+44 (0) 20 7421 8019
An experienced family law practitioner that has specialised in children cases. She provides frank and sensitive advice empowering clients to make informed decisions throughout her involvement. She will go above and beyond to provide exceptional service for her clients. Regarded as a tenacious and persuasive advocate who is focused on the relevant issues in the case.
Samantha will represent Local Authorities, parents, guardians and other interested parties/intervenors.
She has experience dealing with cases involving the following issues:-
* Serious non accidental injuries (fractures, baby shakes, infant death and bruising);
* Sexual abuse (including interfamilial abuse and rape);
* Fabricated or induced illnesses;
* Female Genital Mutilation;
* Child Trafficking;
* Deprivation of Liberty matters;
* Chronic neglect, emotional and psychological abuse;
* Drugs and alcohol abuse (regularly instructed for FDAC);
* Neuro diversity/learning difficulties.
Direct Access qualified.
Key cases & testimonials
WNC v KA v ors [2024] EWHC 79 (Fam)
Re W-A (Children: Foreign Conviction) [2022] EWCA Civ 1118
T (A Child: Fact Finding) [2014] EWFC B115
NCC v L & Anor [2014] EWHC 4828 (Fam)
Sam is an incredible advocate.Legal 500 2024
Ms Dunn acts with integrity and care from the start of an instruction to the end, she is hard working and reliable. She puts clients at ease and has strong advocacy skills.Solicitor 2023
Samantha is a tenacious advocate but focusses on the relevant issues to assist the judiciary with resolving the proceedings fairly.Circuit Judge 2023
Areas of expertise
Samantha has a particular interest in modern families: cases that involve same sex couples, surrogacy and adoption. She is an experienced advocate with private law children act disputes and regularly acts for parents / guardians or interveners.
Samantha will often accept instructions on a Direct Access basis.
Samantha has a wealth of experience within care proceedings and will regularly accept instructions for the most complex of cases. She has a strong reputation for being solution-focused for the benefit of her clients.
In 2022/2023 she was led in complex care proceedings by Ms Hannah Markham K.C. representing a mother within care proceedings arising following the death of a five-week-old baby.
In 2022, Samantha was involved in two particularly complex matters that involved seeking to challenge the underlying facts of foreign convictions: one case involved the client’s conviction for causing very significant injuries against the mother and the child, the other involved representing a mother whose husband was challenging an earlier sexual conviction against a child: Re W-A (Children: Foreign Conviction) [2022] EWCA Civ 1118. In both cases, Samantha was led by leading Counsel.
Samantha is regularly instructed for cases involving NAI, sexual assaults (including rape and inter-familial rape) and cases involving parents or children with neurodiverse needs and or learning disabilities. She has a calming manner and a well-rounded grasp of the law which puts her clients at ease.
Further information
LLB (Hons) Law – First Class – University of Derby 2007
Very Competent Bar Vocational Course – University of Nottingham 2008
Wellbeing Representative for the Midlands Circuit EDSM 2023