Marisa has practised exclusively in family law since 1998. She joined Zenith chambers in 2010 following 10 years at the bar in Leeds in order to specialise in financial and private law children matters.
Marisa deals confidently and regularly with financial remedies cases involving complex business structures and family trusts, and is known for her clear advice and creative, pro-active approach to negotiating settlement. Marisa is one of the first Barristers outside London to train as a Collaborative Lawyer.
She advises regularly in cases involving child abduction, being only a handful of barristers on circuit with expertise in this area. Marisa’s expertise makes her a popular choice with solicitors for both financial and children matters involving foreign jurisdictions. She has in-depth working knowledge of the Brussels regulations, and cross-jurisdiction recognition and enforcement.
In addition to her expertise in foreign jurisdiction matters, Marisa is experienced in fertility law matters and is co-author of “Children and Same Sex Families: A Legal Handbook” aimed at family lawyers, professionals and people in same sex relationships published by Jordan Publishing in March 2012.
Marisa is available to provide training and seminars in all areas of her practice.
Areas of Expertise
• Financial remedies
• Non-matrimonial finance including Schedule 1 financial provision and TOLATA claims
• Private law children matters
• Cases involving foreign jurisdictions within and outside the European Union
• Cases involving issues of legal status, jurisdiction and recognition
• Cases involving families in same-sex relationships
• Representing cohabiting couples and extended family members in respect of property rights and trusts of land
• Fertility law
Reported Cases
• Zuk v Zuk [2012] EWCA Civ 1871 Successful appeal of committal to prison for non payment of lump sum
• In the matter of B (a child) [2012] EWCA Civ 858 allowing an appeal against a transfer of residence to a grandmother.
• Re S (a child) [2012] EWCA Civ 617 Re CAFCASS officers who had opposing views on the suitability of supervised contact.
• SH v MM and RM [2011] EWHC 3314 concerning whether a removal from the jurisdiction had been unlawful where legal parentage is in issue.
• Re H (Contact: adverse findings of fact) [2011] EWCA Civ 585
• T v B [2010] EWHC 1444: Case determining that a natural parent who is not a legal parent in a same sex relationship is not liable to make financial provision under Sch. 1 of the Children Act.
• Re H (a child) [2002] EWCA Civ 190: Clarified the law regarding changing the forename of a child.
Notable Cases Pending
B v O Issue of parentage concerning children born to same-sex couple.
P v D International surrogacy dispute
K v J Residence dispute concerning risk of FGM in Gambia
O v J Sch.1 claim for financial provision against a father resident in Sweden, father’s passport seised (ongoing) Reported in the Telegraph November 2011.
Seminars
• Enforcement of financial orders 30 April 2013
• Financial provision for Children update April / Oct / Nov 2012
• Private law and same sex relationships: Jordans’ Children Law and practice conference 4 October 2012.
• “Pre-nups Post-nups”: July 2011
• Family Procedure Rules 2010
• T v B: Sch. 1 claims and same sex relationships July 2010
• Brussels I, IIR and III; jurisdiction and enforcement in family law
- “a calm, unflappable and measured advocate" who proves "adept at identifying very creative solutions to difficult problems."
Chambers & Partners, 2013 - “adept at identifying very creative solutions to difficult problems."
Chambers & Partners, 2013 - “gets the results she sets out to get for her clients without histrionics or causing any measure of offence to an opponent."
Chambers & Partners, 2013 - “is ‘creative in her settlement proposals and structures’”
Legal 500, 2012
