CIVIL LAW.

Mrs. Horne-Roberts is currently representing Claimants in major breach of contract cases.

She has been engaged in personal injury Group Actions for many years. During 2007 and 2008 she represented young Claimants in the Omnibus personal injury cases in the USA. Some of the Claims have been successful. Many more cases are yet to come to Court.

The need for specialist advice in relation to civil litigation has never been greater. MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS' Civil Law work complements her strengths in family law. Family cases frequently raise questions requiring expertise from civil practitioners. MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS' aim is to offer a complete service to her clients. If a civil question arises in the context of a family case MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS will have the experience in the civil field to deal with it.

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS dealt with the case of a leading Architect who was claiming loss of professional fees and loss of the chance to develop a Golf Resort Hotel and Holiday Apartments in Kent arising from the employer/ land owner's refusal to Appeal the Local Planning Authority's refusal to grant a conditional acceptance of the Environmental Impact Assessment. MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS took the case to the Court of Appeal and to the European Court of Human Rights.

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS is currently dealing with a case involving clinical negligence of a Local Health Centre , for the parents of a severely brain damaged young child. The case centres on the question of informed consent and arises from the number of vaccines administered at the same time at one site. Further reports on this and other cases may be followed on this website in due course.

VACCINE DAMAGE.

In 2005 MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS represented a group of vaccine damaged children (10) in a case for the Judicial Review of the Legal Services Commission's(LSC) refusal to grant Legal Aid in the trial of an alleged link between MMR and autism. Here the Defendants were a number of international pharmaceutical companies. It was necessary to have legal aid before the trial could take place.

On two occasions in that year also in the High Court at the Judicial Review Hearings and again in the Court of Appeal (2006) these children (‘the MMR 10') were sent away empty handed. MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS carried the case forward to the European Court of Human Rights where the claim will be 'access to justice'.

These children (‘the MMR 10') were denied a fair trial of their claim by the Government's own agency the LSC, against the pharmaceutical companies and as a result these claimants sought compensation from the UK claiming that the Government have denied them the right to a trial. The Quantum of the 10 children's claims was in excess of £5 million (each child) a total of more than £50 million.

FAMILY LAW

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS has specialised in Family Law and knows that its practice requires a range of very different skills. The ability to impart advice sensitively and to explore carefully avenues for settlement must be coupled with robust forensic expertise. Typically a practitioner may become involved in a case where rigorous findings of fact are sought whilst at the same time, a long-term solution involving co-operation between the parties will be required. This duality of approach is reflected in recent legislation in which the importance of compromise and consensus, using methods such as mediation, has been emphasised, coupled with profound changes in all areas of the substantive law affecting families.

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS aims to offer realistic advice and encourage settlement where possible, but to argue lay clients' cases thoroughly and forcefully, if agreement cannot be reached. She recognises the crucial importance of inviting lay clients to raise questions and concerns and of providing clear explanations.

Applying forensic skill or detailed knowledge of substantive law and tactful but vigorous advice and negotiation, MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS offers a wide-ranging practical service to solicitors and lay clients.

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS will accept work in the key areas of children law (public and private), child abduction, adoption, divorce, matrimonial finance and domestic violence.

FURTHER DETAILS:

MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS will provide written work on request in most word-processed formats, on disc or via e-mail. Chambers accepts work under conditional fee agreements and with Direct Access from lay clients where appropriate. Providing jargon-free answers, realistic advice and robust advocacy, MRS.HORNE-ROBERTS aims to provide a comprehensive, convenient and efficient service to our instructing solicitors and clients.