Called: 1987

Practice Profile

Simon has very extensive experience in all areas of family law. He has a particular interest in public and private law children cases. He generally represents parents but also acts for local authorities and children. His other main area of practice is that of ancillary relief proceedings.

Originally a solicitor (admitted 1982), Simon had experience of most areas of legal practice before becoming a specialist family practitioner.

He maintains an interest in education law and has written articles on this subject.

Specialist Practice Areas

Family

• Ancillary relief
• Care and Adoption (for Local Authorities, parents and guardians)
• Private Law Children work
• Injunctions
• Inheritance Act Claims
• Cohabitation Disputes

Notable Cases

• Re H (A Minor) Re K (Minors) (Child Abuse: Evidence) [1989] 2 FLR 313 CA
• Re D (Grant of Care Order: Refusal of Freeing Order) [2001] 1 FLR 862 CA
• Croft v. Broadstairs and St. Peter’s Town Council [2003] EWCA 676 Civ: [2003] All ER (D) 273: claim by employee or compensation for psychological damage caused by employer’s conduct. 

Education

LLB (Hons.) (Wales) Aberystwyth 1979

Passed Solicitors’ Final Examination, College of Law, Chester 1980

Languages

Basic French, German and Italian.

Professional Memberships

• FLBA (Family Law Bar Association)
• Association of Lawyers for Children
• Human Rights Law Association
• Legal Action Group
• Education Law Association
• Member of Bar Council Working Group on Small Chambers (2008-9)
  
  

Publications

Articles in various professional journals: most recently in Family Law magazine for February, March and August 2009 (on shared residence orders, the relationship between family court decisions on children’s residence and local authority housing allocation decisions and on recent developments in case law on pre-nuptial agreements respectively). He has also spoken on a variety of legal subjects at the regular seminars organized by Stour Chambers, the University of Kent and other venues.

Hobbies and other interests

Reading (esp. history), music (he review concerts for a local newspaper), walking, cinema, travel and trying to make his French, German and Italian a little less basic.

Simon was active in local politics until he found it was incompatible with his professional commitments. He was an elected member of Kent County Council from 1993 to 1997 and held office as Vice-Chair of the Education Committee and Chair of the Special Educational Needs Sub-Committee. He has served as a school governor.