Clerking team

Gail Whelan

Assistant Senior & Family Clerk

David Harrald

Family Clerk

Elisa Clement

Family Clerk

Having successfully completed a specialist pupillage in Family Law at St John’s Buildings under the supervision of Kate Burnell KC and Damian Sanders, Samuel has a rapidly growing practice in private and public children work. Samuel also accepts instructions in the Court of Protection (Health and Welfare).

Samuel has a reassuring manner and confident approach with clients. He has gained experience working with vulnerable people and is particularly skilled at communicating advice in an accessible way.

Samuel regularly delivers training to instructing solicitors on Non-Molestation Orders and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.

Children (Public and Private law)

Samuel has undertaken work in the following areas:

  • Acting for applicants and respondents in non-molestation order and occupation order applications, return hearings, pre-trial review hearings, and contested final hearings
  • Acting for the applicant in Domestic Abuse Protection Order application and return hearings
  • Representing applicants and respondents in private law applications for:
    • Child Arrangements Orders
    • Prohibited Steps Orders
    • Special Issues Orders
    • Enforcement Orders
    • Urgent directions hearings
  • Representing applicants and respondents in public law applications for:
    • Interim care orders
    • Part 25 applications for placement in a Mother and Baby Assessment Unit and instruction of various experts (including intermediaries)
    • Parental Responsibility and Declaration of Parentage
    • Special Guardianship Order
    • Discharge of a Special Guardianship Order
    • Capacity assessment to conduct proceedings
  • Representing the mother in contested interim removals
  • Representing various parties at CMH and IRH/EFH for Care and Placement Orders
  • Representing the LA at an interim care/urgent preliminary care management hearing
  • Representing the child through their Children’s Guardian at a judgment hearing
  • Representing the child through their Children’s Guardian in the Crown Court at a joint criminal and family directions hearing.

Samuel was led in a nine-day composite hearing by Patricia Pratt in care proceedings in which non-accidental injury was alleged.

Additionally, Samuel has gained experience in drafting in the following areas:

  • An advice in support of an extension to a public funding certificate for the instruction of two junior counsel
  • An advice in support of making a Supervision Order alongside a Special Guardianship Order.

Samuel continues to welcome instructions in all areas of public and private family law matters.

Court of Protection

Throughout pupillage, Samuel developed an interest in Court of Protection work (Health and Welfare strand), and observed various hearings relating to ‘P’ including deprivation of liberty hearings, a directions hearing, and a final hearing.

Samuel accepts instructions on s21A challenges to deprivation of liberty, and has acted for a range of parties including ‘P’.

Education

  • Bar Practice Course, University of Law, 2024 (Outstanding)
  • Graduate Diploma in Law, University of Law, 2022 (Distinction)
  • PhD Forensic Linguistics, Aston University, 2013
  • MA Forensic Linguistics, Cardiff University, 2005 (Distinction)
  • BA (Hons) Linguistics, Lancaster University, 2003 (2.i)

Scholarships and Prizes

  • Finalist, Times 2TG Moot, 2024
  • Finalist, Advocacy Scholar’s Moot (University of Law), 2023
  • Finalist, Cooper Lohmus Prize, 2023
  • Advocacy Scholarship, University of Law, 2022
  • Bar Course Award Exhibition Scholarship, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, 2022
  • GDL Exhibition Award, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, 2020
  • Career Changers Scholarship, University of Law, 2020

Memberships

  • The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The Family Law Bar Association
  • The Northern Circuit