Clerking team

Gail Whelan

Assistant Senior & Family Clerk

David Harrald

Family Clerk

Elisa Clement

Family Clerk

Lauren is a family law barrister; she practises in all areas of children law. She joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2023 following successful completion of her pupillage under the supervision of Ginnette Fitzharris and Jonathan Taylor in which she gained experience in all areas of family law.

Children (Public and Private law)

Private Law

In private law, Lauren consistently acts for the parents, the child and the Local Authority where appropriate.

She regularly acts in proceedings for child arrangement orders, non-molestation orders, specific issue orders, prohibited steps orders, enforcement applications and costs applications.

Lauren has conducted matters including hostility, domestic abuse and violence, emotional abuse, drug and alcohol misuse and improper retention of a child after contact. Lauren also has experience in issues involving internal relocation and intractable contact disputes.

Public Law

In public law proceedings, Lauren has acted for all parties at all stages of proceedings.

Lauren has conducted matters in a range of public law proceedings, including issues of domestic abuse and violence, substance abuse, non-accidental injury of the child, emotional abuse and significant neglect. Lauren has also acted on issues of designation. Lauren regularly drafts documents such as skeleton arguments and threshold documents, often at short notice.

Lauren has experience working with vulnerable clients, clients with learning disabilities, clients with mental health issues, intermediaries and interpreters.

Lauren has acted for parents seeking the discharge of a care order and seeking leave to oppose the making of an adoption order, as well as the Local Authority in the respective proceedings.

Lauren is friendly and approachable and can build a rapport with her clients, putting them at ease.

Cases

A Hospital Trust v P & Ors [2024] EWHC 313 (Fam): Led by Lorraine Cavanagh KC for the local authority in a case concerning a two-year old girl. The issue was whether life-sustaining treatment should be withdrawn. The judgment is available here.

Education

  • BTC (Very Competent), BPP Law School 2021
  • GDL, BPP Law School 2020
  • MChem Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry, University of St Andrews (2019)