Ann Osborne

Overview

Ann is very popular with solicitors and has the ear of Judges. She is described by Judges as very thorough in her written work, excellent in her grasp of the key issues and a very able advocate. Ann is regularly instructed by solicitors representing parents, grandparents and Local Authorities. Ann is additionally instructed by solicitors representing the child both in public law and in private law proceedings.

Ann is instructed in complex public law and adoption matters involving non-accidental injuries, sexual and physical child abuse. Ann has an interest in Fabricated Induced Illness cases. Ann has dealt with Inherent Jurisdiction matters in the High Court involving Wardship, Forced Marriage Protection Orders and the return of a child. Ann also undertakes complex private law matters often involving fact findings relating to allegations of domestic violence, coercive controlling behaviour and parental alienation matters.

Ann has been a mentor barrister within Garden Court’s ‘Access to the Bar for All’ mentoring scheme since its inception. The scheme won the Diversity Initiative of the Year award in 2017 and the Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion at the Chambers Bar Awards in 2019 and 2020. Ann has also been a mentor barrister for Kings College, London and Grays’ Inn, often being paired with young women seeking to join the Bar.

Ann is a co-author for the Lexis Nexis looseleaf publication on Emergency Remedies in the Family Court.

Before joining Garden Court in 2017, Ann was a solicitor-advocate with Higher Rights of audience and an accredited member of the Law Society Children Panel. Ann also held Resolution’s specialist family law accreditation for financial remedies and private law Children Act matters.

Prior to qualification, Ann represented patients at Hospital Managers’ Hearings and at what were then known as Mental Health Review Tribunals in psychiatric facilities including the Maudsley, St Thomas’ and Mayday Hospitals both as a paralegal and during her training as a solicitor. Ann brings that background in mental health law into her practice and maintains a particular interest in the overlap between mental health and family law. Ann has represented those suffering from mental health impairment or learning disabilities.

Ann has co-authored articles on remote working for legal professionals during the Covid-19 crisis and delivered seminars as well as webinars to solicitors and the London Association of District Judges on areas of law which are of current relevance.

Ann serves as a visiting Honorary Senior Research Fellow within the Base for Research in Inclusion, Diversity & Equality (BRIDgE) at Bishop Grosseteste University.

Ann is Public Access qualified and is therefore eligible to accept work from members of the public.

Notable cases

In 2023, Ann successfully represented the mother at short notice at a contested final hearing involving non accidental injuries. No findings were made against her client and the child was returned home immediately.

In 2022, Ann successfully represented the mother of a of a severely neuro disabled young person in care proceedings at Final Hearing. The Local Authority’s application for a Care Order was refused. The Court was very critical of the manner in which the mother had been treated and found that the allegations about her conduct lacked merit.

In 2021, Ann successfully represented a vulnerable mother at Fact Finding. A number of serious allegations had been raised including coercive controlling behaviour and domestic violence. Findings were obtained in relation to all allegations.

In 2020, Ann successfully obtained placement of children within their wider family network. The placement was vehemently opposed by the Mother. Ann represented the Father.

In 2019, Ann represented an intervenor at Fact Finding involving non accidental injury. No findings were made against her client.

In 2019, Ann successfully obtained Forced Marriage Protection Orders and the return of a young person from Somalia where travel restrictions had been imposed to preclude the young person’s return to the United Kingdom. Ann represented the Local Authority.

In 2019, Ann successfully opposed a parent’s application to the Court of Appeal against the Care and Placement Orders made at first instance.

In 2018, Ann successfully persuaded the Court that it was appropriate to ensure that the Mother’s wishes for the child’s future religious upbringing to feature as part of the criteria for selection of prospective adopters although the welfare checklist no longer makes reference to religious upbringing as a checklist factor. Ann represented the child.

In 2017, Ann successfully challenged the basis for the Local Authority’s negative assessment of an adult sibling and the care planning in relation to the child. Ann secured placement of the child with the adult sibling. Ann represented the adult sibling.

In 2017, Ann successfully challenged a Local Authority’s final care plan for long term fostering, securing placement with a grandparent who had been negatively assessed. Ann represented the grandparent.

In 2016, Ann successfully challenged a Local Authority’s final care plans of adoption for the younger children and long term foster care for the older children, securing placement of the sibling group with their Father who had been ruled out. Ann represented the children.

In 2016, Ann successfully challenged a Local Authority’s final care plan of adoption, securing placement with the Father who had been negatively assessed. No party supported the Father’s case. The Father had faced serious allegations at fact finding including administering a noxious substance to a minor. No findings were made against the Father. Ann represented the Father.

In 2015, Ann represented a mother on a pro bono basis to secure the return of her young child from a non-Hague country (South Sudan), securing declaration of the child as a ward of the Court enabling the return of the child to the mother.