Maggie Jones

Year of Call: 1990

"She's very good with her clients and works very hard for them."

Chambers UK, 2024

"Maggie Jones always shows a great deal of dedication to the clients she represents."

Chambers UK, 2023

"Cares for her clients and is powerful in court. She is a real fighter who gets the job done."

Chambers UK, 2022 (Family: Children)

"Diligent and committed in her representation of vulnerable clients, she is like a dog with a bone when fighting the most challenging cases. She does her absolute best for the client."

Chambers UK, 2021 (Family)

"Very hardworking and committed to her clients."

Legal 500, 2021 (Children Law)

"An expert in picking up and sorting out the messiest of cases, who always has the utmost faith in the client." "She is a force to be reckoned with and brings a calm but clever approach to each case she works on. Her wealth of experience is evident as she is respected by all (peers and judges alike) for her work. She is passionate and has an ability to connect with young people."

Chambers UK 2020

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Maggie Jones is a very experienced family law practitioner. She acts for parents and children in both public and private law cases. She is well known for her tenacity, for working with both vulnerable and difficult clients, and for dealing with complex and messy cases.

FAMILY LAW: CHILDREN'S LAW

Overview

Maggie always fights hard for her clients, and is able to deal with particularly difficult and very vulnerable clients. She works with clients from as early as possible in the proceedings, and very much enjoys working in partnership with solicitors.

In public law proceedings Maggie is well known as an advocate for parents, in both care, wardship and adoption proceedings, but she also acts for children and guardians on a regular basis. Both sympathetic and tough, she is very experienced in dealing with complex cases in which there may be serious allegations of physical and sexual abuse, a long history of neglect and family problems, domestic violence, mental health problems, allegations of radicalisation, or immigration issues.

Maggie is concerned with problems which often arise after proceedings have concluded, for instance where local authorities change or do not adhere to the care plan and post adoption contact.

In private law proceedings Maggie will try and negotiate agreements wherever possible, but recognizes that there are some disputes which cannot be resolved this way. She often gets instructed to deal with particularly complex disputes for parents, including same sex parents, as well as representing guardians appointed pursuant to rule 16.4 in these proceedings.

Notable Cases

Past notable cases can be viewed below. Click here to see a list of recent notable cases.

ZH v HS & Ors (Application to Revoke Adoption Order) [2019] EWHC 2190 (Fam)
Application by a child's birth mother (ZH) to revoke an adoption order made in 2016 in relation to T, now aged 4. 

LB Redbridge v Newport City Council [2004] 2 FLR 226
Designation of Local Authority

Re M [2007] EWCA Civ 1550
Appeal against a 91(14) order prohibiting Mother of child in care from seeking educational assessment of child.

W (Children) [2010] UKSC 12
Children giving evidence in family proceedings.

Re E (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 1614
Appeal against placement order on grounds of proportionality in particular failure to consider the support which the local authority could provide for the mother

Re A & B [2013] EWHC 2305 Fam
Private law proceedings between 2 same sex couples in respect of contact

Re B [2013] EWHC 4150 Fam & [2014] EWHC 818 Fam
Care proceedings arising out of dispute between two same sex couples in respect of contact

Re D (Children) [2015] EWCA Civ 703
Appeal against refusal to give leave to oppose the making of an adoption order

Re Y (Children) (Radicalisation) (Finding of Fact 2) [2016] EWHC 3825 (Fam)

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International Family Law

Overview

Maggie is experienced in dealing with cases where there are difficult immigration issues, often drawing on the expertise of immigration practitioners in Chambers.

She has also developed a practice dealing with adoption proceedings, particularly adoptions with a foreign element, and enjoys working closely with immigration practitioners on some of these cases.

Notable Cases

Haringey LBC v C (2007) 1 FLR 1035
Adoption to secure stability security and identity of child abducted from Kenya and brought to UK to couple who genuinely but incorrectly believed him to be their natural son born as a result of a miracle.

PD v MD (2008) 1 FLR 1475
Declaration that adoptions in India be recognized in UK.

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Notable Cases & News

Maggie Jones successfully represents First Respondent in the Court of Appeal

Our Maggie Jones of the Garden Court Family Team, led by Deirdre Fottrell KC of 4PB, has been successful in the Court of Appeal case YM (Care Proceedings: Clarification of Reasons).

21 February 2024

Natural family in Ghana, securing Article 8 rights

Rebekah Wilson acted for the Appellant, Monifa Walters-Thompson acted pro bono for the fourth respondents and Maggie Jones acted for the Respondent Children’s Guardian.

10 January 2019

Appeal in care proceedings involving rival Special Guardianship Order contenders: a foster carer and extended family members in Ghana. Appeal allowed.

Rebekah Wilson instructed for the Appellant. Maggie Jones instructed for the Respondent Children's Guardian. 

30 October 2018

Chambers UK Bar Guide ranks Garden Court in Band 1

Garden Court Chambers recognised as a leading set for immigration, social housing, civil liberties, police law, Court of Protection, crime and inquests and public inquiries.

30 October 2015

Garden Court Chambers ranked Band 1 in Chambers UK 2014

We are once again delighted to have been ranked as a leading set by Chambers and Partners in the Chambers UK 2014 directory.

31 October 2013

Garden Court Chambers recommended as Top Tier Set in Legal 500 2013

Garden Court Chambers is once again delighted to have been recommended as a Top Tier Set in this year's Legal 500. We are recommended in six areas of law as a set, with 11 silks and 27 junior barristers recognised individually.

25 September 2013

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Background

Maggie started her working life as an economist, doing research for regional organisations in the North East and working in industry and local government. She then worked for the National Federation of Housing Associations before moving to work at the sharp end of housing for six years, developing co-operative housing in the East End of London.

She is a former chair of Hackney Community Law Centre and previously served as a committee member of several community-based housing associations and on the national council of the National Federation of Housing Associations. She has been very involved in Chambers, notably in the acquisition and development of 57-60 Lincolns Inn Fields.

Training and Seminars

Maggie has done some teaching and a great deal of public speaking. She enjoys being involved in seminars, whether as a speaker or facilitating workshops.

Education

  • BA Economics (Durham)
  • Diploma in Law (City University)

Professional Membership

  • Family Law Bar Association
  • Association of Lawyers for Children

We are top ranked by independent legal directories and consistently win awards.

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