Clerking team

Tim Booth
Tim Booth

Senior Clerk Sheffield

Suzanne Heron

Lead Clerk, Family and Court of Protection

Jayne Harper

Family and Court of Protection Clerk

Harriet specialises in all areas of the law relating to children. She was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in July 2014.

Before joining the Bar, Harriet was a caseworker for a medico-legal charity supporting families through the inquest process. She also worked as part of a team at a multi-national law firm working on the Ian Paterson (rogue breast surgeon) litigation, which led to a £37million global settlement across more than 750 claims.

Children (Public and Private law)

Public Law

Harriet is regularly instructed at all stages of public law proceedings, with particular focus on multi-day final and fact-finding hearings. She takes instructions from all parties, ranging from vulnerable clients, intervenors, parents, children, and local authorities. She has appeared at all levels of proceedings, including lengthy proceedings in the High Court.

Harriet is frequently instructed to represent parties at urgent hearings at short notice.  Harriet’s workload includes, but is not limited to, dealing with a wide range of issues such as neglect, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, non-accidental injury, and parental alienation.

Harriet has experience of drafting detailed threshold documents, case summaries and providing advice to clients at all stages of proceedings.

Recent Cases

RE C (Change of Forename: Child in Care) [2023] EWHC 2813 Fam Acted for the mother in  a case which concerned the change of a child’s forename and whether the name chosen could amount to significant harm or a risk of significant harm for him. The case was heard in the High Court sitting at Leeds before Mr Justice Cobb. The judgment is available here. https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewhc/fam/2023/2813

A Local Authority v L (2022) Represented a parent in a final hearing against the recommendations of the local authority and Children’s Guardian.

A Local Authority v P (2019) Represented a parent at a final hearing where the plan for the child was one of adoption. This involved cross-examination of multiple experts over the course of several days. 

A Local Authority v H (2019) Represented a local authority in a four-day final hearing involving issues including assessing the appropriate treatment of psychological difficulties and chronic neglect.

A Local Authority v M (2018) Appeared on behalf of family members at a multi-day fact-finding hearing involving allegations of serious harm where no findings were made. This case involved rigorous scrutiny of medical evidence and cross-examination of experts.

Private Law

Harriet regularly acts for parents and relatives in disputes over contact and residence. She has experience in working for complainants or alleged perpetrators in domestic violence cases.

Harriet has a particular interest and experience of dealing with complex cases involving medical issues and serious allegations and has appeared in a number of multi-day final and fact-finding hearings.

Recent Cases

N v S (2022) Appeared on behalf of the applicant in a private law matter, which evolved into public law proceedings as a result of the extreme hostility between the parents.

H v H (2021) Appeared on behalf of a parent in a fact-finding hearing and appeal proceedings and obtained a substantial costs award against the appellant.

M v B (2019-2021) Represented an extended family member over the course of 12+ months in their application for contact. The final hearings considered interpretations of the COVID-19 social distancing restrictions and their impact on contact.

E v J (2019 and 2020) Represented family members in their application where a parent passed away during proceedings.

A v R (2019) Represented a parent’s new partner in a final hearing involving allegations of inappropriate touching being made against them. The allegations were successfully argued, but the case resulted in no findings being made.

L v L (2018) Represented a parent facing serious allegations of harm made by their ex-partner, which if proven could have had serious consequences to their employment. No findings were made and a substantial cost award was made against the other party.

Memberships

  • Family Law Bar Association
  • North Eastern Circuit – Sheffield Mess Junior

Education

  • Vulnerable Witness Advocacy Training