Emily Fildes

Emily Fildes is undertaking the practising period of pupillage and accepts instructions under the supervision of David Maddison, Head of the Family Team.

Emily accepts instructions across all areas of Family Law, including Children Proceedings (Public and Private Law), and Financial Remedy Proceedings.

During her first six, Emily has observed a variety of Public and Private Law proceedings (including Injunctions and Financial Remedy proceedings) which have varied from the instruction of the Local Authority, parents, intervenors, and children’s guardians. Emily has observed cases involving non-accidental injuries to children, historic sexual abuse, and neglect. She has assisted with drafting orders and conducting legal research.

Prior to commencing pupillage, Emily worked as a Judicial Assistant to the only registered blind family/civil Circuit Judge in the country and as a court clerk on the Judge’s non-sitting days. In this role, Emily became accustomed to Public Law proceedings, including cases involving composite finding of fact / final hearings, non-accidental injury, the inherent jurisdiction, concurrent criminal proceedings and appeals. Emily also gained extensive experience in all areas of Private Law and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, including multi-day finding of fact hearings, child abduction, relocation to non-Hague countries and secure accommodation orders.

In her spare time, Emily also assisted with numerous pro bono projects. Emily chaired a Private Law training presentation to victims of domestic abuse about the application process for obtaining protective court orders. Moreover, Emily worked alongside the families of serving prisoners to assist with their children’s life-story work, facilitated family visit requests and actioned safeguarding concerns about family members in prison.