Emma Greenhalgh

PROFILE
Emma Greenhalgh joined chambers following successful completion of pupillage under the supervision of Rachael Heppenstall. 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 Northwest. Since coming to the Bar Emma has developed her knowledge and expanded her experience in public law children proceedings; private law children proceedings; ancillary relief and TOLATA proceedings and Family Law 1996 matters.

Emma undertakes all forms of hearings from the first appointment through to contested final hearings. She represents clients in front of all tribunals within the family court from Magistrates level to High Court Judges.  

In private law proceedings Emma appears in the family proceedings court, county court and high court and has been involved in several complicated cases such as fact finding cases and cases with jurisdictional issues. She regularly acts in cases involving Rule 16.4 Guardians.

Emma is keen to expand upon her ancillary relief practice and has been involved in several cases with overseas assets and trust elements. She acts at FDA and FDR hearings together with final hearings.

In public law proceedings she acts for a number of local authorities and also represents parents, children, grandparents and interveners.. She regularly acts in complex cases involving allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Emma has a particular interest in non-accidental injury cases and enjoys the forensic medical and evidential elements. Emma also regularly acts for vulnerable clients and is known for her ability and understanding to work with client’s who suffer from learning difficulties to that end she has been involved in several cases where the Official Solicitor has been involved. Further, Emma has been instructed by both local authorities and parents in cases where a mother has been incarcerated at the time of birth.

Emma acts for police authorities and local authorities in disclosure and public interest immunity applications in both the criminal and family jurisdictions.

She prides herself on thorough preparation and a down to earth approach. She has the ability to analyse the factual and legal issues concisely and adopts a professional and robust attitude. Emma is approachable and is happy to provide ongoing advice to client’s and Solicitors both prior to and during proceedings.  

Training:
Emma provides regular training to both Social Workers and legal professionals. She is repeatedly invited to speak at local law society/legal events and seminars.  Together with Miss Heppenstall, she has recently provided training to Greater Manchester Police Authority.   

Notable cases:
• Represented a local authority as junior counsel in the high court in a complex multi issue adoption placement breakdown. This case involved allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse;
• Represented a local authority as junior counsel in judicial review proceedings relating to the issue of payments for special guardians;
• Represented a mother in public law proceedings who had killed the children’s father;
• Represented a father in private law proceedings who faced 30 separate allegations of physical, sexual and emotional abuse; None of the allegations were found by the court;
• Represented a mother in a complex FII case;
• Represented a father in 10 day a fact finding hearing in the high court.  This case involved a child who had sustained recent and historic injuries;
• Represented a 14 year old child during a 10 day fact finding case during which the child gave evidence twice;
• Represented a mother who was incarcerated at the time the child was born.  Emma attended contested interim and final hearings which resulted in the baby being cared for by her mother.

Reported case:
Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust v M & Anor [2019] EWHC 468 (Fam) - http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2019/468.html