Sarah Noble

Biography

Sarah is a specialist family law barrister whose practice covers private and public law children proceedings, financial remedies, domestic abuse injunctions, TOLATA and the Court of Protection.  She is regularly instructed in complex, highly contested cases and appears in the Family Court and the High Court.

Private Law Children

Sarah represents parents at every stage of proceedings, from the FHDRA through to fact-finding and final hearings.

She has experience of cases involving serious allegations of domestic abuse, including physical and sexual abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, and emotional abuse, as well as allegations of alienating behaviour. She is frequently instructed in intractable disputes over child arrangements, including those involving implacable hostility or a child’s resistance to spending time with a parent.

Sarah has secured successful outcomes in lengthy contested hearings, including outcomes contrary to Cafcass recommendations. In one such case, the Judge observed that “Ms Noble played a key role in achieving this outcome for her client.”

She is experienced in conducting cross-examination of parties, Cafcass officers and other professional witnesses, and also has experience of committal and enforcement proceedings arising from alleged breaches of family court orders.

Public Law Children

Sarah is regularly instructed by parents and local authorities in care proceedings. She appears at contested interim hearings, issues resolution hearings, fact-finding hearings and multi-day final hearings, and has acted both in support of and in opposition to applications for care and supervision orders.

Her public law work has included cases involving:

• Physical and sexual abuse
• Chronic neglect and emotional harm
• Domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour
• Parental mental ill-health, substance misuse and learning disabilities
• Parental physical disability
• Kinship care, special guardianship, foster care and adoption

She is also instructed in applications concerning deprivation of liberty.

Domestic Abuse Injunctions

Sarah acts for both applicants and respondents in applications for non-molestation and occupation orders. Her experience ranges from urgent without-notice applications to contested return and final hearings, involving allegations of physical violence, coercive and controlling behaviour, harassment, threats and financial abuse.

She has dealt with complex occupation disputes, including those involving joint tenancies and competing property rights.

Financial Remedies

Sarah represents both husbands and wives at First Appointments, FDR hearings and final hearings. She has particular expertise in cases where family finances overlap with company law, insolvency and property ownership, including business assets, shareholdings, company valuations, director’s loan accounts, and the effect of bankruptcy or insolvency on the asset base.

She also acts in applications under Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989.

TOLATA

Sarah accepts instructions in property disputes under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, including claims concerning beneficial ownership, constructive and resulting trusts, proprietary estoppel, declarations of trust and orders for sale.

Court of Protection

Sarah has a growing Court of Protection practice. She acts in applications concerning the appointment and removal of deputies, disputes over property and financial affairs, and decisions about P’s residence, care and welfare.

Feedback

“The client was delighted with your advocacy in court today and with how attentive you were to her.”

“Another amazing outcome from you. Thank you so much for your representations once again.”

“The client has passed on very positive feedback. She was extremely pleased with your services.”