Nancy has a broad practice that includes court of protection, family law, Inquests and International Human Rights.
Prior to joining the bar, Nancy developed extensive international experience. She worked at the International Court of Arbitration in Paris in the common law team, the United Nations Development Programme, Access to Justice Programme in Sierra Leone, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law.
Nancy regularly provides training in her areas of practice.
"Nancy is very well prepared, gets to the issues quickly and offers excellent advice according to their client's needs. She is excellent on her feet and delivers persuasive arguments concisely and effectively" - Legal 500 - 2025
Nancy has a busy Court of Protection practice. She is instructed by local authorities, Accredited Legal Representatives, the Official Solicitor, NHS trusts and family members. She has experience acting in matters relating to personal welfare under section 16 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, challenges to deprivations of liberty under section 21A Mental Capacity 2005, and the inherent jurisdiction.
Nancy has also been involved in cases relating to the displacement of a nearest relative under the Mental Health Act and medical treatment of adults and children.
Nancy accepts instructions in private and public children law cases. Her clients include parents, local authorities and guardians.
Nancy regularly appears in cases which involve the inherent jurisdiction of the court, and deprivation of liberty of young people. She has been instructed to appear in complex cases which have raised human rights issues such as applications to dispense with the notification of care proceedings to parents with and without parental responsibility; non-disclosure of evidence to a party to the proceedings; and a parent objecting to vaccination of their children in care proceedings.
Nancy has also dealt with a wide range of other matters such as:
- Forced marriage protection orders;
- Female Genital mutilation;
- Honour based violence;
- Relinquished baby cases with international elements;
- Discharge of care orders; and
- Committal proceedings.
Nancy is adept at working with vulnerable witnesses both as clients and in respect of witness handling.
Nancy has been appointed to the Football Association Safeguarding Review Panel for a three year term. She acts as a Chairperson and a member of panels making interim and final decisions relating to an individual’s participation in football and footballing activities because of safeguarding risks to children. Nancy has also determined appeals against safeguarding decisions made by the Football Association.
Nancy combines her academic knowledge in international human rights with practical experience working with organisations in Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Nancy has international experience in the rule of law. In Sierra Leone, she was an intern with the UNDP Access to Justice programme and assisted the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network by drafting the Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Direction for the Anti-Corruption division of the Sierra Leonean High Court. In addition, she provided training on legal drafting to anticorruption prosecutors and investigators; discussed the consultation drafts of the Sentencing Guidelines and the Practice Direction with judges; and met with the Anti-Corruption Commissioner and members of the Anti-Corruption commission. The Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Direction were published in October 2022.
Nancy assisted in the preparation of a report for the International Bar Association, ‘International Access to Justice: Barriers and Solutions’ whilst she was an intern at Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law. She was also an editorial assistant for the Human Rights Law Review whilst studying her Masters in Human Rights.
Nancy provided assistance to barristers who prepared a Legal Opinion for the Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights on whether the closure of Gaza constitutes a crime against humanity of persecution.
Link to the report here.
Nancy has appeared on behalf of interested persons. In conducting inquests, Nancy draws on her experience in cases concerning public Children Law, mental capacity and mental health Law.
Nancy has provided training to local authorities on inquest procedure.
Nancy Williams and Amelia Nice, Controlling and coercive behaviour: Synergies and learning points from the court of protection and family law, May [2024] Fam Law 568.
Matthews and N. Williams, Post Brexit crystal ball gazing: What the future holds for Phase I Clinical Trials in the UK, Clinical Risk, 2016, Vol. 2 (5-6) 97-104. This paper was subsequently presented to the Medico-Legal Society on 11th January 2018. The presentation was published in the Medico-Legal Journal, 2018, Vol. 86 (2) 63-71.
Co-author of the Court of Protection updates for the Legal Action magazine.
