Maria-Amália is a highly-regarded specialist family law barrister and joint head of the Private Family team in chambers. Maria-Amália has an excellent reputation, enjoys working collaboratively with instructing solicitors and clients and has a busy practice covering all areas of family law work. Her particular focus is on the following principal areas of practice:
- Financial provision on divorce
- Advising on and drafting nuptial agreements
- Claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996
- Financial claims under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 (including where these combine with cohabitant claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996)
- Private law Children Act matters, including applications for leave to remove from the jurisdiction
- Child support appeals
- Family violence
Family Law
The majority of Maria-Amália’s work involves representation and resolution of financial and children disputes in Court proceedings. Maria-Amália enjoys long-established and effective professional relationships with a network of highly-reputed solicitors, built on a shared commitment to client welfare, empathy and delivery of clear and realistic advice. Given her wide spectrum practice, clients often benefit from retaining Maria-Amália in respect of a range of family law issues and Maria-Amália is often brought in to advise at an early stage as to strategy and the merits of a case.
Maria-Amália brings experience and pragmatism to her practice. Maria-Amália uses her calm manner and creative thinking to save her clients the emotional and financial expense of hard-fought litigation wherever possible. However, when settlement is not appropriate Maria-Amália matches strong advocacy in court with clear and intelligent advice as to the potential outcomes and risks for her clients in the discretionary field of family law. Outside the court room Maria-Amália is a robust and effective negotiator.
A selection of notable cases
- F v F – Cross-applications for residence of a child with complex medical needs.
- G v K – Application for transfer of residence of a child, alleged coercive and controlling behaviour and sexual abuse.
- T v T – Complex cross-applications for residence of a child involving a r16.4 Guardian and alleged parental alienation.
- B v B - Application for permission to relocate child to South Africa.
- Z v C – Financial proceedings involving arguments as to the validity of a marriage and jurisdictional dispute.
- S v S – Complex financial proceedings involving freezing injunctions, overseas properties and determination of third party interests in properties.
- W v W – Financial proceedings involving non-disclosure of assets and disputed valuations of businesses.
- M v M – Financial proceedings involving substantive liquid and illiquid assets accrued pre and post separation.
- CTL (Children: Fact finding: Protection from Sexual Harm) [2013] EWHC 2133 (Fam)
- Traversa v Freddi [2011] EWCA Civ 81
- Traversa v Freddi [2010] EWCA Civ 640
- K v K & Ors [2008] EWHC 1561
Direct Access
From 27 April 2026 Maria-Amália will be accepting instructions directly from members of the public under the direct public access scheme.
