Sarah Duxbury

Barrister (previously a solicitor) (Call Date: 2010) email
Sarah Duxbury

Forthright, pragmatic, always clear with her advice and will not hesitate to fight for what is in the client’s best interests. ”

Sarah represents many clients in financial remedy applications, including applications for variation and enforcement, and has a reputation for being forthright, pragmatic and a skilled negotiator when it comes to money.

Sarah specialises in child care, acting for all parties, including Local Authorities and is involved in training social workers in giving evidence. She has experience in dealing with cases involving non-accidental injury (including non-accidental head injury), fictitious illness, sexual abuse, jurisdictional issues and cases where there are issues concerning a party’s capacity. Sarah is highly experienced in acting for parents with a learning difficulty or disability.

Sarah is also extremely experienced in dealing with private law matters concerning children and is often instructed in particularly complex matters which involve parental alienation, allegations of abuse and cases which have a jurisdictional element.

Sarah can be instructed by members of the public directly without a solicitor being involved. She is able to advise and appear in court via the public access scheme.

Sarah has a reputation for being extremely organised, efficient, is able to meet deadlines and produce high quality work at short notice. She has excellent client care skills and has a reputation for being decisive, proactive and a creative problem solver.

Sarah practised as a solicitor in North East Manchester from 1998-2001.

After relocating to East Anglia in 2001 she became a senior lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and was course leader for the Legal Practice Course and the LLM in Legal Practice.

After transferring to the Bar, Sarah became a full member of East Anglian Chambers, in November 2010.

Court and tribunal experience

Family Court
Family Division of the High Court
Court of Appeal, Civil Division

Qualifications/Education

LLB (Hons) (Leeds Metropolitan)
Legal Practice Course

Publications/Articles

Parental dishonesty enough to amount to significant harm and justify care and placement order?
East Anglian Chambers 20 May 2014

The minefield that is spousal maintenance.
Suffolk Norfolk Life February 2015

Is it up to a child to decide if they want to see a parent? Child contact revisited.
Suffolk Norfolk Life May 2015

Cases

Peterborough City Council v K, L, M, N and P and Others [2022] EWFC 61

Re G (A Child) [2014] EWCA Civ 1365 – A mother’s out of time application for permission to appeal care and placement orders, which depended upon the court admitting fresh evidence.

Southend Borough Council v CO and DW [2017] EWHC 1949 (Fam) – Application by the Local Authority compelling the parents to remove an online petition.

Legal 500 and other relevant quotations

“I have instructed Sarah on many occasions. I always find that she is thoroughly prepared and is very knowledgeable about the law and procedure.  She is clear with her advice and will not hesitate to fight for what is in the client’s best interests.  She is also very personable and puts the clients at ease – this is particularly important in family matters when clients are often very worried and emotional.  I would not hesitate in recommending her to others.”– Catherine Ashton Solicitor Goody Burrett LLP