Abigail Bond
Call 1999 (Middle Temple)
Qualifications BA Hons. (Oxon); LLM (University of East Anglia). Formerly: lecturer in
family and property law 1993 - 1998.
Professional Memberships Association of Lawyers for Children, Family Law Bar
Association, Western Circuit, Bar Pro Bono Unit Family Law Panel
Practice Overview
Abigail has specialised in Family Law for over 20 years, having taught Family Law at undergraduate and
postgraduate level before coming to the Bar. As a barrister, she practises in all aspects of the law relating to
children and has considerable experience of care proceedings in which she represents parents, children and local
authorities. She also handles Court of Protection work. She is the author of several articles on Family Law
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matters and of the well-received “Care Proceedings and Learning Disabled Parents”, now in its 2 edition
(Jordans, 2014).
She is a member of the Bar Pro Bono Unit Family Law Panel.
Areas of Practice
Children
Abigail practises in all Children Act and other children matters, with a particular emphasis on care and placement
proceedings where she represents parents, children and local authorities. She has experience in a wide range of
cases, including those involving allegations of inflicted injury and serious sexual abuse.
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Recent cases
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Representing the father in a 2 week fact-finding hearing concerning alleged shaking/shaking plus
impact injury to a baby. The child was rehabilitated to the parents following a successful Resolutions
assessment.
Representing the child in a fact-finding hearing where it was alleged that either the mother or the father
had poisoned the child (all other parties were represented by leading counsel).
Representing the mother in a fact-finding hearing where her daughter suffered from genital warts and
was thought to have been sexually abused (the case involved five medical experts and several alleged
perpetrators).
Representing the mother in proceedings where her teenage daughter made allegations of sexual abuse
against the step-father, and in which the teenage child complainant gave evidence. The allegations were
not upheld.
Representing the local authority in a High Court case involving allegations of historic sexual abuse,
international trafficking and illegal adoption. The 3 week case involved complex factual and
international legal issues.
Representing the mother in a fact-finding hearing in which it was alleged that the mother had inflicted
bruising and other injury to her 4 year old child; and at the subsequent welfare hearing in which the
Judge dismissed the local authority’s application for a care order. The child was rehabilitated to the
mother.
Abigail is very familiar with the issues arising when representing ‘competent’ children directly, and with cases
where children give evidence. In addition, she has considerable experience of representing vulnerable parties
with the assistance of an intermediary and/or through the Official Solicitor.
Abigail also undertakes complex private law work such as high conflict residence disputes, ’intractable contact’
cases, and applications for leave to remove from the jurisdiction.
Outside of the court room, she is involved with an ongoing programme to increase the access of children and
young people to the family courts by facilitating visits of local school children to the Bristol Civil Justice Centre.
The purpose of this is to de-mystify the Family Court, following the lead of the 2015 Report of the Vulnerable
Witnesses & Children Working Group which made several important recommendations to reform and modernise
the involvement of children and young people in proceedings which directly concern them.
Court of Protection
Abigail has an expanding Court of Protection practice in which she represents parties in health and personal
welfare cases and into which she transfers some of the skills and experience she has acquired in representing
learning disabled adults in care proceedings. She is typically instructed in cases involving best interests decisionmaking in the context of disputes surrounding the care of very elderly patients.
Those instructing Abigail in Court of Protection matters have commented:
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“an excellent advocate, able to ascertain the pertinent issues of the case and its ancillary issues despite
receiving instructions at short notice.”
“advised our client department in a straightforward and non condescending manner.”
Recommendations
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“Abigail is skilled at managing the most difficult of clients." Legal 500, Family and children law (2015)
Reported Cases
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Re A & B (Children) (fact-finding hearing) [2015] EWFCB48. Represented the father in a fact-finding hearing
in which much of the local authority’s case rested on allegations made by the 10 year old child against his
father. The Judge rejected most of the findings sought by the local authority; care proceedings were
subsequently withdrawn.
Re H-B (Contact) [2015] EWCA Civ 389. Represented competent teenager in the Court of Appeal opposing
contact, assessment or therapy against her wishes. The appeal (dismissed) was brought by the children’s
father against an order dismissing his application for direct contact with them.
Re M-J (A Child) [2007] EWCA Civ 56. Appeal by the mother against an order placing her child for adoption
with her half-sister. She argued that the half-sister should be appointed as a special guardian instead..The
judgment provides useful guidance on the adoption/special guardianship distinction.
Publications
Abigail has published several articles on family law topics over the years and is the author of Care Proceedings
and Learning Disabled Parents: A Handbook for Family Lawyers (Jordans, 2014). The Foreword, by Mrs Justice
Pauffley, describes it as “erudite, concise and immensely readable.” The book arose out of Abigail’s experience
in representing learning disabled parents, where she strives to ensure that her clients are fairly and properly
assessed and given every opportunity to retain the care of their children.
Contact details
[email protected] Telephone 0117 923 4700