instructed to advise in cases concerning the validity of overseas marriages and divorces, and the validity of religious marriages in England and Wales.

Other experience

Before commencing pupillage, Pollyanna worked as a paralegal for a busy London solicitor’s firm specialising in financial remedies and private children law.

During her legal studies Pollyanna was a director of the School Exclusion Project. She provided pro bono representation for parents at appeal hearings. Pollyanna also taught debating to inmates of London Prisons through the Gray’s Inn initiative, Vocalise.

Private Law Children

International Children

Alternative Families

Financial Remedies

Professional Memberships

Family Law Bar Association

Gray’s Inn

Education

University of Cambridge, Gonville & Caius College: BA (Hons) Music

City Law School: Post-Graduate Diploma in Law

City Law School: Bar Practice Training Course

Mooting

Winner of both the team prize and optional individual advocacy prize in the Human Rights Lawyers Association Judicial Review Competition (2019)

University

Compton Wills Prize (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge)
H.L. Perry Prize (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge)

“…Today, I sat as a Recorder… and had Miss Furness in front of me throughout the day. She was one of the most helpful advocates I have come across in my time sitting in Private Family Law. She was helpful, measured and clear thinking… As I say her performance was up there with the most helpful and insightful that I have encountered.” Judge (Recorder)

“She has been brilliant for the two hearings she has represented me…  My experience as a single father throughout the wider process and with several other agencies has been eye-opening to say the least; her reassurance in both taking the case and the even-handed way in which she approached it gave me hope when I needed it. In terms of managing the case, I thought that Pollyanna struck a great balance between being able to empathise and understand and being able to step up and take charge when required.” Lay client

“I have… been really impressed with her level of preparation, thought and care that has gone into this case.” Instructing solicitor

Re GB (Part 25 Application: Parental Alienation) [2023] EWFC 150