About Joanna
Joanna qualified as a solicitor in 2017 and has worked across all areas of family law in the Family Courts, High Court, and Court of Appeal.
Joanna assists clients in all public law matters, from the Public Law Outline (PLO) process through to care proceedings and in applications to discharge care orders. Joanna also assists clients with private children law applications such as obtaining child arrangements orders, removal from the jurisdiction orders, location orders, specific issue and prohibited steps orders.
Working in family law for almost nine years Joanna has worked with a wide range of clients from different backgrounds, facing difficult issues within family proceedings. Joanna ensures vulnerable clients have all the support they need through the court process, both in her work with them but also in the client’s work with professionals and the court.
Joanna is a dedicated and committed solicitor, ensuring clients feel heard and supported through the court process, and that every avenue is explored on their behalf. Joanna also ensures all clients.
Outside of work Joanna likes to keep active with swimming and the gym and is a keen supported of Arsenal Women’s FC.
Advises on the Following Areas of Law
- Care proceedings, all elements including PLO and through to Final Hearings
- Adoption matters, revoking or appealing and opposing adoption orders
- Special Guardianship Orders, advising on and applying for same
- Private law children, all elements, contact and residential disputes, permission to leave the jurisdiction, prohibited steps and enforcement orders
- Domestic abuse issues, non molestation and occupation orders, transfers of tenancy
Notable and Reported Cases
Re W (A Child) (Care Proceedings: Child's Representation) [2016] EWCA Civ 1051 | Court of Appeal, 1 November 2016.
Joanna acted, with her supervising solicitor, for a 16 year old girl appealing a decision that refused her permission to instruct her own solicitor. The local authority had applied for a recovery order to return her to foster care after she went home to her parents, and she wanted to put her own case rather than have her views presented through her children's guardian. The Court of Appeal held that the judge had applied the wrong approach and that the client was able to instruct her own solicitor. The judgment is still cited on how a court assesses whether a child has sufficient understanding to give instructions directly.
Tortoise Media Ltd v A Local Authority & Ors [2024] EWFC 50 | Family Court, 8 March 2024.
Joanna acted for the father in proceedings that a national media organisation applied for permission to report. The mother supported the application. The court granted permission to report the names of the parents and any photographs they agreed to release, but refused permission to report anything that would identify the children.
Read the judgment | Case summary
Re P (Children: Disclosure) [2022] EWCA Civ 495 | Court of Appeal, 12 April 2022.
Joanna acted, with a colleague, for the mother in private law proceedings in which the court made findings of rape, coercive control and abuse against the father. The mother applied to remove the father's parental responsibility and to notify the Home Office of his convictions. The father did not accept the findings, would not engage with Cafcass, and applied for protection so that nothing he said about the findings could be disclosed to the police. Hayden J refused that application and the Court of Appeal upheld the refusal, on an appeal heard by the Lord Chief Justice sitting with Peter Jackson and Baker LJJ.
Community Initiatives
- Joanna climbed Kilimanjaro in 2018 raising money for Destiny Pre & Primary School in Arusha, Tanzania. The money she raised went to putting new roofs on existing buildings and building new school rooms
- Joanna mentored primary school children through ReachOut while at University.
Here to help. Contact Joanna.
Joanna and all the team at Cartwright King are dedicated to helping you. If you need help, contact Joanna by email using this form.
