Hazel Samuriwo

2021| Admitted as a Solicitor: 2016
020 7831 0222 | [email protected]

Hazel Samuriwo

2021| Admitted as a Solicitor: 2016
020 7831 0222 | [email protected]

Family Law

Hazel specialises in public and private law children matters, with a particular focus on public children law proceedings. She represents local authorities, parents, grandparents, and guardians in a wide range of hearings, including emergency protection orders (EPOs), contested interim care orders (ICOs), case management hearings (CMH), issues resolution hearings (IRH), contested designation hearings, contested final hearings, and fact-finding hearings.

Hazel regularly appears in the High Court, handling complex cases such as deprivation of liberty (DOLs), secure accommodation orders, and non-disclosure applications. Alongside her advocacy work, she maintains a busy paper-based practice, drafting threshold documents, Scott schedules, skeleton arguments, and written opinions.

Her previous in-house experience with local authorities provides her with unique insight, benefiting both professional and lay clients.

Hazel is skilled at working with vulnerable clients and witnesses, having completed vulnerable witness advocacy training.

Publications

Hazel is a prolific writer and contributor to legal publications. Hazel provides insightful case summaries and articles on a wide array of topics, encompassing all aspects of children law. Her work covers issues pertinent to parents, local authorities, procedural developments, cross-cultural matters, high-profile cases, and leading judgments, ensuring comprehensive coverage and expert analysis for both lay and professional clients. Hazel’s contributions include:

Numerous case summaries and articles published by Family Law Week.
Articles for Lexis Nexis, including “Assessment of Ethnic Minority Families: When in Rome Do as the Romans Do?”
Webinars for Family Law Week on public law topics.

Some of her past notable publications include:

“Protection of Children Who Are Seventeen” (Family Law Week).
“Contact with Children in Care: COVID-19” (Local Government Lawyer).
“Similar Fact Evidence in Family Proceedings” (Local Government Lawyer).

Court of Protection and Mental Health Law

Between 2013 and 2016, Hazel worked for a specialist mental health law firm, representing clients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended) and their “nearest relatives” at Hospital Managers and First-Tier Tribunal hearings. She gained accreditation under the Law Society’s Mental Health Scheme, demonstrating her high level of competence in mental health law. Hazel welcomes instructions to represent patients detained under the Mental Health Act and their nearest relatives in County Courts.