Naomi Wiseman is a specialist family barrister with a diverse portfolio of public, private and international children law cases.  Naomi represents parents, children (through their Children’s Guardians) and local authorities in public law proceedings and parents and Rule 16.4 Guardians in private law cases including child abduction, wrongful removal and stranded spouse cases.

She has a particular interest in child rights and often provides expert commentary for national broadcasters, including the BBC and in the national press on key issues surrounding this important subject. She was instrumental in the campaign to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 and end child marriage in England and Wales (Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 and was nominated in the category of Junior Barrister of the Year at the Family Law Awards 2022 for this work.

Naomi frequently gives lectures on a diverse range of family law topics and was a visiting fellow at the Cambridge Family Law Centre at the University of Cambridge in 2020. She has an ongoing relationship with the law faculty and provides guest lectures at the university. Naomi has been published in the Family Law Journal with articles on FGM, forced and child marriage and revocation of adoption and in the International Family Law Journal focussing on the use of the wardship jurisdiction for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

She has been ranked in Chambers & Partners’ Bar Guide over many years for both Children Law and Matrimonial Finance.

Prior to practising as a barrister, Naomi worked in a range of roles in Westminster and spent time on the Obama campaign in North Carolina in 2008. She worked as a policy advisor for a leading children’s charity, the National Children’s Bureau and ran the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children.

Naomi advises on a full range of private law cases including internal and international relocation, child abduction and wrongful removal and applications for child arrangements orders. With her public law experience Naomi is often instructed in cases requiring complex fact-finding hearings and where local authorities are involved or the children are separately represented. Naomi has been led by Deborah Eaton KC who is considered a leader in this field.

 

 

Naomi is regularly instructed in complex care and adoption proceedings, representing parents, children (through their Children’s Guardians) and local authorities. She has experience of cases where there are allegations of severe neglect, domestic violence, non-accidental physical injury and sexual harm.

Naomi has specialist expertise in care proceedings with an international element, family and immigration cross-over cases and inter-country adoptions. Naomi regularly appears in the High Court in wardship, child abduction, adoption recognition and inherent jurisdiction cases.

Naomi has worked pro bono with the Girls Not Brides Co-Chairs (IKWRO, Karma Nirvana, Forward UK and Independent Yemen Group) since 2018 on the campaign to end child marriage in England and Wales and raise the minimum age of marriage to 18. Naomi led the legal team who drafted and advised on the Bill and has provided ongoing legal research support to Parliamentarians and Ministers which led to the passing of the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 which came in to force on 27 February 2023.

Naomi also undertakes pro bono cases on behalf of charities with a particular focus on victim survivors of so-called honour-based abuse.

Reputation & Awards

"She fights her client's corner whilst providing realistic advice."

Chambers & Partners, 2022

“Always clued up on the papers and the relevant case law, she puts her client’s case robustly.”…“Realistic, straight-talking and someone who comes to each hearing having prepared thoroughly.” –  Chambers & Partners, 2024

“Naomi Wiseman is very responsive, extremely reliable and someone who always prepares very diligently. She represents absolutely excellent value, and is both tenacious and extremely robust as an advocate. In court she can be forceful and stand up to the judiciary when she feels they’re taking the wrong path. Her written work is very good too.” – Chambers & Partners, 2023

“Her preparation, attention to detail and ability to grasp extremely complex factual scenarios and condense them down into a way that can be easily understood by the client stand out.” – Chambers & Partners, 2023

“A forthright advocate who is also reasonable and realistic. She gives clients good advice in a way that they understand.” -Chambers & Partners, 2020

“Her passion for children work really comes through in court. She’s a sophisticated advocate, both written and orally.” – Chambers & Partners, 2019

 

Education

BA History, Trinity College, University of Cambridge
MA International Relations and International Law, University of Sussex
GDL and BVC at BPP, London
Pegasus Scholar (placement in Hong Kong)

Professional Memberships

Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)

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