Helen Prinn
With a wealth of experience in all aspects of Family Law, Helen Prinn has extensive experience in the County Court and High Court, particularly relating to Child Abduction. Beyond this, she also represents parents in care proceedings.
Helen is extremely confident dealing with ancillary relief proceedings. She is instructed on a wide range of cases involving modest as well as significant wealth and cases with overseas assets. She also advises and represents cohabitants in disputes and Trust of Land claims (TOLATA).
Helen recently had success in the Court of Appeal in an important case concerning the change of residence of a child following difficulties over contact.
Helen is qualified to advise and represent clients directly through public access.
Notable cases:
Re. L February 2014, (an important case concerning the change of Residence of a child following difficulties over Contact.)
Fiona Baruah
With 17 years of experience working in the field of family law, Fiona Baruah specialises in Children work. She represents all parties in private law disputes between parents in respect of their children, as well as public law work relating to child protection issues.
Representing children, parents, Local Authorities and the Official Solicitor, she regularly deals with issues including relationship breakdown, sexual and physical abuse, non-accidental injury, neglect, domestic violence and injunctions.
She is an excellent communicator, assisting clients to fully understand the issues presented at an extremely stressful period in their lives. Given the nature of her work, negotiation is very important and Fiona employs her experience to ensure the best outcome for her clients. She is also used to dealing with people who have mental health issues or are aggressive/difficult and manages them effectively.
Away from the Court building, Fiona also represents clients at round the table meetings, employing her advocacy and negotiating skills in a more relaxed environment. As a local practitioner who has practised in this area for her whole career, she is able to advise clients with full knowledge of the local judiciary.
Fiona is married with two children and enjoys spending time with her family.
Notable cases:
Suffolk County Council v S 1997 G (a child) [2010]
EWCA 470 Re P (a child) [2008]
EWCA Civ 535 Re A (children) (care proceedings: judge meeting with child) [2012]
EWCA Civ 185
Christopher Fletcher
Christopher Fletcher is a highly respected family lawyer in East Anglia and a member of the matrimonial and finance team, practicing in care work for local authorities, parents and children in the Family Court. Appointed Head of Chambers at Octagon Legal (formerly Octagon House) in 2008, he is a firm believer in advocates providing an excellent standard of representation.
Christopher is regularly instructed in difficult and sensitive cases, including cases involving emotional harm, physical and sexual abuse of children.
‘His breadth of experience includes child arrangement orders, conducting complex children cases, same-sex relationship cases, domestic violence cases and cases in which children are being denied contact to parents, as well as cases with an overseas connection. He also advises and represents clients from all walks of life in their divorce and financial provision disputes.
Christopher has been commended in Chambers & Partners, Chambers UK, as a “Leading Junior” for the South Eastern Area. He conducts regular seminars on care work and judges moots at the University of East Anglia.
He is qualified to advise and represent clients through Direct/Public Access, and is able to communicate with clients remotely when necessary via email and Skype.
Outside Chambers, Christopher enjoys writing, painting, and playing cricket.
