Cecilia Barrett

Call: 1998

'Cecilia is an incredibly safe pair of hands, always well-prepared and fully committed to the case. She goes above and beyond to ensure the best outcome. With clients, she is excellent and manages the balance between being clear and robust in her advice whilst staying sympathetic to their circumstances.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2025

Cecilia is a highly regarded family practitioner with many years’ experience in financial remedy and children work. She is known as a well prepared, tenacious advocate who has the ear of the court. Cecilia develops and maintains good relationships with her clients and has a warm, empathetic style.

To instruct Cecilia or for more information…

Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk

Practice Areas

Cecilia represents clients in the full range of financial cases from the very significant to the very small. Her recent cases have included issues involving bankruptcy, farming, family businesses and interveners. She is a robust negotiator and a very experienced trial advocate. Cecilia also has experience of representing clients in private FDRs and arbitrations. Cecilia always ensures that she works as a team with her instructing solicitors and clients.

Cecilia has very wide-ranging experience in private law children matters. Her recent cases have included applications involving parental alienation, sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic abuse and difficulties with mental health. She has conducted many, many fact-finding hearings where these issues are determined. Cecilia is regularly instructed in cases involving 16.4 Guardians and cases where public law applications are contemplated. She has also represented clients in applications involving change of name, change of school and relocation.

As a highly experienced children lawyer, Cecilia has represented parents, local authorities and children’s guardians in the full range of public law cases. She has been involved in cases where there are issues of sexual and physical abuse, neglect and drug and alcohol misuse. As a consequence of her style she is particularly adept at working with vulnerable adults.

Notable Public Law Children cases

Bella (placement with kinship carers) [2024] EWFC 303 (B)

Care proceedings, issued after half-sibling suffered serious injuries caused by father.

T-D (Children: Specific Issue Order) [2024] EWCA Civ 793

Appeal by mother from specific issue order giving father “over-riding parental responsibility” in three respects, including schooling.

Re AB (A Child: Diabetic Care) [2023] EWFC 149

Mother accused of fabricated and induced illness by covert and chronic insulin maladministration.

Cecilia is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public under the Direct Access Scheme in appropriate circumstances.

 

What the directories say

‘Cecilia is phenomenal, kind, calming and humane and exactly what her clients need. She knows the case details, which involved very technical and complicated scientific evidence, inside out. She is responsive and very easy to work with.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2024

'Cecilia is thorough and efficient in her preparation. She is smart, incisive, and clear in her advice and formulation of case strategy. She is authoritative but sympathetic in her communication with clients. She is a team player working to get the best outcome for the client working constructively, and in a family focused way.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2023

‘She is fantastic with clients, balancing firm advice with a great understanding and empathetic manner.’
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021

"Straight-talking and down-to-earth; develops a good rapport with clients."
The Legal 500 UK Bar

Related News

Cecilia Barrett – ‘Add Backs’, what are they and what do you need to know

What is an ‘add back’?

An ‘add back’ is a species of a conduct argument under section 25(2)(g) Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. An ‘add back’ argument is made when one…

Blog | 14th Apr 2025

Fiona Hay, Cecilia Barrett and Adam Kayani present a mock private FDR

Our thanks to YRes Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, Juliet Gordon of Blanchard Law and the committee, and to Boyes Turner for hosting members of our ADR team; Fiona Hay, Cecilia Barrett…

Events | 28th Feb 2025

Cecilia Barrett and Eleanor Howard in T-D (Children: Specific Issue Order) [2024] EWCA Civ 793

On 12 July 2024, the Court of Appeal published their decision in T-D (Children: Specific Issue Order) [2024] EWCA Civ 793. This case concerns the use of Specific Issue Orders to…

Cases | 21st Aug 2024

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