Direct Access Barrister
Jessica Mae Price
Direct Access Barrister
Jessica Mae Price
Jessica was called to the Bar in 2014. She has a busy family practice with a particular focus on private children disputes, applications for injunctions (Family Law Act 1996) and family finance proceedings.
Her advocacy experience spans the High Court, County Court, Magistrates’ Court, Crown Court and Employment Tribunal. Jessica has developed a reputation for meticulous preparation and robust written and oral advocacy, with praise received from clients, solicitors and judges. She is frequently instructed to represent clients from the commencement of proceedings to their conclusion.
She is ranked as a Leading Junior in the Legal 500 in the area of children and domestic abuse: 'Jessica is a class act and her qualities exceed her call. Her preparation and written advocacy is excellent, and she really inspires confidence to both her instructing solicitors and the lay client.'
Area of Law
Family
Jessica is instructed in a wide range of private law children proceedings and regularly attends FHDRAs, DRAs, fact-finding hearings, final hearings and enforcement hearings (including multi-day hearings) . In addition, Jessica routinely represents both applicants and respondents at injunction hearings under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996, including ex parte hearings, return date hearings and contested final hearings. Jessica has extensive experience in cases involving allegations of domestic abuse and a range of welfare issues including substance misuse and mental health.
Jessica also accepts instructions in financial remedy proceedings, having represented applicants and respondents in FDA and FDR hearings, final hearings and application hearings and has experience of representing clients in cases involving third party interveners. Jessica also has experience in representing parties in proceedings brought under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (‘TOLATA’), including complex cases involving equitable accounting.
Some of Jessica's work involves an international element, e.g. financial proceedings involving assets held abroad, cases where proceedings have been issued in another jurisdiction, and applications to remove a child from the jurisdiction permanently or temporarily. Jessica has experience in advising on jurisdictional issues in this context.
What sort of work do I do?
Jessica advises clients in writing and in conference and attends court hearings. Jessica also drafts legal documents and helps clients settle their disputes using alternative dispute resolution (e.g. mediation, round-table negotiations, private FDRs etc). Jessica often advises clients using remote means such as Teams and Zoom.
Jessica assists clients in proceedings brought under:
(i) the Children Act 1989 (contact/residence disputes, specific issue orders, prohibited steps orders, etc);
(ii) Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 (financial proceedings in respect of children);
(iii) the Family Law Act 1996 (injunctions - non-molestation orders/occupation orders);
(iv) the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (typically claims brought by cohabitees alleging a beneficial interest in a property which does not mirror the legal ownership);
(v) Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (applications for financial remedy upon divorce).
Who do I work for?
Jessica represents a wide range of clients in family proceedings - mothers, fathers and other family members (e.g. grandparents) in private children proceedings and husbands, wives, cohabitees, and third party interveners in family finance litigation.
Jessica has extensive experience of representing vulnerable clients, including victims of domestic abuse.