Lucy Leader

Called to bar:

2002

Lincoln’s Inn

Contact:

clerks@angelchambers.co.uk

01792 464623

Before joining Chambers in 2005, Lucy spent 18 months working for a specialist Legal Expenses Insurance company, advising on all aspects of civil law before her appointment as a specialist Employment Consultant. She continues to advise on all aspects of employment law.

Since joining Chambers Lucy has forged a strong reputation in all areas of children and family work and regularly receives instructions from Local Authorities, Guardians, Children, the Official Solicitor, and vulnerable adults and parents / family members and Intervenors.

Lucy is an engaging and knowledgeable advocate who has an established a strong reputation for her compassionate client care, excellent forensic preparation, and her pragmatic and tactical approach to her instructions.

Practice areas

Family law

Public law proceedings

Care proceedings and adoption

Lucy has substantial experience in acting for all parties involved in legally and factually complex care and adoption proceedings and special guardianship.

Lucy has detailed knowledge of the legal and social care issues relating to local authority planning and decision making for children and uses her broad experience of representing both professional and lay clients to ensure that her clients not only understand the process, in simple terms, but that they feel a part of the legal team.

Private law proceedings

Child arrangement orders (live with or spend time with orders), Special Guardianship Orders, Removal from the jurisdiction

Lucy regularly acts for parents and children in complex private law proceedings.

Court of Protection

Lucy’s practice spans the full range of mental capacity law and the interface between the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Lucy’s court of protection practice is predominantly through Local Authorityinstruction in respect of personal welfare, adult protection, medical treatment and property cases as well as applications for the authorization of deprivation of liberty authorisations (DOLS)

Lucy is keen to receive instructions on behalf of vulnerable adults and their families and is looking forward to developing a practice in this area.

Family finance including TOLATA

Lucy’s practice spans the full range of family finance from unlocking matrimonial assets on divorce to cohabitation claims under TOLATA to Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 applications.

Recommendations

Chambers and Partners 2017
Has a strong Children Act practice, representing individuals in public and private law matters. Her practice also encompasses matrimonial finance cases and enforcement proceedings.

“Lucy is able to assimilate a lot of factual detail very quickly, is consistent and always well prepared”

Chambers and Partners 2016
A highly rated barrister with an emphasis on public and private Children Act applications. Also ably handles enforcement applications, injunctive relief and matrimonial finance cases. Particularly praised for her mastery of case material.

“Full of energy and vigour; a well-prepared and strong performer”

Chambers and Partners 2015
Highly praised for her thorough approach and ability to establish good rapport with her clients. She often undertakes public and private children’s proceedings and ancillary relief cases.

“She is vibrant, enthusiastic, and really good with clients”

Notable cases:

Re MA; SA and HA [2009] EWHC 1026 (Fam)
Re MA (Care; Threshold) [2009] EWCA Civ 853
Re M (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1170
Re G (A Child) [2014] EWCA Civ 432
Swansea and XZ and another and The Press, Media and Others [2014] EWHC (Fam) 212

Awards

Kalisher Scholarship 2002
Lincoln’s Inn Lord Peter Millett Scholarship 2002
Lincoln’s Inn Buchanan Prize Winner 2002
Top Female Student Cardiff BVC 2001-2002

Seminars and lectures

Lucy regularly provides training for local authority lawyers and social workers and lectures in chambers seminars. In the recent past she has spoken on topics such as local authority decision making, local authority accommodation, threshold and fact finding, special guardianship orders and revocation of adoption orders.

Civil law

Employment

Lucy’s employment practice includes both Applicant and Respondent work with a particular emphasis on Unfair Dismissal and Capability Dismissals.

Lucy’s employment practice is complimented by her family and mental health/court of protection work as she regularly receives instructions to advise and represent both employees and employers, some of whom require representation in the context of family run businesses where there are underlying family disputes and/or care homes subject to the community care legislation.

Mental Capacity