Rebecca has been practising as a lawyer since 2007 in multiple jurisdictions. She currently practises in all areas of family law, with a particular focus on care cases, domestic abuse, human rights and international issues. She previously practised as an international human rights lawyer based in the Middle East for 6 years, after completing a three-year law degree in the US (Harvard and Berkeley).
Family
Rebecca is an approachable, empathetic barrister who focusses on clients’ needs and the legal strategies best suited to their goals. She acts in family cases for the Local Authority, parents and children.
Rebecca has amassed a wide variety of experience in financial matters including cases involving cultural issues/honour-based violence, dissipation of assets and both psychological and physical abuse.
Crime/ Regulatory
Rebecca represents individuals in respect of a wide range of offences, with particular expertise in financial crimes including confiscation. She has experience dealing with vulnerable defendants, victims and witnesses. Rebecca also undertakes a wide range of regulatory matters.
Rebecca worked as a criminal barrister in London where she had a busy criminal and regulatory practice, including as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal. She was seconded to Peters & Peters for 6 months, a leading white-collar crime firm. She completed pupillage and was a tenant at the 3 Raymond Buildings, a leading criminal law set.
Other
Rebecca completed a three-year law degree at Berkeley and Harvard Law Schools, is a member of the New York Bar and practised as a corporate lawyer (for clients including Microsoft, Barclays Bank and the State of Qatar) at leading US firms in New York, London and Doha.
Rebecca also worked for a number of years as an international human rights lawyer. In 2010, whilst living in Cairo, she established a strategic litigation initiative spanning North Africa. As part of this initiative, she brought successful human rights cases against countries including Egypt, Sudan and Libya. Other projects she has undertaken include gathering evidence in Afghanistan on the impact of the conflict on civilians (with a report she co-authored presented to the US Senate) and a review of orphanages and the treatment of children in custody in Syria and Egypt. She has recently undertaken various projects focused on promoting rule of law in Libya, with a particular focus on corruption in Libya, and was involved with cases before the International Criminal Court.
Rebecca regularly delivers legal training and seminars. She has taught at the University of Oxford, San Diego State University, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Chester. She has lectured and delivered conference papers on a wide range of subjects. She mentors young people in Cheshire and North Wales and has participated in Inner Temple’s social mobility initiatives (widening access to the Bar) and Oral History project.
The majority of cases Rebecca has been instructed on are confidential and parties’ names cannot be shared. Recent cases include:
Care cases
(2022)
• Acting for the LA in a case where a child was accused of stabbing a parent
• Acting for the LA in a case involving allegations of sexual abuse of children, with KCs instructed for opposing parties
• Acting for the LA in a case involving allegations of smuggling of drugs across county lines, with parallel criminal proceedings
(2021)
• Successfully appealed decision to place parents in a pool of perpetrators in a Non-Accidental Injury Case
Private children
(2022)
• Successfully appealed decision where no findings were made regarding domestic abuse. The findings of abuse were subsequently made.
• Acting for the mother in a case where the court made findings of serious sexual abuse
• Acting for the mother (who had moved from Libya a year previously) in a case where the court made findings of coercive and controlling behaviour, financial and physical abuse. Rebecca’s knowledge of the Middle East/ North Africa assisted in this case.
Financial proceedings
(2022)
• Acted for the wife in a case involving allegations of sham transactions by the husband, with three intervenors joined. Successfully established sham transactions and achieved positive settlement for the wife.
• Acted for the husband in a case involving significant assets in offshore trusts and successfully ringfenced pre-marital assets
• Acted for the wife in a case involving serious allegations of domestic abuse. Whilst the allegations did not amount to a “conduct” argument, the court took the abuse into account within the broader circumstances making a positive award for the wife.
• Acted for the wife who moved from Pakistan 5 years previously. Successfully assisted the wife to obtain a non-molestation order and occupation order and achieved positive settlement despite multiple claims that the wife had no claim on any of the marital assets.
• Acted for the wife in a successful enforcement action after the husband failed to comply with a financial order.
Family – Other
Has provided advices to the court on family law in various foreign jurisdictions, including countries in the Middle East.
Regulatory
In 2022, Rebecca represented Wrexham Council on a range of regulatory matters including animal cruelty, housing matters and road maintenance.
International human rights cases
EIPR and Interights v Egypt (2011)
EIPR, Interights and HRW v Libya (2011)
DPhil, MSt and BA from the University of Oxford
JD (three-year law degree) from Berkeley/Harvard Law School (First Class)
GDL, University of Law, Chester (Distinction)
BPTC, Nottingham Trent University (Outstanding)
Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Member of the Family Law Bar Association
