Joanne Barnett
Family:
"Joanne is a persuasive and well-rounded advocate who takes a practical and frank approach. She is also willing to stay in touch and help round off cases."
Legal 500 2024
Family:
"Joanne is so knowledgeable on children matters, has great manner with clients and judiciary, and is an absolute safe pair of hands in children cases. A go-to barrister."
Legal 500 2023
Family:
"Joanne is thoughtful, knowledgeable, insightful, has a great rapport with clients and notably shows a highly commendable commitment to cases and will give them any extra time or discussion they require. An expert family barrister and very highly recommended."
Legal 500 2022
Family and Children Law: Leading Junior Band 1
"Prepares well and goes above and beyond for her clients."
Legal 500 2020
'Experienced in childcare and adoption proceedings.'
Legal 500, 2017
"Recommended for childcare cases, including international matters."
Legal 500, 2016
"Her broad family practice includes cases with an international element."
Legal 500 2014
"singled out for childcare matters"
Legal 500 2012
PROFILE
Joanne Barnett commenced her practice in London, undertaking criminal and civil work before moving to family law with the introduction of the Children Act 1989. She later returned to Wales where she was a tenant in Swansea and Cardiff. Joanne moved to Manchester and joined Chambers with over twenty years of knowledge and experience. Joanne is respected amongst her peers and receives repeat instructions from solicitors with whom she has developed excellent longstanding relationships.
Joanne provides a quality service to both her solicitor and client. She has a strong analytical mind and is adopts a meticulous organised approach to case preparation. Joanne excels at putting clients at ease with her calm and considered manner.
Joanne believes in being available and contactable to resolve any matters of concern within a short timescale. Conferences and strategic prehearing planning are regularly a part of her daily schedule. These can be arranged at Chambers or at the solicitors offices if preferred. Joanne welcomes a collaborative working relationship.
Joanne regularly appears in the County and High Court throughout the North West, undertaking child care Proceedings, private Client cases (including s.8 applications) and financial relief applications.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
CHILDCARE/ADOPTION
Joanne represents Parents, Grandparents, Local Authority, Official Solicitor and NYAS, and Children’s Guardian on many complex cases. She has vast experience of perpetrator hearings: injury, bruising, baby shaking (whether underlying metabolic disorder or not), baby/child murder of one or more children, salt poisoning, factitious illness, serious sexual abuse hearings in both County and High Court, representing either the Local Authority, Parents or the Child. Joanne has an enviable local authority experience in care across Wales including Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr, Rhondda Cynon Taff , Bridgend, Neath, Powys County Council and Newport County Council.
CASES WITH INTERNATIONAL ELEMENTS
Joanne is experienced in cases where an interpreter is required and where cultural beliefs/values need to be respected. She has tackled applications for relocation or removal from the UK Jurisdiction e.g Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, Ireland, Poland. Joanne specialises advisory work on any potential planned move/or defence of any proposed move. Her client base spans a range of cultures and she is confident in placing the case in a cultural context at Court.
ANCILLARY RELIEF
Joanne is usually instructed in complex cases of farming and business ancillary relief hearings. Her most recent experience involved cases with foreign assets and hidden assets.
PRIVATE CLIENT DIVORCE
8 applications advised upon and representation provided at Court if required
OTHER
Private adoption applications
Education Tribunal Work
Judicial Review Applications when connected with care proceedings
NOTABLE CASES
- Re S [1996] (Split Hearings) 2 FLR 773
- London Borough of Reddidge v Newport City Council [2004] 2 FLR 226
- Re Z [2006] (Parenting Plan:Publicity) 1 FLR 405
TRAINING
Joanne is willing to provided CPD lectures and training for Local Authorities and Social Workers
Appointments
Legal Services Commission Review Panel Board (2000)
Associations
FLBA, Association of Lawyers for Children
Education
LLB Hons (Wales)
Prescribed Information
Joanne Barnett is a practising barrister, who is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Details of information held by the BSB about Joanne Barnett can be found here.
Joanne Barnett'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 Joanne Barnett to undertake Court and advisory work for a brief fee and refresher fee for each additional hearing day. For advisory work, conferences and/or additional paperwork, it is most commonly charged at an hourly rate where an estimate is given as a maximum amount to be charged, although if preferred fixed fees can be negotiated at the point of instruction. Joanne Barnett typically returns paperwork within 14 days, however professional commitments, complexity and volume of documentation can affect these approximate timescales. If that is the case you will be notified and a new timescale provided.
Joanne Barnett also undertakes Direct Access work. This work is undertaken on a contractual basis agreed between the client and Joanne Barnett's clerks. This is on fixed fee basis for a specific events such as a conference, advisory work, a hearing with additional hearing days (refreshers) or the drafting of specific documents. All work agreed to be undertaken by Joanne Barnett with the fixed fee cost will be clearly outlined in the direct access contract signed by the client and will be payable in full prior to the commencement of the work.
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