Year of call: 1989
Year of Silk: 2009
Clerk: Lesley Haikney
Paul has been a specialist family law practitioner since relocating to Cardiff in 1997 from chambers in London. He is now head of the 9 Park Place Chambers family law team and is also deputy head of chambers.
Paul handles all aspects of public and private law child work as well as financial and ancillary relief matters. Recent public law cases have included sibling fatalities, serious non accidental head injuries and serious sexual abuse. Recent ancillary relief work has included substantial inheritances, family trusts, farming interests and lottery winnings.
Paul’s most recent reported cases include Re MW (Case Management) [2010] 1 FLR 1093, a care case where he appeared on behalf of a local authority in an infant non-accidental head injury case seeking to re-open the cause of death of the child’s half sibling and Re N (Jurisdiction) [2007] 2 FLR 1196; [2007] EWHC 1274; [2007] Fam Law 901, a matrimonial case involving the detailed application of the principles of domicile and Brussels II. In Re E.N. (Adoption: Special Guardianship) [2008] 2 F.C.R. 229; [2007] EWCA 264; [2007] Fam Law 459 Paul appeared in the Court of Appeal on behalf of a Guardian and successfully resisted an appeal against the making of a care and placement order.
Other reported cases include:
M v M (Specific Issue) [2007] 1 FLR 251
Re C (Adoption: Disclosure to Father) [2006] 1 FLR 589
Re R (Care: Plan for Adoption: Best Interests) [2006] 1 FLR 483
Re Y (Removal from Jurisdiction) [2004] 2 FLR 330
Re I (Care Order) [2003] EWHC 2447 (Fam)
Re S (Contact: Appeal) [2001] Fam Law 505
Re C (Contact: No order) [2000] 2 FLR 723
Re A (Change of Name) [1999] 2 FLR 930
E v C (Child Maintenance) [1996] 1 FLR 472
Consistently recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers Directories, Paul is described as having "unfailingly won praise from the interviewees in both the ancillary relief and public law markets. He's very sensible, knows the law, cares about the clients and does his research." Chambers 2010 records that "...he is thorough, persuasive and assured on his feet."
Paul is also approved counsel on the Welsh Government Panel of Advocates under the category of Family and Children Law. He is also a Director of Family Contact (Cardiff) and an external examiner on Cardiff University Law School B.F.P.C. Course.
Before coming to the Bar, Paul acquired extensive experience, in a residential social worker capacity, in working with deaf people and people with learning disabilities and mental illness.
Paul has been a Recorder of the Crown Court since 2006, where he is authorised to try serious sexual offences. He is also approved to sit as a County Court Recorder on private and public family cases.
Paul is a welsh speaker who is married with one son.