1 Crown Office Row, Brighton welcome Sarah Hunwick - Sep 2024
Sarah joined Chambers in September 2024 from a leading common law set and specialises in public law proceedings relating to children. She acts for local authorities, parents, children, and other family members.
At the start of her career Sarah also practiced criminal and civil law, giving her a breadth of other experience to draw upon when approaching new cases.
Sarah has a growing reputation as a fastidiously prepared advocate who is determined to achieve the right result for her clients. She has adapted to a fully paperless way of working and is attending remote, hybrid and in person hearings.
Sarah is recommended as a leading junior for Family: Children and Domestic Abuse (London Bar) by the Legal 500.
FamilySarah is regularly instructed in public law proceedings in the Family Court and the High Court. She acts for local authorities, parents, Children’s Guardians and other interested parties. Sarah is an experienced advocate and deals with cases involving serious non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, FGM, radicalisation, neglect and substance misuse. She frequently appears in the High Court on applications for deprivation of liberty declarations and other urgent applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction.
Sarah also represents parties in private cases, including applications for Child Arrangements Orders, Occupation Orders and Non-Molestation Orders. Sarah recognises the challenges faced by many individuals in private law disputes in light of changes to legal aid funding and has accepted instructions on a pro bono basis.
Selected Cases
- Re J: Sarah represented the local authority at this lengthy final hearing involving five children removed to foster care due to the mother experiencing a breakdown in her mental health and being diagnosed with delusional disorder. The mother had been convinced that paedophiles had abused her children and had then tried to kill the children by poisoning them. The cross examination of the mother required careful preparation and took up a lot of court time due to the mother requiring an interpreter and the assistance of an intermediary as a vulnerable witness and as the hearing was conducted remotely.
- Re G: Sarah acted for the local authority in this application under the Inherent Jurisdiction for a declaration as to whether or not the local authority need to inform family members of the birth of a child relinquished for adoption by its mother.
- Re D:Sarah acted for the Local Authority in this case involving serious non-accidental injuries inflicted upon a 3 week old baby, including rib fractures and a broken femur.
- Re S: Sarah represented a 14 year old girl who was deemed competent and separately represented due to a conflict with her Children’s Guardian. Sarah’s client and her younger brother had been removed from their mother’s care after she had physically assaulted them. The final hearing was interrupted due to further serious disclosures and an ongoing police investigation and in the end 12 days of court time were needed.
- Re R&M: In this case Sarah acted for the respondent Mother whose two children were removed to foster care following the youngest child (a 6 month old baby) sustaining a non-accidental traumatic injury whilst in the care of his parents.
Sarah is developing her Court of Protection practice and has recently appeared in disputes relating to property and affairs, the appointment of panel deputies, deprivation of liberty, contact and residence. She is available to attend hearings, as well as advise on paper or in conference.
