Liz Adams

Liz Adams

Year of Call: 2021
Email Address: [email protected]
Telephone: 0121 289 4333

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Overview

Elizabeth Adams (Liz) is an Education and Family law barrister. She accepts instructions across all areas of family law, including financial remedies/TOLATA, public and private children law, and domestic abuse injunctions. Liz frequently appears on behalf of both parents, young people, and local authorities in the First Tier Tribunal for Special Educational Needs and Disability matters, with a particular interest in disputes around Education, Health and Care Plans.

Liz understands that Family and Education law matters are highly stressful for clients, with very high stakes and often with years’ worth of background events leading up to court applications. Liz’s calm and empathetic approach puts clients at ease and Liz prioritises making sure that her clients feel heard and understood. Liz is experienced with the Advocate’s Gateway Toolkits and has experience with representing and cross-examining vulnerable witnesses. Liz is experienced in matters where multiple health and social care professionals are involved, matters involving complex and/or co-morbid mental health and neurodiverse conditions, and matters involving alcohol and/or substance abuse.

Liz has a specialist interest in matters involving disability, neurodiversity, and/or special educational needs. Liz previously delivered pro bono legal advice with IPSEA, a charity that assists parents of children with additional needs with securing educational support. Liz’s experience in SEN, neurodiversity and disability in both Family and Education law greatly assist in matters where these issues cross over, such as in Family Court applications involving children with additional needs.

Liz completed her 12-month pupillage with 3PB and became a member of chambers in October 2023. Liz graduated with a first-class law degree before obtaining a distinction in her LLM, studied alongside her BPTC. Prior to pupillage, Liz worked with policymakers and charities to write and promote policies addressing domestic violence. She also advised on non-molestation and occupation orders through her work with the University of Law’s pro bono clinic.

Liz also worked for two years as the in-house counsel for a company specialising in water filtration and enhancement. She delivered practical advice that considered the commercial reality of the business. She dealt with commercial property leases, employment/HR advice, and intellectual property matters, and drafted and negotiated a wide range of domestic and cross-border commercial agreements. Liz’s drafting and negotiation skills greatly assist in financial remedy proceedings, where her attention to detail and practical approach are valued by clients. Liz’s corporate experience also assists in matters where Liz is representing organisations. Liz is adept at dealing with internal authorisation procedures and cross-department communication when taking instructions and giving advice.

Liz currently sits on a policy advisory group examining Science and Technology, including AI and its use in education, local government, and the legal sector. Liz takes a keen interest in how AI is impacting practitioners and clients in these areas and how issues relating to technology and AI may be dealt with effectively as they arise in cases.

As a previous Open Championship Irish dancer, in her spare time Liz continues to enjoy non-competitive dance for exercise, as well as Pilates, swimming and hiking.

Private law

Liz acts for applicants and respondents, including 16.4 children’s guardians. Liz has experience in a wide range of private law children matters, both those involving safeguarding issues and those where safeguarding concerns are not in issue.

Liz understands that disputes over the care of children between separated family members are highly stressful and emotive. Liz strives to provide a reassuring and pragmatic approach for her clients, ensuring that they are confidently guided through what can be a very daunting process.

Liz’s clients appreciate her mindfulness of legal costs and ensuring matters can be resolved amicably and proportionately where possible. Liz has also successfully secured an uncommon order for the other party to pay her client’s costs in a private law child contact dispute.

Liz has dealt with a wide range of applications, including applications to make and vary live with/spend time with orders, applications for enforcement, specific issue orders, prohibited steps orders, appointments of 16.4 children’s guardians, and transferring proceedings to higher levels of Judge. Liz has experience with appealing orders.

Liz has successfully argued both for and against matters to be listed for finding of fact hearings and has successfully represented clients both in securing allegations as proven and resisting allegations against them as unproven.

Liz has extensive wider knowledge on Domestic Abuse and prior to her career in Law, Liz has drafted and advised on policy on tackling Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. Liz understands the risks and ongoing difficulties that victims of abuse face. She has a comprehensive approach to ensuring court orders are made with safety in mind. Liz has also successfully resisted false allegations of abuse and is experienced in representing clients who have been subject to alienating behaviours from the other party. Liz also deals with protective injunctions such as non-molestation orders and occupation orders.

Examples of matters that Liz has dealt with include:

  • Successfully securing a s91(14) ‘barring’ order against an unsuccessful party from being able to bring future litigation without meeting stringent criteria.
  • Successfully securing an order for a mother to relocate abroad with the children.
  • Successfully securing the admissibility of a covert recording that led to Cafcass considering the evidence, which contributed to them making a positive recommendation for a parent to relocate abroad.
  • Successfully resisting serious allegations of domestic abuse and securing a positive finding that the parent making the allegations had deliberately lied, leading to direct contact being re-established after three years.
  • Successfully negotiating an intricate shared care order.
  • Successfully resisting an interim care order being made following a s37 direction in complicated proceedings where a 16.4 guardian had made the recommendation.
  • Drafting detailed and more complex disclosure orders for police, medical and educational professionals.
  • Drafting advice on appeal for application to the LAA.

Recent cases include: M v F [2024] EWFC 55 (B)

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