Emma Greenhalgh
Year of call 2010, Middle Temple
Areas of Expertise
Court of Protection,
Family
Family: Tier 1
"Emma Greenhalgh is very knowledgeable, has great attention to detail and is very robust."
"She's very dedicated and hard-working."
Chambers and Partners 2025
Family
"Emma is an excellent advocate who is always well-prepared. She is thorough and robust, extremely well respected on the northern circuit, and she is regularly instructed in cases of the utmost gravity."
Legal 500 2025
Family:
"Emma Greenhalgh is a brilliant advocate and works extremely hard."
Chambers and Partners 2024
Family:
"Emma is always well prepared across all of the details of the case. She is committed to her clients and her client handling skills are second to none, her attendance notes and draft orders are always prompt and detailed, her advocacy is brilliant, both in and out of the court room, and her advice is realistic and sensitive to the client’s position."
Legal 500 2024
Family - Northern (Bar):
"Emma Greenhalgh is good on child law cases."
Chambers and Partners 2023
Family:
"Emma is an extremely intelligent advocate who is fair and balanced but forthright in the court room. Her understanding of the issues and swift assimilation of the documentation is enviable."
Legal 500 2023
Family (Northern Bar):
"Emma's ability, preparation and attention to detail are superb." "She's very thorough, very comprehensive in her preparation and very approachable."
Chambers and Partners 2022
Family:
"Emma is always very well prepared and knows the case thoroughly. Her advice is always well researched, balanced and pragmatic. Emma has an excellent manner when dealing with professional clients and her thorough and methodical approach gives clients confidence, particularly when the matter is complex."
Legal 500 2022
Family/Matrimonial – Northern (Bar):
"She provided realistic advice and robust representation of the client."
Chambers and Partners 2021
Family and Children Law: Leading Barrister
"A thoughtful and empathetic advocate who always stands up for her clients."
Legal 500 2020
Family/Matrimonial – Northern (Bar): Band 2
"Emma is very hard-working and gets on a level with clients very well." "She is very talented."
Chambers and Partners 2020
Family and children law – ranked Tier 1
She has extensive experience in public law children matters.
Legal 500 2019
Family/Matrimonial – Northern (Bar): Leading Barrister (Band 2)
"She is a silk in the making. Her analysis is phenomenal."
"She always prepares very thoroughly."
Chambers and Partners UK Bar 2019
"A tenacious advocate who is able to get to grips with extremely complex cases."
Chambers and Partners 2018
“Focus on children cases, with childcare issues being a particular specialism.” “She is thorough and passionate about her cases.” “Personable, intelligent and really thinks about her cases.”
Chambers and Partners 2017
"Up-and-coming advocate with a particular focus in public law Children Act matters. Represents children, parents and local authorities in a range of issues. 'She has a good practice and is well respected.' 'She is always really helpful and really thorough with advice to the client.'"
Chambers and Partners 2016
"She is exceptionally well prepared and insightful, with good client care skills and an ability to argue her points effectively." "She is a rising star in that set of chambers."
Chambers & Partners 2015
PROFILE
Emma Greenhalgh joined Chambers in 2011 following successful completion of pupillage. Prior to this, Emma qualified as a Solicitor during which time she gained a variety of experience in all aspects of Family Law with a leading high street practice based in the North West. She prides herself on thorough preparation and a down to earth approach. Emma has the ability to analyse the factual and legal issues concisely and adopts a professional and robust attitude.
Emma is Head of the Pupillage and Tenancy Committee and leads with a resolute commitment to developing talented barristers within Chambers.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
FAMILY
Emma is a specialist in Children Act 1989 applications and undertakes all forms of hearings from the first appointment through to contested final hearings.
In private law proceedings Emma has been involved in several complicated cases such as: contested special guardianship applications; international relocation and cases featuring allegations prompting a s37 enquiry.
In public law proceedings Emma acts for: local authorities; parents; children grandparents and intervenors. She has acted in complex cases concerning allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. She has experience of several cases where children and protected parties have given live oral evidence.
Emma has a particular interest in non-accidental injury cases and enjoys the forensic medical and evidential elements.
Emma represents all parties in deprivation of liberty proceedings and has experience of cases which are then transferred to the Court of Protection. She also regularly acts for vulnerable clients (including via the Official Solicitor) and is known for her ability and understanding to work with clients who suffer from learning difficulties.
Emma regularly appears in the High Court and has experience in cases involving: the medical treatment of children; wardship; deprivation of liberty; the exercise of the inherent jurisdiction; the restriction and exercise of parental responsibility and party status; female genital mutilation and forced marriage.
Emma acts for police authorities and local authorities in disclosure and public interest immunity applications in both the criminal and family jurisdictions.
NOTABLE CASES
- Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v M & Anor [2019] EWHC 468 (Fam) - http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2019/468.html
- Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v M & Anor (2019) EWHC 1244 (Fam)
- Re AA & 25 others (2019) EWFC 64
- Bury Metropolitan Borough Council v ML & Anor [2022] EWHC 746 (Fam) (04 April 2022)
TRAINING SERVICES
Emma provides regular training to both social workers and legal professionals. She has also provided training to Greater Manchester Police.
Associations
Child Concern
Family Law Bar Association
Education
LLB (Hons), Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University
Prescribed Information
Emma Greenhalgh is a practising barrister, who is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Details of information held by the BSB about Emma can be found here.
Emma’s clerks will happily provide no obligation quotations for all legal services that she provides. Their contact details can be found here. It is most common for Emma to undertake Court and advisory work for a fixed fee or brief fee plus additional refresher days. For advisory work, paperwork and conferences it is most commonly charged at an hourly rate although fixed fees are available. Emma accepts instructions on legal aid rates where those are available, details of which can be found here. Emma will typically return paperwork within 14 days, however professional commitments, complexity and volume of documentation can affect these approximate timescales.
Specialist Areas of Practice:
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