Caroline is the Head of the Court of Protection Team at Park Square Barristers.
Caroline is an experienced practitioner who is instructed in all tiers of the Court of Protection relating to the deprivation of liberty of adults and children; as well as welfare and property matters. She is also instructed in matters under the Inherent Jurisdiction.
Caroline’s experience includes advising and providing representation in matters such as finding of fact hearings to determine coercive and controlling behaviour; the representation of vulnerable parties who require special measures; legal argument as to the purpose and scope of finding of fact hearings; legal and factual arguments about capacity; LPAs; forced marriage protection orders, with interlocking issues of capacity, children’s welfare, and the spectre of criminal proceedings; local authority responsibilities and duties; mental health; deputyship disputes; and interlocking COP and Family proceedings. Caroline advised on and pursued the first application to be made to the High Court for disclosure following the VP’s Guidance relating to closed hearings.
General:
Caroline is a published author in the Family Law Journal discussing Deprivation of Liberty as it relates to children and young people; Capacity and Diagnosis, with an emphasis on the case law relating to Anorexia; and Transparency within the Court of Protection. Caroline is also an experienced public speaker at seminar and training events and writes articles for chambers’ website.
Caroline is respected by judges and colleagues for the quality of her written submissions and case preparation, and is well liked by clients for her robust but sensitive approach. Instructing solicitors appreciate her consistency in communication and willingness to tackle difficult issues.
Caroline has completed the Bar Council’s Vulnerable Witness training, having originally arranged training for family barristers in 2016/2017 when she was the secretary of the North Eastern Circuit FLBA.
Caroline has dual UK/Australian nationality, and completed her undergraduate studies in Sydney before returning to the UK to focus on a legal career. She was called to the bar by the Middle Temple in 2006, commencing pupillage in London shortly after. Since 2009 Caroline has been based in Leeds, and has been a member of chambers since 2010, initially practising in Family – Children and Financial Remedies, and since expanding her practice to include Court of Protection and mental health matters. Caroline has been Head of the Court of Protection Team at Park Square Barristers since 2022. She is also a pupil supervisor to COP and Family pupils, her recent pupil joining chambers as a tenant in 2023.
Paul Foster (Senior Court of Protection Clerk) on 0113 213 5209
Claudine Cooper on 0113 202 8604