Introduction

Elise is the Joint Head of the Family Team

Elise was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1999.  She is dual qualified, having cross-qualified in Melbourne, Australia (2010 to 2011), and admitted to the Roll of the Supreme Court of Victoria in March 2013.  

Elise is a qualified Arbitrator MCIArb (Children) and a registered pupil supervisor.

Elise is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators.

Elise is a member of the International Bar Association a member of the British-Australian Association which supports commonwealth links.

Elise has assisted in the training of expert witnesses for the Expert Witness Institute (EWI) and is happy to provide in-house training.  Elise regularly provides seminars and provides pro-bono advice to ‘Emmaus’ (a registered charity that supports men and woman out of homelessness.  Queen Camilla is patron). 

Elise prides herself in her friendly approach to clients and is praised for her down to earth manner and common-sense approach to her work.  Elise understands the pressure that her client’s feel when in proceedings and is known for her ability to explain complex information under stressful conditions.  Elise is known for her ability to put clients and witnesses at ease, and for her persuasive manner when making submissions.

Elise is instructed in cases involving expert witnesses, capacity and cognition issues and cases involving young defendants and witnesses.  Elise has conducted cases involving the use of intermediaries and has experience of dealing with adult and young clients, often with disabilities, behavioural and other medical problems including Asperger’s, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ODD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Elise is experienced in conducting cases where the evidence and cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses has been entirely recorded in advance of the hearing and provided by pre-recording. 

Elise is a disciplined, determined and committed legal practitioner, who is experienced in multi-tasking caseloads and representing clients with complex legal issues.

Family

Elise accepts instructions in both Public and Private Law applications under the Children Act 1989.  

Elise has been instructed to appear in the Family Court, Court of Appeal and High Court in all manner of complex Children Act matters including:

• Murder,

• Rape,

• Non-accidental injury (NAI) including baby shaking resulting in brain injury, bone fractures,  

• Factitious illness 

• Child abduction and

• International relocation

Elise has been complimented on her approach when opposing litigants in person and making the prospect of a court hearing far less traumatic for clients who find facing abusive partners an ordeal.  Elise is noted for being approachable but tough, when necessary, to the benefit of her clients.

Notable Cases

• Re R – Junior representing the father at fact-find (subsequently convicted at the Central Criminal Court of murder) 2024.

• Re K – Representing a father accused in a non-accidental injury (baby shaking).  The Judge determined that neither parent had injured their child.  The Threshold was not crossed and the children should be immediately returned.  The Judge commented: “The parent’s legal teams have made a huge difference in the lives of the family”

• Re A - Junior representing mother accused of strangulation of her 14 year old daughter, failing to protect against sexual assault by her sons against her daughter and multiple offences of assault by her husband in 2024.  No findings were made.  The child was returned to the mother within the week of the hearing. 

• Re P, H-L (Children) (Mobile Phone Extraction) [2023] EWCA Civ 206 – Junior in this Court of Appeal case which set national guidelines for disclosure in family proceedings.

• Re B – Junior in case for mother accused of non-accidental injury – multiple fractures and brain injury.  Findings made against the father. 

• Re K – instructed for a vulnerable mother of 8 children – Care and placement orders sought by the Local Authority.  Eldest children returned to the mother.  Only the youngest child was made the subject of adoption. 

• Re P – Representing a father in committal and Brussels II proceedings made public to request the whereabouts of the children.

• Re A - Representing the mother in a lesbian relationship whose partner was transitioning from female to male gender. 

• Re B - Representing a mother in litigation for her 3 elder children after her youngest child was found deceased in her bed. 

• Re T - Representing the mother who has shaken a baby and opposing the Local Authority’s application for adoption in respect of her own child

• Re T - Representing the mother whose child was judged to have been removed from her care (while out of this jurisdiction) at 8 weeks old and alienated from her for 4 years.  The father was judged to have kidnapped the child and falsely made applications to the High Court to prevent the mother from entering this jurisdiction.

• Re C - The representation of a father who murdered the mother of his child.  He was awarded contact during a minimum 33-year prison sentence for murder, rape and s18 GBH

• Re B – Successfully representing the mother internally relocating with her children away from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious group.

• Re B - Representing a mother with adult ADHD against a placement order for adoption being made regarding her 4-year old daughter.

Memberships

• Arbitrator MCIArb (Children)

• FLBA

• Resolution

• Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC)

• Worshipful Company of Arbitrators

• Honourable Society of the Middle Temple

• International Bar Association

• Victorian State Bar, Australia

• British/Australia Society

• Soroptimist International (Past President SIGL)

• Director of ‘Winella’ (reg charity) with the following objectives: “For the public benefit to relieve the charitable needs of the elderly and the victims and survivors of domestic abuse through the making of grants and donations to registered charities established to support such people.”

Direct Access

Elise is accredited to accept work under Direct access, also known as Public access, in suitable cases. In order to instruct Elise on a Direct access basis, contact the clerks on +44 (0) 20 7242 6476 or at clerks@33bedfordrow.co.uk. 

Crime

Prior to solely prioritising her family practice, Elise had a strong criminal practice and was regularly instructed in all areas of crime including, but not limited to, serious offences of violence, armed robbery, sexual offences, aggravated arson, possession of class A drugs with intent, matters of theft including complex fraud and general dishonesty.

She was regularly instructed in cases involving grievous bodily harm and wounding, often involving expert evidence relating to complex DNA, bloodstaining and mechanism of injury.

Elise was instructed in cases involving expert witnesses, capacity issues (including fitness to plead) and cases involving young defendants and witnesses.  Elise conducted cases involving the use of intermediaries and had experience of dealing with young defendants, often with behavioural and other medical problems including Asperger’s, Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Elise was known for her ability to put witnesses at ease, explain complex information under stressful conditions when at trial and for her persuasive manner when making submissions and pleas in mitigation.

Elise always understood the pressure her clients were under when standing trial and was empathic towards both those she represents and witnesses for the Crown.

Notable Cases

• Instructed to prosecute parents for the murder of their child

• R v Taylor – Successful defence of GBH.  The client was alleged to have driven his car at two serving police officers.

• R v Trowell – Successfully prosecuted multiple counts of aggravated arson.  The victims had discovered that items had been lit and pushed through the letterbox of their home.

• R v Hyland - Care Home owner accused of violence against a mentally vulnerable youth in his care

•  R v Maw & Ors - VHCC (Very High Costs Case) complicated fraud matter (‘the Jubilee Line Extension Fraud’) heard at the Central Criminal Court

• R v Dube - Successful opposition to the extradition of a Zimbabwean national. A nationally reported case involving issues of Human Rights of a MDC member

• R v Ganfield - Defence of a man in possession of a loaded shotgun, who threatened to shoot his wife (in the presence of their 6-year old daughter)

• R v Hanford - Defence of a man who ‘glassed’ a fellow drinker in an alleged unprovoked offence

• R v Grant & Ors - Defending multi-hander class A drugs possession and supply

• Re C: The representation of a father who murdered the mother of his child. He was awarded contact during a minimum 33-year prison sentence for murder, rape and s18 GBH.