Sara Mann

A family law specialist with particular emphasis on public law children proceedings, Sara’s organised and committed approach to her case preparation and her down to earth approach with clients has been recognised by professional and lay clients respectively.

Within public law proceedings Sara regularly represents Local Authorities, parents, relatives and children at all stages of the proceedings, including finding of fact hearings and final hearings. Her experience includes cases involving serious physical injuries, complex medical issues, neglect, domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse and sexual abuse.

She has appeared against leading counsel, has led junior counsel and is regularly instructed in complex and lengthy matters.

Sara has broad and extensive expertise in all aspects of private law children disputes. She  exercises discretion and sensitivity whilst undertaking a forensic analysis of the evidence. She has experience of representing a Premier League club’s TV channel presenter and being involved in a number of high profile disputes.

Sara also has a particular interest in relocation from the jurisdiction cases and internal relocations.

Sara provides a friendly and approachable manner with clients and a reasonable, practical and constructive approach to litigation and negotiations. She is a skilled advocate who provides robust advice and is very through and well prepared.

She has appeared at all levels up to and including the Court of Appeal and she has provided training to a number of local authorities and solicitors.

Sara is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public and professional clients under the Direct Access Scheme

Cases

Abdi v Manchester City Council [2023] EWCA Civ 1214

Represented the First Respondent in an appeal concerning a committal for contempt of court for failing to comply with court orders made in proceedings relating to four children aged between 11 and 6. Read the judgment.

Manchester CC v Yusuf; Abdi [2023] EWHC 1248

Represented the local authority on a committal application in the High Court for breach of return orders in relation to children of the family.

NG v GA (Jurisdiction Art 10 BIIa) [2019] EWHC 1412 (Fam)

Represented the mother of a 10-year-old boy with special educational needs, who applied to have the boy returned to this jurisdiction from Ghana. Read the judgment.

Medical Treatment to a Minor without Parental Consent

Represented a sick thirteen-month-old baby whose parents did not want her to have potentially life-saving treatment. The case gained coverage on the BBC, Huffington Post, Metro and the Manchester Evening News.

J V B (ULTRA-ORTHODOX JUDAISM: TRANSGENDER)

Acted for a transgender parent who was seeking contact to her five children after leaving her family and their Charedi Jewish community to live as a woman.

Re S (children) [2014] EWCA Civ 1002

Represented the children in the Court of Appeal where the issue was the need or otherwise for a finding of fact hearing in relation to historical allegations of sexual abuse in circumstances where the Court had ordered unsupervised contact.

Re A and D [2010] EWHC 2503 Fam

In the High Court Mr Justice Baker held that under the Children Act 1989 s.33(6)(a) a local authority had a duty to ensure that a young child who was the subject of a care order was not brought up in any different religious persuasion from that followed by his parents before the care order. If the parents subsequently changed religion, the local authority had to have regard to that, but it could not take any steps contrary to the child’s overall welfare.

Sara has experience of representing a Premier League club’s TV channel presenter in Private Law Children Act proceedings (and removal from the jurisdiction).

• Family Law Bar Association