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Jennifer Ellis
(nee Coldham)

Year of call: 2019

Jennifer’s practice consists of a strong mix of family and criminal work.

Within her family practice Jennifer acts in private and public law cases with experience representing local authorities, family members and guardians.

Jennifer both prosecutes and defends in the Crown Court, both on her own and as junior counsel.

Practice Summary

Jennifer conducts both prosecution and defence work in the Magistrates and Crown Court at all stages including first appearances, PTPH, trials, sentencing and appeals. Jennifer has been instructed in a wide variety of cases including fraud, violent offences, sexual offences, drug offences and traffic offences.

Prior to qualifying as a barrister, Jennifer worked as a criminal paralegal. Her role involved dealing with clients from arrest until sentence, taking instructions, drafting written applications, reviewing evidence and attending court. She worked on complex cases, such as rape, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and conspiring to supply Class A drugs into prison.

Jennifer is a CPS Panel Advocate at level 2.


NOTABLE CASES

R v R (2024)Jennifer successfully defended in a 2-day trial of intentional strangulation.

R v T (2023)Jennifer defended in a 3-day trial of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

R v E (2023)Jennifer appeared as junior counsel in a 5-week multi-handed fraud trial in which an acquittal was secured for the client.

R v C (2023)Jennifer successfully prosecuted a case of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, controlling and coercive behaviour and intentional strangulation in which guilty pleas were secured.

R v S (2023)Jennifer successfully represented the appellant in an appeal against conviction for sexual assault.

R v R (2023)Jennifer successfully defended in a trial of assault on emergency worker. Jennifer made a successful submission of no case to answer following the cross examination of four police officers.

R v W (2023) – Jennifer defended in a 4-day trial of theft from employer.

R v S (2022) – Jennifer represented a defendant convicted of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply, non-dwelling burglary and dangerous driving at a sentencing hearing. Jennifer successfully obtained a suspended sentence despite the seriousness of the offences.

R v KL & NL (2022) – Jennifer successfully prosecuted two defendants accused of assault on an emergency worker outside a pub.

Practice Summary

 

Jennifer has experience of acting in both public and private family cases, having acted for mothers, fathers, guardians and local authorities. She has experience representing clients at all stages of proceedings from initial applications for ICOs or FHDRAs, through to CMHs, fact finding hearings, DRAs, IRHs, and on to final hearings.

NOTABLE CASES

Public law children

LA v A (2024) – Jennifer represented the mother during a finding of fact hearing, who was alleged to have caused two fractures to a 9-month-old child.

LA v C (2023) – Jennifer represented the mother in a case involving allegations of rape, violence and coercive and controlling behaviour against father and allegations of a failure to protect against mother. The case included an 8-day fact finding hearing. At the final hearing the child was returned to the care of the mother.

LA v T (2023) – Jennifer successfully represented the local authority in a 6-day final hearing in which care and placement orders were made despite the mother and grandmother seeking to care for the child.

LA v E (2023) – Jennifer successfully represented the local authority in a 5-day final hearing in which the court made a special guardianship order and supervision order in line with the local authority’s care plan.

LA v S (2023) – Jennifer represented the guardian in a 4-day final hearing, supporting the local authority’s successful application for final care orders and removal into foster care.

LA v P (2022) – Jennifer represented a family member in a 4-day final hearing, who sought a special guardianship order in opposition to the local authority’s application for adoption.

LA v A (2022) – Jennifer worked with June Venters KC, representing the local authority, on a three-week fact finding hearing resulting in findings of sexual abuse of the child by father.

Private law children

M v T (2024) – Jennifer successfully represented the father in a final hearing in which an order was made for father to have direct contact with the children, against the recommendation of Cafcass.

B v P (2023) – Jennifer defended an internal re-location case involving issues of parental alienation and abduction.

R v M (2023) – Jennifer successfully defended the father in a 4-day fact finding hearing involving allegations brought by the mother that father sexually abused the children.

B v P (2023) – Jennifer successfully defended an application for contact made by the father in a 3-day final hearing in which no order for contact was made.  

S v S (2023) – Jennifer successfully represented the mother in a fact finding hearing in which findings of controlling and coercive behaviour and financial control were made.

B v R (2023) – Jennifer successfully represented the applicant in a 3-day fact finding hearing in which findings of domestic violence were made.

B v G (2022) – Jennifer successfully defended an internal re-location application in a 3-day final hearing.

 

Practice Summary

Jennifer receives instructions from the police in civil forfeiture proceedings pursuant to Part 5 of POCA 2002 and applications for domestic violence protection orders, sexual risk orders, stalking protection orders and other similar prohibitory orders. Jennifer is also instructed in relation to disclosure from family court proceedings.


P v S (2024) – Jennifer secured orders for the forfeiture of a quarter of a million pounds, subject to account freezing orders, following a contested POCA hearing.

Education and Awards
  • University of Law, Leeds – BPTC - Very Competent
  • University of Law, Leeds - Master of Laws (LLM) - Distinction
  • Middle Temple, Sir Joseph Cantley Memorial Scholarship
  • Manchester University, Law with Criminology LLB (Hons), First Class

Professional Memberships
  • Family Law Bar Association
  • The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple

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