Joanna Smith
Joanna Smith
barrister
Call: 2016
(she/her)
(she/her)
Joanna joined FOURTEEN as a tenant after successful completion of her pupillage in October 2019. Joanna maintains a diverse practice covering all areas of family law with a focus on private children, public law and financial remedy cases. She regularly represents parents, grandparents as well as those seeking or opposing non-molestation and occupation orders.
Joanna prides herself on her thorough preparation, attention to detail and ability to build a rapport quickly. She maintains a kind and compassionate approach whilst giving clear advice and has worked with a wide range of clients in her children and financial work.
Before joining chambers Joanna worked as a paralegal at TV Edwards LLP where she built her knowledge of financial remedy and private children litigation, as well as forging valued professional connections.
Joanna regularly appears for parents and grandparents in a wide range of applications including disputes over shared care, schooling, foreign travel and the urgent return of children retained in breach of an order. Joanna has particular experience representing parents in contested hearings regarding allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, historical sexual abuse, and controlling or alienating behaviours. She also regularly represents parents seeking and opposing relocation applications.
Joanna regularly acts in care proceedings for parents, grandparents and children through their Guardians at all stages of proceedings. She is experienced at navigating a range of issues including chronic neglect, domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health and cases where the children are at risk of child sexual exploitation.
Joanna represents clients in a broad range of financial remedy disputes including applications on divorce, cohabitee disputes under TLATA 1996 and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. Joanna has acted in cases involving third party interests, interim maintenance and LSPO applications.
Joanna joined FOURTEEN as a tenant after successful completion of her pupillage in October 2019. Joanna maintains a diverse practice covering all areas of family law with a focus on private children, public law and financial remedy cases. She regularly represents parents, grandparents as well as those seeking or opposing non-molestation and occupation orders.
Joanna prides herself on her thorough preparation, attention to detail and ability to build a rapport quickly. She maintains a kind and compassionate approach whilst giving clear advice and has worked with a wide range of clients in her children and financial work.
Before joining chambers Joanna worked as a paralegal at TV Edwards LLP where she built her knowledge of financial remedy and private children litigation, as well as forging valued professional connections.
Joanna regularly appears for parents and grandparents in a wide range of applications including disputes over shared care, schooling, foreign travel and the urgent return of children retained in breach of an order. Joanna has particular experience representing parents in contested hearings regarding allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, historical sexual abuse, and controlling or alienating behaviours. She also regularly represents parents seeking and opposing relocation applications.
Joanna regularly acts in care proceedings for parents, grandparents and children through their Guardians at all stages of proceedings. She is experienced at navigating a range of issues including chronic neglect, domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health and cases where the children are at risk of child sexual exploitation.
Joanna represents clients in a broad range of financial remedy disputes including applications on divorce, cohabitee disputes under TLATA 1996 and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. Joanna has acted in cases involving third party interests, interim maintenance and LSPO applications.
Specialist in:
Joanna regularly appears for parents and grandparents in a wide range of applications including disputes over shared care, schooling, foreign travel and the urgent return of children retained in breach of an order. Joanna has particular experience representing parents in contested hearings regarding allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, historical sexual abuse, and controlling or alienating behaviours. She also regularly represents parents seeking and opposing relocation applications.
A v A – acting on behalf of the respondent mother in a contested fact-finding hearing, Joanna secured findings of controlling and coercive behaviour, (including religious and financial control) sexual abuse and attempted rape.
A v ZA – represented the respondent mother in an application for contact where the child’s older (non-subject) sibling made allegations of historic sexual abuse during the course of the proceedings. Joanna secured findings that the incidents of historic abuse had taken place some 11 years ago and further findings of serious abuse of the mother.
Joanna regularly acts in care proceedings for parents, grandparents and children through their Guardians at all stages of proceedings. She is experienced at navigating a range of issues including chronic neglect, domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health and cases where the children are at risk of child sexual exploitation.
Joanna represents clients in a broad range of financial remedy disputes including applications on divorce, cohabitee disputes under TLATA 1996 and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. Joanna has acted in cases involving third party interests, interim maintenance and LSPO applications.
D v D – Joanna successfully represented the Wife in defending the Husband’s assertion that a) she had any beneficial interest in foreign properties under her mother’s name, nor that b) his mother had a beneficial interest in the property in his name.
M v M – successfully represented the Husband in a dispute over chattels including the family labrador.
Notable Cases
D v D – Joanna successfully represented the Wife in defending the Husband’s assertion that a) she had any beneficial interest in foreign properties under her mother’s name, nor that b) his mother had a beneficial interest in the property in his name.
M v M - successfully represented the Husband in a dispute over chattels including the family labrador.
Testimonials
“Joanna has been absolutely amazing on this case. I couldn’t have had a better person to help me through it all from start to finish”
“I really appreciate everything she has done over the last two days, from her cross examination to how she helped me deal with my anxiety. I could not thank her enough and thank you for finding her, you really found someone I could explain everything to and who listened to me and made me feel comfortable in the trial”
“Joanna was excellent. Both the client and I were delighted with her work. She is so thorough and very calming”
“Can you please tell Joanna that I greatly appreciate all her work and for representing me in the final hearing. It was a totally brilliant performance”
“I just want to say how pleased the client (and I) were with Joanna. She was great in Court and wonderful with the client, who was quite emotional. She has a natural skill for making a stressful situation that little bit better, whilst not losing sight of what the client wanted to achieve and why that was important to him”
“Joanna was excellent and both the client and I were delighted with her work. She is so thorough and very calming"
Education
Bar Professional Training Course, City Law School (Very Competent) (2016)
Graduate Diploma in Law, City Law School (Commendation)(2015)
BA English Literature, Exeter (2:1) (2014)
Memberships
Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
FLBA
ALC
Women In Family Law
Data Protection
Joanna Smith's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) registration number is ZA514437.
Please see here for her Data Privacy Notice.