Rebekah's practice and career have been driven by her commitment to equal access to justice and her expertise in equality and human rights. She is passionate about her role for her clients and works tirelessly to ensure their case is presented with rigour regardless of factual or legal complexities.
Rebekah has practised at the bar since 1998 with a specialised practice in Children Act cases, public and private. She has also worked overseas and in the UK for organisations that share her core values of equal access to justice and securing human rights for everyone.
FAMILY LAW: CHILDREN'S LAW
Overview
A highly experienced and dedicated child and family law practitioner, Rebekah acts in factually and legally complex cases for all parties in public law and private law proceedings (securing residence orders, contact orders and orders involving removal from the jurisdiction).
Rebekah has substantial experience as a public law practitioner acting for all parties. She has acted in factually and legally complex cases involving allegations of 'radicalisation', factitious and induced illnesses, human rights and discrimination and non accidental injuries to a child/children. Rebekah is the chair of the Association of Lawyers for Children equality and diversity committee and a passionate advocate for the rights of children.
Notable Cases
The Local Authority v Mother and others [2020] EWHC 1216 (Fam)
Rebekah acted as a junior for a young intervener involving the death of a 13 year old in a complex fact finding before Mrs Justice Lieven.
A (No. 2) (Children: Findings Of Fact) [2019] EWCA Civ 1947
Rebekah was lead by Andrew Bagchi QC acting for the father in a successful appeal in the case which led to the unprecedented third fact finding in the family division.
LB Barking & Dagenham v A (Therapeutic Residential Placement) [2019] EWHC 2017 (Fam) (25 July 2019)
Rebekah acted for the child’s guardian in this troubling case involving the deprivation of liberty of a child.
A (A Child) [2018] EWCA Civ 2240 (16 October 2018)
Rebekah was led by Mark Twomey QC in this groundbreaking and successful appeal from HHJ Karp involving the natural family and identity rights of a young child ultimately placed with family in Ghana.
A, Re [2018] EWHC 3625 (Fam) (10 December 2018)
Rebekah was led by Mark Twomey QC in this groundbreaking case involving the Article 8, family and identity rights of a child, who was placed with natural family in Ghana as opposed to his foster carer in London.
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CROSS-BORDER FAMILY CASES
Overview
With her experience of working in other jurisdictions Rebekah is uniquely placed to advise in cases involving international family law. She has frequently advised on cases involving abduction and removal from the jurisdiction. She dedicates her broad expertise and experience to ensuring excellent representation for her clients.
Notable Cases
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Employment and Discrimination Law
Rebekah retains a practice in employment law focusing on discrimination and regulatory work. She has significant experience of acting for claimants seeking to protect their rights against large companies and public bodies. Rebekah has extensive experience in discrimination law. She wrote The Gurkhas: The Forgotten Veterans (2005) on discrimination faced by the Gurkhas.
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Court of Protection
Called to the bar in 1998, Rebekah first acted in Court of Protection proceedings at Tooks chambers of Michael Mansfield QC.
She has experience in acting for all parties in Court of Protection proceedings. An expert and trainer in vulnerable witnesses, Rebekah is particularly able in cases involving young persons.
Rebekah is particularly expert in cases involving issues engaging the Equality Act 2010.
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Pro Bono Work
Rebekah and the Garden Court Chambers Family Team have established a pro bono assistance scheme providing free legal advice to Southall Black Sisters in family law.
Rebekah is a reviewer for the Bar Pro Bono Unit.
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Background
Rebekah has worked with a number of international organisations, including the Office of the High Commissioner for 'Human Rights Working Group on the Issue of Discrimination Against Women in Law and in Practice'. She was appointed to the International Criminal Court's list of approved counsel in 2008. Rebekah has worked on human rights cases in The Hague (Women's Initiative for Gender Justice), Nepal (Gurkha rights and the United Nations) and Uganda (International Refugee Rights Initiative).
Rebekah joined Garden Court Chambers in 2013 having previously practised at Tooks Chambers for 12 years. Prior to this, Rebekah was a legal officer for Rights of Women, a civil affairs officer for the United Nations Mission in Nepal and worked for ICC Women based in the Hague.
Publications
Protecting Article 8 rights in the family courts: Re A (A Child) Family Law (April 2019)
Placement of a baby with natural family or not: Re A (A Child) Family Law
Equality and anti-discrimination: key principles for family lawyers Family Law Journal
Family Justice and Race: the need for a fundamental review? Family Law Week
Domestic Violence and Care Proceedings: Re-victimising the Victim? Family Law Week
LASPO Kicks In - Suffer The Children, Tooks Comment, August 2013
The Gurkhas: The Forgotten Veterans, by Ian Macdonald QC, Hannah Rought-Brooks and Rebekah Wilson
'Age Discrimination', New Law Journal January 2006, Volume 156
'Women and the Human Rights Act', Rights of Women Bulletin, Summer 2001
'Discrimination at the Bar', The Times Law Section. October 2001
Training and Seminars
Rebekah is a visiting Lecturer in Law at London's South Bank University where she lectures in international human rights.
Rebekah has provided training to Rights of Women on the Human Rights Act, employment law, domestic violence and co-habitee rights. She has also trained volunteers with Victim Support London on domestic violence remedies.
Recently, Rebekah has contributed to the Garden Court Family Team's 2020 webinar series.
Recordings can be accessed by clicking on the links to the event pages below:
'Covid-19, remote working and protecting the rights of parents and children' (held on 8 April 2020).
Family justice in challenging times' (held on 6 May 2020).
Awards
Rebekah was shortlisted for the Family Law Junior Barrister of the Year award 2014.
