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Joanna Geddes

Year of Call:

1992

Education:    

Clitheroe Royal Grammar School for Girls
University College London BA (Hons) German (2i)
City University Diploma in Law (Distinction)
Inns of Court School of Law (Very Competent)

Prize from Worshipful Company of Arbiters for
achievement on the Diploma course
Karmel Scholarship from Grays Inn (2 years)

Career:   

Called to the Bar 1992 by Grays Inn. 
Pupillage Queen Elizabeth Building, Temple.  Mixed family and civil pupillage under the supervision of Peter Wright, Francis Phillimore and Paul Coleridge (now Mr Justice Coleridge)
Tenant at One Garden Court, Temple 1994-1999
Sovereign Chambers (formerly 30 Park Square) 1999 to date
Member of the North Eastern Circuit
Member of the Family Law Bar Association

Appointment as Deputy District Judge

Reported cases:
Re M (Contact:Welfare Test) [1995] 1 FLR 274
Re A (Contact: Domestic Violence) [1998] 2 FLR 171
Calderdale MBC v S and the Legal Services Commission [2004] EWHC 2529 [2005] 1FLR 751
Re F (Indirect Contact) [2006] EWCA Civ 1426 [2007] 1 FLR 1015

Joanna represents clients in all areas of matrimonial, family and quasi-family law, predominantly in the County Court and High Court and funded privately or by legal aid.   She undertakes Children Act and Adoption proceedings, representing parents, family members, Local Authorities, children (through Guardians and independently) foster carers and prospective adopters.  She is experienced in acting in cases involving complex and disputed medical evidence and allegations of physical, emotional or sexual harm and neglect.

In the matrimonial or civil partnership sphere, Joanna has specialist knowledge of contested divorce, nullity, dissolution and financial ancillary relief proceedings including divorce involving foreign jurisdictional issues and ancillary relief involving family companies, trusts or bankruptcy or other complex financial arrangements.  As well representing spouses, she advises and represents trustees-in-bankruptcy and other interested third parties.

Joanna advises and acts for cohabitants in property disputes, primarily in applications under section 14 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act. 

She welcomes instructions in applications or proposed applications under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act whether for beneficiaries, claimants or executors.

She also advises and acts in cases involving allegations of professional negligence in the field of matrimonial or family law and/or property trusts.

Languages:    German (Rusty Fluent) and French (Basic)

For further details contact Claudine Cooper on 0113 245 1841