Harriet Phillips

I am a Family and Childcare Solicitor and Supervisor based in the Birmingham office at Duncan Lewis Solicitors. I have experience handling a wide range of family and childcare matters. I am an accredited member of the Law Society Family Law Advanced Scheme, specialising in private children law and domestic abuse which demonstrates my expertise in these areas of law. I represent parents whose children are the subject of care order, supervision order and placement order applications and also assist parents with applications for adoption made in respect of their children. I have experience of representing parents and interveners in serious non-accidental injury cases. I represent parents who have difficulties with mental health, substance misuse and anger management on a regular basis. I also represent parents who have learning difficulties and tailor my representation to ensure that they clearly understand the proceedings that they are involved in with the assistance of intermediaries and advocates. I represent parents in their pre-proceedings matters when Social Services initially become involved in respect of their children to work to prevent care proceedings from being issued. My expertise extends to Section 8 child arrangements order proceedings where I represent clients in applications for child arrangements orders as well as in applications to vary and enforce existing child arrangements orders. I also handle applications for prohibited steps orders and specific issue orders, where I have had experience making successful applications to take the children on holiday to Non-Hague Convention countries which are dealt with in the High Court. I have also had conduct of two complex child arrangements order matters in the High Court where allegations of radicalisation were made. I represent clients in applications for non-molestation orders, applications to extend existing non-molestation orders and occupation orders. This often involves dealing with vulnerable clients who have experienced significant trauma and whose cultural background can impact their need for protection. I undertake the majority of my own advocacy and attend pro-bono legal advice clinics on a regular basis to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence.