Barrister
Jacqui Gilliatt ‘is highly experienced and very able. She is always willing to give advice and guidance when needed. She gives careful consideration to all of the issues. She has a wealth of experience and knowledge, which is invaluable.’ – The Legal 500 (Legalease) 2024
Jacqui Gilliatt ‘has extensive experience in handling cases that involve complex medical evidence, serious injuries, and sexual abuse and is known as ‘a reliable counsel who is robust in her advocacy’. – The Legal 500 (Legalease) 2024
Chambers and Partners Directory 2022 has ranked Jacqui Gilliatt, who was previously in band 4 to Band 3 for Family – Children for the 5th year running, and this year’s review reads as follows:
Strengths: “Jacqui Gilliatt is a very strong advocate who goes above and beyond.”
“She is an extremely robust and persuasive advocate who is regularly sought out by local authorities for complex cases where experienced and trusted counsel are a must. She’s extremely knowledgeable and really dedicates herself to her cases. Her preparation is always meticulous.” Chambers UK Bar 2022-2023
Strengths: “A forceful but approachable advocate who gives sound advice and presents cases in a down-to-earth way.” “She is dedicated and committed to her practice, and deals with cases with great care and compassion.” Chambers UK Bar 2021-2022
‘Regularly handles a wide range of children’s cases in the public law sphere. She is routinely instructed in matters involving issues of a serious nature, including those concerning allegations of sexual abuse, non-accidental injury, and drug and alcohol misuse.
Strengths: “An extremely approachable counsel willing to discuss cases at whatever length is required. She demonstrates a great deal of commitment and takes a sensible, balanced approach.” “Pragmatic and intelligent, she makes terrific decisions and proposals all the way through the case.” “A forceful advocate who can read the papers and boil down the information to key points.” Chambers UK Bar 2020-2021
“Jacqui Gilliatt regularly handles a wide range of children’s cases in both the public and private spheres. She is routinely instructed in matters involving issues of a serious magnitude, including those concerning fictitious illness, allegations of sexual abuse and injury, and drug and alcohol misuse. A long-standing public law practitioner who does really well with local authority work and is a good advocate.” Chambers UK Bar 2019- 2020
“Jacqui Gilliatt is routinely instructed in cases involving issues of a serious magnitude, including those concerning fictitious illness, allegations of sexual abuse and injury, and drug and alcohol misuse. “Jacqui is clear and concise, and determined and incisive in both her written and oral submissions. She shows exceptional attention to detail, without losing sight of the overall picture, and her cross-examinations are simply outstanding.” Chambers UK Bar 2018- 2019
“I have high regard for Miss Gilliatt’s work ethic and professionalism and only have words of praise for her and it has been an absolutely successful working relationship. Her preparation of the case has been excellent. Miss Gilliatt has worked with passion and fantastic attention to detail. She has fully engaged with me as a litigant in person which has allowed her to have a comprehensive insight around all matters as well as guaranteed we established a trusting and efficient working relationship. The Judge expressed praise for her providing clarity and order to the vast amount of evidence arising from the previous cases and background of our family”.
Direct Access Client 2019
Jacqui has over 30 years of experience in cases about children both between parents (and other family members) and involving social services. She is trained and enthusiastic about accepting direct access instructions.
Jacqui’s practice has included cases involving: baby shaking, child abduction (including abduction from local authority care), complex or conflicting medical evidence, disability, disputes between same-sex couples, domestic violence, education law, fabricated allegations, forced marriage & ‘honour’ violence, human rights, human trafficking, incest, international law, intractable contact/residence disputes, mental health, non-accidental injuries, Official Solicitor, parallel criminal proceedings, parental alienation, placement outside the jurisdiction, sexual abuse, substance misuse & addiction, sudden infant death, transgender issues & unexplained deaths.
Jacqui regularly presents seminars on family law topics.
