Profile description
Specialist Practice Areas
Direct Access Family Law
Simon practices in all aspects of family law. His practice encompasses the following areas:
Public law
Simon has acted for Local Authorities, parents, children and other parties in a wide variety of matters in all courts, including the High Court. He has represented parties at all stages of proceedings from first appointments and directions hearings to finding of fact hearings, issues resolution hearings and final hearings. Simon has been involved in cases involving neglect, sexual abuse and non-accidental injuries. Simon also has experience in providing advice in relation to potential appeals and in representing Local Authorities in public interest immunity cases.
Private law
Simon has represented parents and children at all stages in private law children proceedings. He has acted in residence and contact disputes as well as cases concerning specific issue orders and prohibited steps orders. Simon also has experience in representing clients in enforcement proceedings under the Children Act 1989.
Financial Remedies/ Ancillary Relief and Cohabitation
Simon has experience in both needs based cases in which limited assets are involved and high value cases involving substantial assets and complex company accounts. He has represented parties at all stages of proceedings, with particular experience at the financial dispute resolution stage as well as at final hearings. Simon is happy to represent clients during litigation and also provide written advice or advice in conference at any stage before or during court proceedings.
Simon has also represented clients in co-habitation disputes and is happy to accept instructions in this area and other TLATA 1996 matters.
Applications under the Family Law Act 1996
Simon has experience representing clients in applications for injunctive relief under the FLA 1996, including at contested final hearings.
Lectures/Seminars
Simon has given accredited talks on both private and public Family Law work as well as on issues relating to the Court of Protection. He his happy to give talks or conduct seminars on a variety of Family Law and Court of Protection topics and is happy to provide bespoke training if required.
Recent talks include:
Private Case Law Update
Shared Residence orders
Deprivation of Liberty update
Advice on how to mount a successful appeal
Variation of spousal maintenance orders
Private children law procedure in practice
The use of Section 20 of the Children Act 1989