Leanne Hewett

I am a Legal Executive working within the Family department, with a specialism in matters related to children. I have worked within Family Law since 2016, initially as a paralegal and qualified via the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 2019. I undertake work in both public and private law matters ranging from Child Arrangements Orders, change of name applications and parental alienation matters as well as representing parents and children in applications made by the Local Authority for Care Orders and Deprivation of Liberty. I also undertake work in relation to domestic violence, both in terms of applications for protective injunctions and when determining arrangements for children. I have recently taken on matters in the High Court and in relation to cross-jurisdictional Children's matters, to include the permanent relocation of a child from the Jurisdictions and matters under the Courts Inherent Jurisdiction. I assist my senior solicitor in complex abduction and cross-jurisdictional issues. I work in the City of London office on a hybrid basis and also represent clients in Court. I am available for face to face or remote meetings and will work to tailor arrangements which is best for my client. I work generally within the London circuit but can to take instructions further afield if required. I am a committed and tenacious advocate for my clients and ensure that their instructions are built upon a strong relationship of trust. I have represented many clients from all walks of life, without judgment, but providing realistic, attuned and bespoke advice. I take on clients on both a privately paying and legally aided basis (where eligible) so have a broad spectrum of understanding of lived experiences and personal challenges and am able to empathise across the board, meaning that I can provide advice which takes into account each individual's needs and circumstances.

I undertake advocacy across the County Courts and support Counsel in High Court matters. I have good, positive working relationships with many barristers who work within this area of law and am able to match clients to suitable Counsel so that they are fully understood and have a legal team which truly supports and represents them.

I have been involved in charitable events, such as feeding the homeless and jumping from a plane in order to raise money to support a mental health charity called Certitude.

• View Leanne Hewett’s "Domestic Violence" profile
• View Leanne Hewett’s "Sexual Exploitation within Family Proceedings" profile
• View Leanne Hewett’s "Adoption" profile
• View Leanne Hewett’s "Deprivation of Liberty Applications" profile
• View Leanne Hewett’s "International Child abduction Wardship" profile

• Level 6 Diploma in Law and Practice - University of Westminster

• I qualified as a Legal Executive in 2019 via the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.
• I began my career in law in 2009, initially within Civil Litigation with a focus on Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence at MTA Solicitors, I started as a paralegal dealing with small and fast track cases but progressed through to being a Litigation Executive dealing with complex multi-track cases, securing large compensatory awards for clients who suffered devastating ad life-changing injuries as a result of negligence.
• I made the transition into Family Law in 2016 at Thackray Williams Solicitors where I was initially employed as a paralegal dealing with domestic violence matters and injunctive proceedings. I found an interest in child law and transitioned into this specialism where I assisted my supervising solicitor in both public and private child law matters to include Child arrangements orders, Care proceedings, Deprivation of Liberty Proceedings and Adoption matters. I qualified as a Legal Executive whilst at Thackray Williams in 2019 and ran a portfolio of cases independently.
• I then moved to TV Edwards LLP as a Legal Executive in January 2021, where I ran a portfolio of cases, almost exclusively in relation to Children's matters, although I also represented a select number of clients in domestic violence matters, where the clients were significantly vulnerable or there were complicating factors to their circumstances, such as being disabled or particularly vulnerable, or where children were involved. I managed a number of complex children matters which involved issues of parental drug use, suspected non-accidental injury, parents with significant mental health vulnerabilities, parental domestic violence and cross-jurisdictional issues including matters where habitual residence was undetermined and where applications were made under the Court's Inherent Jurisdiction. I also supervised and trained paralegals, supporting them through their progression and learning so that they can become confident and knowledgeable lawyers.
• I joined Duncan Lewis in June 2023, I remain working within Child Law but will be supporting my supervising solicitor in matters of cross-jurisdictional issues, child abduction and High Court applications to enhance my knowledge and experience within the field until such time as I am able to run such cases independently. I continue to represent clients in all matters pertaining to children and conduct advocacy at Court to ensure seamless representation between instruction through to the conclusion of the case.

High Court

• I have represented a mother in the High Court in relation to cross-applications. The father applied for a child arrangements order for contact with the child which was opposed by the mother on the basis of there being significant domestic violence within the marriage, including a serious physical assault whilst she was pregnant which necessitated hospital admission. The mother applied for a Specific Issue Order to enable her to remove the child permanently from the jurisdiction. The mother also applied for a permanent extension of a Non-Molestation Order made within previous proceedings and a Prohibited Steps Order to restrict the father from exercising all parental responsibility for the child.