Pro Bono Ambassador and Advocate panel member, Siân Smith, talks to weareadvocate.org.uk about her pro bono career in family law
Volunteers' Week
6th June 2019 Read moreSiân is a family practitioner specialising in financial and children matters. She is regularly instructed in matters of complexity, including allegations of serious harm and disputed expert evidence.
Siân is a member of the FLBA national committee and chairs the FLBA’s Advocacy Working Group which has developed the new Advocacy and the Vulnerable training for the Family Bar. Siân is one of a small number of qualified Facilitators who deliver this essential training nationally.
"I was impressed by how quickly she grasped the intricacies of the case." (Client testimonial 2022)
Siân has extensive experience in matrimonial proceedings and is often instructed in cases involving intervening third party interests and hidden assets where her meticulous and forensic approach is of particular benefit. Siân focuses on providing considered, clear and practical advice from the outset. She is effective in achieving results through negotiation and in court. Siân represents unmarried couples in property disputes under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, an area in which she has a particular academic interest and has given many CPD accredited lectures. She is also instructed in applications for financial provision under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 and in Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 claims.
Siân is an experienced practitioner and is frequently instructed in public and private law children cases involving non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, fabricated or induced illness, neglect, substance misuse and emotional abuse. She acts on behalf of local authorities, parents, family members, guardians and competent children at all stages of proceedings. Siân undertakes the full range of private law children matters often representing parents and guardians in cases involving complex factual and legal issues. She is experienced in cases involving allegations of domestic abuse including coercive control, economic, sexual and physical abuse. Siân is skilled in addressing the needs of vulnerable clients both in and out of court.
Siân accepts instructions directly from members of the public under the direct public access scheme.
Siân regularly gives seminars and bespoke in-house training in all her practice areas.
Siân is a supporter of Advocate and undertakes work on a pro bono basis in appropriate cases.
Volunteers' Week
6th June 2019 Read moreAppeal concerning the powers of the court to make an order for assessment of a child under section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989.
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22nd May 2017 Read moreThe 22 day final hearing took place over a period of 19 months. The local authority were found to have extensively breached the family's human rights by the unlawful removal of the children from the parents' care, failure to fairly involve the parents in the decision-making process, the deliberate failure to disclose material evidence, failure to promote family life and the failure to undertake a fair assessment.
2nd December 2015 Read more