Nancy has a wide ranging practice that includes children law, court of protection, 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 and in the international and group claims department of the leading human rights law firm Leigh Day where she was involved in large group actions. She maintains an international element to her work through her Pro Bono work. Nancy collaborated with the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network to draft the Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Direction for the Anti-Corruption division of the Sierra Leonean High Court. They were published in October 2022.
Nancy regularly provides training relating to her practice areas, particularly practice and procedure in the Court of Protection and Inquests.
Nancy accepts instructions in children’s law cases. She regularly receives instructions on behalf of parents, local authorities and guardians.
Nancy regularly appears in cases which involve the inherent jurisdiction of the court, and deprivation of liberty. 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;
Honour based violence;
Relinquished baby cases with international elements;
Discharge of care orders; and
Committal for breach of undertakings.
Nancy has also represented vulnerable clients who have necessitated the intervention of the Official Solicitor.
Nancy has also been appointed to the FA Safeguarding Review Panel for an initial 3 year term. She assists the Football Association by determining whether individuals should be suspended from football and footballing activities because of safeguarding risks to children.
Nancy has a busy Court of Protection practice. She is instructed by local authorities, ALRs and NHS trusts. She has experience acting in matters relating to personal welfare, Deprivation of Liberty challenges, and the inherent jurisdiction.
Nancy has also been involved in cases relating to the displacement of a nearest relative under the Mental Health Act.
Nancy has a longstanding interest in international human rights. She has combined the academic knowledge with practical experience with organisations in Europe, Africa and Latin America.
During her time as an intern at the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, she assisted in the preparation of a report for the International Bar Association, ‘ International Access to Justice: Barriers and Solutions’. She was also an editorial assistant for the Human Rights Law Review whilst studying her Masters in Human Rights.
Nancy has worked to bolster the rule of law in Sierra Leone – interning with the UNDP Access to Justice programme and assisting 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.
Nancy is using her pro-bono and academic experience to develop her practice.
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 and is keen to develop her practice in this area.
Nancy visited Sierra Leone in March 2022 with the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network as part of the process of drafting the Sentencing Guidelines for the Anti-Corruption Division of the Sierra Leonean High Court. Nancy provided training on legal drafting to anticorruption prosecutors and investigators; discussed the consultation drafts of the Sentencing Guidelines and the Practice Directions with judges; and met with the anti corruption commissioner and members of the commission.
Nancy commented on Nigeria's SARS for Littlelaw.co.uk in January 2021.
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.
