Our work covers all areas of family law, with particular expertise in the following areas:
Call: 1998
"A font of all knowledge regarding adoption law, solicitors absolute faith in her representation of their clients."
Legal 500 UK Bar 2022
Ruth is a specialist family law practitioner who has been at forefront of developments in adoption and surrogacy case law, she is also an expert in the field of international abduction.
Ruth is a forceful and robust practitioner in court. Her breadth and depth of knowledge and experience across all fields of family law, enables Ruth to provide clients with a clear view on case direction and strategy, whilst also taking into account the emotional context of each case which can often provide the key to unlocking how a matter will be best progressed.
Ruth’s specialities include: international adoption, international surrogacy, international abduction, complex care cases – particularly cases involving overseas placements and/or non-accidental injury, medical treatment orders and financial remedy.
To instruct Ruth or for more information…
Call: 020 7353 6961
Email: clerks@harcourtchambers.co.uk
Ruth is regularly instructed in public law children work at both first instance and court of appeal level. Acting for local authorities, parents, guardians and intervenors, she has extensive experience in this field and is often instructed in cases that involve one or more of the following complicating factors:
Ruth is well versed in the various international instruments that govern mutual recognition and enforcement of adoption/parental responsibility orders. As a member of IAFL she often well placed to advise on suitable experts when cases involve the law and practice of Family Law outside of England and Wales, including in relation to orders/procedures/timescales/costings for obtaining mirror orders/declarations of enforceability in other jurisdictions.
Inherent jurisdiction (declaratory not children)
Care
Wardship/protection against FGM and Forced Marriage
Care
Inherent jurisdiction children (medical treatment)
Care
Care
Care
Care
Care
Care – guidance on proceedings involving profoundly deaf parent
Care
Care
Ruth is frequently instructed to advise and act in relation to matters concerning adoption including:
Ruth has acted for intended parents and guardians in surrogacy cases since 2010 and has been involved in several of the key cases where guidance has been given to the profession. She is able to give sensitive and practical advice on all aspects of obtaining a parental order. She has recently co-authored Surrogacy: Law Practice and Policy published by Lexis Nexis in 2018.
Ruth is sensitive to the complexities that arise out of disputes between parents in relation to their children and seeks to get the heart of her client’s underlying concerns so that where possible workable arrangements can be successfully negotiated, and were a negotiated outcome is not possible she will vigoursly pursue her client’s case at trial. With over 18 years experience of these cases she is familiar with a very wide range of applications, including disputes involving:
Abduction
'A calm presence in court and reassuring to clients.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021
'She has great gravitas and is a good, solid, all-round performer.'
Chambers UK Bar 2021
'Always has a clear view on case direction and strategy not only legally, but taking into account the emotional context that can often be the key to unlocking how a matter would be best progressed.'
Legal 500 UK Bar 2021
'A tenacious advocate who does incredibly well in the area of international abduction.'
Chambers UK Bar 2020
'She’s a very robust practitioner, who is an expert in the field of international adoption.” “Fiery and forceful in court.”
Chambers UK Bar 2019
Ruth Cabeza acted for YP, the second respondent, in a case concerning an adoption order. YP, a Swiss national now aged 18, was the subject of an application for a…
Ruth Cabeza examines the issues arising in the case of Enfield London Borough Council v K and another [2021] EWFC 26 [2021] All ER (D) 134 (Mar) for Lexis Nexis.…
Ruth Cabeza considers the Court of Appeal’s clarification of the test for an application for leave to apply to discharge a special guardianship order, for Lexis Nexis.
You can view…