Simone McGrath

Simone specialises in all aspects of private and public law children work. She has particular expertise in domestic and international Child Abduction and is a member of the panel of lawyers instructed in child abduction work by the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit at the Official Solicitor’s Department. Simone is on the Law Society’s Children Panel and represents both parents and children in Care proceedings. She is consistently recognised as a Leader in her field in both the leading independent legal directory Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.

After qualifying in 1990, Simone started as a solicitor at Hodge Jones and Allen where she ran the Domestic Violence Unit for the first 3 years of her career.  Upon being made a partner in 1993, she developed a practice in International Children work as well as Care proceedings and Private law Children cases.   Her reputation in her chosen areas was further enhanced when she moved to Osbornes Law where she has had several reported cases in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.

Simone is a member of the ICACU Child Abduction Panel, Resolution, Association of Lawyers for Children and a Law Society Children Panel accredited practitioner (Children and Child Abduction ).  She is accredited by the Law Society Children Panel and regularly represents children through their Guardians as well as parents in complex Care proceedings, often with an international element.

Simone is the co – chair of Women in Family Law ( WiFL).   She sits as a DDJ on the South Eastern Circuit.

In 2004 Simone was appointed as a Deputy District Judge, South Eastern Circuit.

In 2005 the Black Solicitors Network presented Simone with “Outstanding Lawyer of the Year” award.

Some of Simone’s Past Recorded Cases:

Child Abduction:

• A Mother, A Father , A Girl. A Boy [2023] EWHC 2728 (Fam)
• AO v LA [2023] EWHC 83 (Fam]
• Re R ( A Child) (Asylum and 1980 Hague Convention Application)  [2022] EWCA Civ 188
• R v YD and another [2021] EWHC 2642 (Fam)
• D (A Child) ( International Recognition ) [2016] EWCA Civ 12
• In the matter of D ( A Child)  [2016] UKSC 34

Jurisdiction – Hague Convention 1996:

• Re J & H (Jurisdiction: 1996 Hague Convention : residual domestic jurisdiction: parental responsibility jurisdiction)

Care and parents / children subject to Asylum applications:

• A & Others ( Care Proceedings: 1996 Hague Convention : Habitual Residence ) [2024] EWFC 110
• Re A and Others (Care Proceedings: Inherent Jurisdiction: Order for Return to Austria) [2024] EWFC 178 (fam)

Care and Private Law Children

• A Local Authority v M, F, A&B [2020] EWHC 1162 (Fam)  – (Judgment on publicity)
• LBH v M, F , A & B [2020] EWFC 38 Care Proceedings
• AS v TH v BC v NC & SH [2016] EWHC 532 (Fam)