News

Genevieve Screeche-Powell led by Kelvin Rutledge KC acted for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to successfully resist an appeal about the local authority’s use of a database of homeless applicants awaiting transfer to alternative temporary accommodation. The appellant, Ms Begum had claimed that the system of allocating temporary accommodation indirectly discriminated against women.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed a father’s appeal against an order allowing his ex-wife (Barry McAlinden’s client) to relocate with the parties’ 2 children to a non-Hague convention country. This is the 1st case in the Court of Appeal to consider the interplay of Practice Direction 12J and relocation.

Harrison Engler acted in a successful High Court appeal against 2 previous orders (which had themselves set aside the registration of 2 Pakistani judgments) on the basis that those orders were unjust because of serious procedural irregularity.

Nikolas Clarke acted for the local authority at an inquest into the death of CE who died aged 91 in December 2020. She was looked after at home by her son, with a care package funded by the local authority. There were suggestions that an untreated pressure ulcer and a delay in the arrival of a hoist, ordered to support her care, had contributed to a deterioration in her health.

Dr Martina van der Leij, led by Anna McKenna KC, acted for a mother in care proceedings concerning 3 children who had contracted gonorrhoea while in their mother’s care. Using her microbiology research background, Martina analysed the medical records and assisted in drafting detailed questions to experts to crystallise the issues in dispute. The court ruled that the children be returned to their mother’s care.