Year of Call
2007Areas of practice
“Kerrie was excellent! We both felt well supported by her. She is clearly very competent and knows her stuff. She maintained her professionalism throughout even when faced with particularly difficult counsel”
Biography
Kerrie is a specialist family practitioner with extensive experience in public law children cases. Kerrie’s depth of experience in this area means that she is sought out for the most serious abuse cases.
Kerrie provides high quality advice and representation. Her experience in care proceedings means that she is extremely knowledgeable about the relevant law and procedure. Kerrie quickly identifies the relevant issues and is thus able to advise realistically about the potential outcome. Kerrie is fiercely committed to her work and is a strong advocate for her clients.
Children law (public)
Kerrie’s area of practice is exclusively care proceedings. She has experience of representing parents and relatives, but in recent years has primarily represented local authorities. Kerrie is consulted in cases concerning issues of the utmost gravity such as serious and sustained non-accidental injury, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and severe neglect.
Kerrie is experienced at dealing with vulnerable parties and in preparing for hearings with that in mind. She is used to managing proceedings involving a large number of parties, particularly long and detailed fact finding hearings.
Instruct
To instruct Kerrie please contact Jay Dorton or Stephen Bush.
Education
- Inns of Court School of Law, Very Competent
- LLB Hons, First Class, Birmingham University
- The Hutchison School, Memphis, Tennessee (English Speaking Union Scholar)
Memberships
- Family Law Bar Association
- Lincoln's Inn Denning Society
Prizes
- The Mary McMurray Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
Notable Cases
Re X (Child: Deprivation of Liberty: Lack of Placement) [2023] EWHC 3415 (Fam): Representing the Local Authority in a application to deprive a child of their liberty in order to transport the child to a residential placement and to detain her there.
Kent County Council v A,B,C and D [2017] EWFC B72: Representing the Local Authority in a case relating to children and the weight to be attached to evidence of child after flawed ABE interviews.
P-K Children [2017] EWCA Civ 965: Appeal against findings made in 2009 of non-accidental injury.
Re M [2014] EWFC B141: A Child and failure to comply with Achieving Best Evidence.
Re A [2013] EWHC B45 (Fam): A Child - Care Proceedings: Local Authority Practice.