Joshua has a broad range of experience in dealing with private and public children law proceedings. Joshua qualified as a Solicitor in 2022 and then as a Solicitor Advocate in 2023. Joshua specialises in children cases with an international element, and he has been involved in the following reported cases:
- A (A Child) (Hague Convention; Art 13(b): Protective Measures) [2019] EWHC 649 (Fam) (14 February 2019), involving an application for the summary return of a child to Latvia pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention;
- BD v BJ [2023] EWHC 1613 (Fam) (29 June 2023), involving an application for the summary return of a child to Canada pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention;
- P v O [2023] EWHC 2128 (Fam) (30 June 2023), involving an application for the summary return of children to the Republic of Ireland pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention;
- Re D & Anor [2023] EWHC 2129 (Fam) (27 July 2023), involving an application to set aside an order for the summary return of children to the Republic of Ireland pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention;
- A v B & Anor [2023] EWHC 3041 (Fam) (29 November 2023), involving an application for the summary return of a child to the Republic of Ireland pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention, involving capacity issues, a severely disabled child, police involvement and a local authority’s interim care of the child; and
- Re E, F and G (Interim Child Arrangements) [2024] EWCA Civ 874 (24 July 2024), involving a successful appeal to the Court of Appeal against an interim child arrangements order made by a Deputy High Court Judge, involving allegations of abduction to a non-Hague country, female genital mutilation, child abuse and domestic abuse.
Joshua regularly advises and represents clients in proceedings pursuant to the 1980 and 1996 Hague Conventions, as well as under the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction. In addition, Joshua regularly deals with ‘leave to remove’ cases to Hague and non-Hague countries. Joshua regularly undertakes his own advocacy, including in the High Court. Joshua is on the Child Abduction Lawyers’ Association (‘CALA’) Duty Advocate Scheme. Joshua’s cases often involve allegations of child abuse and domestic abuse, such as allegations of sexual abuse.
Joshua is a member of the Bristol Young Resolution Committee, which he joined in January 2018. Joshua understands the importance of a non-confrontational and constructive approach to resolving family issues.
Education
Joshua studied LLB (Hons) Law at Swansea University and then went on to study an LLM at Cardiff University, with a dissertation considering “To what extent do the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 reflect a rights-based approach?”. Joshua completed the LPC at BBP University (Bristol). Whilst studying in Cardiff, Joshua volunteered for the charity ‘Personal Support Unit’ (now ‘Support Through Court’), assisting litigants-in-person in civil and family cases.
