Andrea Watts

Private Children Proceedings - Andrea advises and acts for parents and extended family members in all types of private children matters and has experience in difficult cases involving implacably hostile parents leading to enforcement proceedings and transfer/suspended transfer of residence.  She has a particular interest in relocation cases, both internal and external and has written and lectured on the subject following the decision of the Court of Appeal in Re K (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 793. 

Public Children Act Proceedings - Andrea regularly acts for local authorities, parents and children in care proceedings, including applications for secure accommodation orders.  She is experienced in dealing with complex cases involving multiple parties and children and allegations of very serious harm, including emotional and physical abuse and sexual harm and has dealt with fact-finding hearings in cases involving significant domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse.

Marriage and Divorce - Andrea deals with all areas of marriage and divorce to include prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and annulment cases, especially in connection with arranged marriages.  

Family Finance - Andrea undertakes all forms of family finance work including applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act and the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act. She also has experience of subsequent enforcement proceedings.  

Injunctive Proceedings - Andrea has experience in dealing with injunctions under the Family Law Act and the Protection from Harassment Act in the County Court and the High Court.   

Andrea has a background in criminal work which is frequently of use in family proceedings, particularly in relation to conducting fact-finding hearings in private, public and injunctive proceedings.  

Andrea accepts both publicly funded and private work and frequently travels to all areas of the south eastern circuit, parts of the western circuit and occasionally to the midland and northern circuits.  

Andrea frequently delivers lectures on current issues in family law and is happy to arrange informal in-house lectures and discussion groups at practitioners’ offices.