Jacqui has her own website, Children in Law (now incorporating Bloody Relations & new blogs Paramount Considerations, Family Law Webworld & The Law Is a Funny Business). Articles on there cover: Care and Supervision Orders, Fact-Finding in Care Cases, Final Care Orders, Interim Removal, Judicial Reasons, Letters to Experts and Medical Abbreviations. She also curates several online papers – Children in Law, Decree Absolute & Legal In General (Scoop It).
Recent seminars have included:
- Fact-Findings and Top Tips for Managing Big Cases (for LBLA)
- PLO Relaunch / Wasted Costs Orders
- Dealing with Dodgy Experts
- Private Law Updater
- Early conclusions to Care Cases
- Special Guardianship
- Trials Within Trials: Fact-Finding in Private Law Cases (December 2019)
- Crossing the Threshold: Back to Basics (2018 LBLA Conference
Recently published articles include Can We Have an Early Knockout? Ending Care Proceedings Without Judicial Determination (Part 1, May 2022. Part 2 June 2022), Special Guardianship orders: update: review, reforms and more to follow (Family Law, May 2021) S 20 Children Act 1989: Consent not Coercion: Issue or Be Damned on Family Law Week and s17 & Child Arrangements Orders on the Local Government Lawyer
Jacqui tweets as @gjacqui
She is a keen supporter of Biking for Children In Care, which raises funds for the Become Charity through an annual 210 mile bike ride.
Directories
Education
University: Oxford
Law School: Westminster University
Qualifications
Vulnerable Witness Trained
Languages
French
Spanish (Basic)
Articles
June 2023: In Practice
Relaunch of the Public Law Outline Part I [2023] Fam Law 721
Subscription to Family Law required
July 2023: In Practice
Relaunch of the Public Law Outline Part II – [2023] Fam Law 864 (Wasted Costs)
Subscription to Family Law required
September 2023: In Practice
Top tips for managing ‘big’ family cases – [2023] Fam Law 1122
Subscription to Family Law required
Complex issues – don’t sweat ‘small stuff’ but don’t ignore it either, Sources of help and support, Where to start, Basic tips, Responsibilities of the local authority, Chronology: the backbone of a big case, Gathering Evidence, Identification of witnesses & taking statements, Expert Evidence, Witness templates, Witness summonses, Bundle management, Medical documents, Early court directions, Compliance with directions, Final threshold, Taking instructions, Running the hearing, Welfare
Top Tips for Managing Big Cases
Subscription Required.
Subscription required
Relaunch of the Public Law Outline Part 1
Subscription required
Part 1 of two articles about the court’s power to require or force a local authority to withdraw care proceedings or otherwise restrict the scope of the findings it is willing to consider is published in the May 2022 edition of the Journal. Part 1 focusses on the situation where the local authority actively invites the court to bring things to an early conclusion.
An article looking at hair alcohol testing. Also available in the Solicitors Journal (registration required for full article).
An article for the ALC Newsletter (Summer / Autumn 2011, Issue 48) examining the implications of the decision in Richmond London Borough Council v B, W, B and CB [2010] EWHC 2903. Also available at The Barrister Magazine.
This text takes account of the 2013 Public Law Outline, the Practice Directions relevant to experts in Family Proceedings (PD 25 A-F) & previous Family Justice Council guidance now contained at the end of Practice Direction 25C. At the end of this document is an extract from the case of Re F (Children) (DNA Evidence) [2007] EWHC 3235 on the instructions to DNA experts.
The Draft Letter of Insruction to Experts is also available here (click on the picture of the parcel).
Published by Routledge – Available from Amazon.
The increased accountability of teachers has meant that actions on negligence are a reality. This is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of the law for teachers, covering everything from the employment relationship to lesson content and discipline.
Published by Routledge-Cavendish – Available from Wildys.
A practical guide to practice and procedure in courts and tribunals. It is aimed at the recently qualified practitioner, pupil barristers, trainee solicitors, or lawyers unversed in advocacy and procedure.