Family barrister Harriet Lavis moves to 3PB

7th October 2022

Family law barrister Harriet LavisHarriet LavisCall: 2014, pictured here, has moved to 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) from Guildford Chambers where she has been since completing her pupillage with the set. A former paralegal with Bevan Brittan, Harriet spent over a year on secondment at the Department of Health and is now a private law children and family financial disputes expert.

Harriet already has a strong family law practice focused on private law children, family finance disputes, domestic violence and injunctions. She acts regularly for parents, other family members and Guardians in private law children disputes. She has particular experience with international relocation cases and has recently given a talk on the topic. She is regularly instructed on cases involving serious allegations of abuse, intractable hostility to contact, and matters in relation to jurisdiction. Many cases have involved disputes over a child’s residence. Harriet has been successful both in obtaining a transfer of residence in her client’s favour and successfully resisting such applications.

Her strong practice in financial remedy disputes has seen her work at all stages of disputes as well as taking cases from first appointment to final hearing. Harriet is mindful of the potential advantages to her clients in settling a case and gives clear advice on her client’s prospects where possible. Recent cases have involved international property and assets, short marriages, third party interests, and allegations of non-disclosure. She also has considerable experience in cases involving domestic violence, representing clients from initial emergency applications through to final hearings. She has represented both applicants and respondents to domestic violence allegations. She has successfully obtained occupation orders for clients.

Vanessa Meachin QC, Head of 3PB's 88-strong Family Law Group, said: “I am delighted to welcome Harriet so soon after three other talented family barristers joined us. Harriet attracts excellent client feedback and is well known to us in chambers; and I look forward to seeing her career develop here."

Harriet Lavis' recruitment follows the news last month that two family barristers had joined 3PB from Senate House Chambers: Kate Yeomans [2007 call] and Ayesha Bell-Paris [2012 call], and Laura Scott [2001 call] from Fourteen Chambers.