Barrister Profile
Expertise
Family: Care & Children
Public Law / Care and Adoption Proceedings
Gary has extensive experience in dealing with care proceedings, ranging from the start of proceedings eg Emergency Protection hearings, through the process of Interim Care Order, Case Management hearings and Issue Resolution hearings.
He has represented Local Authorities, parents, guardians, children and interveners in care cases. He regularly deals with cases involving allegations of neglect, sexual abuse and non-accidental injury, and is fully conversant with the complex medical evidence and expert testimony. He is also experienced in dealing with cases involving adoption, special guardianship, long-term foster care placements, residential placements, secure units and cases involving parties with serious learning difficulties.
Gary
- Acts for local authorities, parents, children's guardians and interveners
- Experienced in particularly sensitive and complex care proceedings
- Experienced in alleged non-accidental injury cases and proceedings
- Sexual abuse
- Particular experience of representing both vulnerable and aggressive clients
- Secure accommodation orders
Family: Finance
Divorce & Separation
Gary has extensive experience in relation to the Financial provisions surrounding divorce and Separation. Over his 40 years of practice Gary has dealt with all interim applications for maintenance and costs, security for costs, applications for provision for a child of unmarried parents under Schedule 1 Children Act 1989 and financial remedy.
Furthermore he is able to advise in relation to pre and post nuptial agreements as well as issuing divorce petitions and defended divorces.
Most cases Gary has dealt with revolve around maintenance pending suit and the financial remedy application on divorce through the 3 stage hearing process. With regard to the latter it is important to get as much financial information ready for the first hearing so that it can be dealt with as an financial dispute resolution hearing, which is a saving on costs.
Of particular importance in either type of case is the need to prepare a comprehensive list of outgoings from the start.
Gary has also a wealth of expertise involving the concealment of assets, family companies, assets abroad, pensions and disputes about property valuations.
In many of these cases the parties are under emotional and/or financial strain and a sensitive, if strong approach is often called for.
Inheritance Act claims
The cases Gary has dealt with nearly all involve representing the partner of the deceased, in an unmarried relationship. Often the deceased had children from an earlier relationship with competing claims to those of the deceased’s co-habitee. Because the costs can escalate quickly with multi parties in a case like this, attempts to settle should be made as early as possible. The settlement process is never easy when the parties have lost a loved one, and a careful and understanding approach is essential when the parties have had such an emotionally traumatic event.
As stated above, the cases Gary has dealt with nearly all involve representing the partner of the deceased, in an unmarried relationship. Often the deceased had children from an earlier relationship with competing claims to those of the deceased’s co-habitee. Because the costs can escalate quickly with multi parties in a case like this, attempts to settle should be made as early as possible. The settlement process is never easy when the parties have lost a loved one, and a careful and understanding approach is essential when the parties have had such an emotionally traumatic event.