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Child Law Public Child Law Private
Hayley Griffiths

Albion Chambers

Broad Street Bristol BS1 1DR

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  • Overview

    Hayley Griffiths is an experienced family law barrister who specialises in all aspects of Public and Private Child Law.

  • Child Law

    Hayley has over 35 years’ specialist experience of both private and public children law.   She is one of only nine barristers on the Western Circuit to be ranked in Band 1 for children work in Chambers & Partners UK 2026 .  She is also ranked as a leading junior in the Legal 500.

    In private law, Hayley’s extensive experience of care proceedings and child protection, provides invaluable expertise in settling arrangements for children where there are safeguarding issues.  She is instructed in the most serious cases, including those involving domestic abuse, internal and external relocation, allegations of physical and emotional harm, parental alienation, addiction and mental health concerns.

    Recent Cases

    • 2025 Represented a mother who was accused of coaching her child to make allegations of sexual abuse against her father
    • 2024 Represented a 17 year old in a complex case where she and her younger siblings refused all contact with their parents
    • 2023 Represented a father in a private law children case facing allegations of marital rape and controlling and coercive behaviour. All allegations against him were found to be malicious after a lengthy trial.
    • 2022 Represented a father in a private law children case facing allegations of controlling and coercive behaviour and taking sexually explicit photos of his partner without her consent. All allegations by the mother were found to be false after a trial.
    • 2021 Represented a local authority seeking findings that the parents had caused serious fractures to their baby.
    • 2020 Represented a child who had sustained a serious skull fracture found by the court to be of innocent origin.
    • 2019 Represented a parent in a baby shaking case where the child was left with life changing injuries.
    • 2018 Represented a father in a private law children case who had admitted downloading sexually explicit images of children

    Notable Cases

    • Re D (A Child) (No 3) [2016] EWFC 1 Sir James Munby P
    • Re M (Legal Aid: Special Children Act 1989 Case) [2015] EWFC 71: to read the full citation please click on this link –
      http://www.familylaw.co.uk/news_and_comment/re-m-a-child-2015-ewfc-71#.V9Zil9JTG0F
    • Re D (A Child) (No 2) [2015] EWFC 2 Sir James Munby P
    • Re D (Non-availability of Legal Aid) [2014] EWFC 39 Sir James Munby P
    • Re X and Y (Children: Disclosure of Judgment to Police) [2014] EWHC 278 (Fam) – For the LA resisting an application by a parent for an order to prevent a finding of fact judgment (containing an admission by a parent of causing an injury to a child) being disclosed to the police.
    • Wiltshire Council v F and Others [2013] EWHC 2747 (Fam) – Care Proceedings- Declaration as to the age of a child
    • Re M (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 1710 CA ; [2013 ] 2 FLR 233 – For the LA led by Frances Judd KC
      Medically inexplicable ‘spectacular’ skull fractures to a child. Re-trial ordered.
    • Re L and M [2013] EWHC 1569 (Fam) – Re-trial before Baker J for the LA led by Pamela Scriven KC
    • Re M (A Child) [2012] EWCA Civ 1905 – Protective measures necessary for a father who lacked capacity to give instructions where he faced serious allegations that he caused a head injury to his child. Re-trial ordered.
    • Re A (A Child) [2013] EWHC 3502 (Fam) – Guidance in cases when parents suffer with a learning disability. Re-trial before Baker J – led by Frank Feehan KC
    • Re X [2010]- Coleridge J – Murder of the mother by father. Issue was whether there should be direct contact between the children and father. Acted for the children.
    • Re S [2010] Baker J – Non-accidental injuries to a child who was a non-resident of the UK. Brussells II Revised applied. Acted for the Swedish father led by Henry Setright KC
    • Re M (Allegation of Rape: Fact Finding Hearing) [2009] EWCA Civ 1385 CA – Acted for the LA. Allegation of rape set aside fter mother admitted she had lied.
    • Re R (A Child) [2009] EWHC 838 Fam – Intractable contact dispute leading to a change of residence of a 12 year old. Acted for the child.
    • Re S (Placement Order: Revocation) [2009] 1 FLR 503 CA – Acted for the LA.
    • Re B (Psychiatric Therapy for Parents) [1999] 1FLR 701 CA -Acted for the LA led by James Munby KC Assessment of the parents did not fall within CA 1989 S38(6)
    • Re G (Adoption: Freeing Order) [1997] AC 613 HL – Application to revoke a Freeing Order. Acted for the LA led by Michael Horowitz KC

    Hayley has been shortlisted for “Barrister of the Year 2016” by both the Bristol Law Society and Modern Law Awards, recognising her legal expertise and commitment to excellence in Family Law.

Hayley Griffiths

Recommendations

“Hayley is an outstanding advocate and is always on top of the papers.”

“Hayley has great knowledge and experience; she is able to handle complicated matters in a calm and measured manner.”

Chambers and Partners 2026

“Hayley is very experienced and can always be trusted to represent clients in the best way possible. She is well prepared and decisive.”

“She is very measured and has been readily contactable and helpful.”

Chambers and Partners 2025

“Hayley is a first-class advocate. Her cross-examination is highly skilled. She is calm, approachable and very measured.”

Legal 500 2025 

“Hayley was absolutely amazing, unflappable and really pleasant and reassuring with clients. She was an excellent advocate.”

“Hayley is very persuasive on her feet.”

Chambers and Partners 2024 

‘Hayley is a thoughtful and experienced barrister who is able to grasp complex legal issues and present them to clients in a way that they understand and are able to relate to. She is outstanding.’

Legal 500 2024 

‘Hayley is well prepared, and her clients feel well supported and appreciate her ability to present their case.’

‘Hayley is a great advocate.’

Chambers and Partners 2023

‘Exceptional on her feet and demonstrates brilliant client care.’

Legal 500 2023

“She’s a powerful advocate. She’s fantastic with her clients, strong on paperwork and very pragmatic.” “Hayley is a highly experienced counsel who always works hard. She’s highly respected and an advocate that ensures the client’s case is advanced at its best through detailed preparation and skilful court ability.”
Chambers and Partners 2022

“A talented advocate who succinctly advances her client’s case. Highly respected by judges and opponents.”
Legal 500 2022

“Experienced children law barrister frequently instructed on both private and public proceedings. She regularly tackles cases of an international nature, often including complicating aspects such as forced marriage, non-accidental injuries and sexual abuse. She is especially well known for her work on cases involving complex care proceedings.” “She has a wealth of experience and is able to tackle the most complex of cases.” “Her approach is insightful and balanced. She is able to distil medical evidence in an understandable way.”
Chambers and Partners 2021

“Hayley has a confidence and grace both in Court and with clients that engenders trust in those that instruct and their clients. Hayley has an excellent grasp of even the most complex legal issues but is equally able to communicate with clients who are in the depths of despair or who are impaired in their understanding by mental health or cognitive functioning issues.”
Legal 500 2021

“Has over two decades of experience advising on a range of children law work, acting for children, parents and local authorities on public and private matters. She is especially well known for her work on cases involving complex care proceedings.”
Chambers and Partners 2020

“She is really dynamic. She will go the extra mile for her clients.”
Chambers and Partners 2019

“She is an excellent barrister.”
Legal 500 2019

“Has over two decades of experience advising on a range of children law work, acting for children, parents and local authorities in public and private matters. She is especially well known for her work on cases involving complex care proceedings.”
Chambers and Partners 2018

“A specialist in public and private law children matters”
Legal 500 2017

 

Education

  • LLB (Hons)

Professional memberships

  • FLBA
  • Western Circuit

Appointments

  • Accredited Mediation Advocate
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