Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Christine Nwaokolo

Summary

Driven and committed child care solicitor with 12 PQE, children panel accredited and Higher Rights of Audience.


A specialist in child care law advising parents, Children Guardians and social workers on complex private and public law as well as and governance matters to deliver outstanding legal strategy and optimum client satisfaction.



Overview

7
7
years of professional experience

Work history

Senior Associate

Owen White and Catlin Solicitors LLP
11.2020 - Current
  • Managing a portfolio of complex family law cases, with particular emphasis on child protection cases representing children in care proceedings
  • Representing clients at court covering the full spectrum of hearings
  • Meeting clients' needs to reach positive outcomes
  • Representation of clients at court hearings
  • Meeting financial targets
  • Chairing advocates and professional meetings and preparing clear and succinct agenda and follow up reports for the parties and the Judge
  • Key achievements
  • Developing the child protection department through sourcing and maintaining Guardian instructions, this has created a substantial client following and has raised the profile of the firm
  • Created precedent letters for department use which improved efficiency and quality of advice given to clients
  • Lead support for moving staff from paper files to paperless files using case management system.

Child Care Solicitor-Advocate Responsibilities

Elaine Parkes Solicitors
05.2018 - 11.2020
  • Lead advocate carrying out a majority of the court work for the firm
  • Provided legal advice and representation to children through the instruction of court appointed Guardians
  • Supervised junior staff, ensuring that their work is of an excellent standard, motivated to action and complete tasks
  • Meeting financial targets
  • Key achievements
  • Successfully deployed a new IT case management system which helped the firm to go paperless, this had a significant impact on the ability for staff to work remotely which was particularly useful for those attending meetings offsite and court hearings
  • Established a substantial client following of Guardians which developed the firm's network and increased revenue.

Senior Social Care Solicitor

London Borough of Lewisham
06.2017 - 05.2018
  • Responsible for the provision of legal advice to social workers, service managers and directors on complex matters such as non-accidental injury, appeal applications, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, inherent jurisdiction, secure accommodation and deprivation of liberty and judicial review
  • Line manager to 6 junior solicitors and support staff, undertaking file reviews and giving feedback, allocation of work and legal supervision
  • As well as responsible for trainee solicitor
  • Mentoring, guiding and advising trainee solicitor to meet Solicitor Regulation Authority requirements to ensure qualification following training contract
  • Key achievements
  • Appointed as the lead advocate in the team covering up to 4 hearings a week in contested and uncontested matters as well as hearings up to 3 days
  • This significantly reduced the council cost in counsel fees
  • Appointed to the Adoption panel which required assimilating vast amount of papers and providing succinct advice to the panel on whether documents were legally compliant and any issues that required during panel meetings
  • This is a role usually undertaken by the Principal Solicitor
  • Appointed member of the London Borough of Lewisham permanency planning committee - where I evaluated the Local Authority's final care plans if it recommended long term foster placement or adoption placement before submission to court
  • This is a role usually undertaken by the Principal Solicitor.

Social Care Solicitor

London Borough of Tower Hamlets
07.2016 - 06.2017
  • Responsible for the provision of legal advice to child services social care to a high standard
  • Drafted pleadings such as court orders, case summary/position statement, skeleton arguments
  • Actively managed the court timetable in bringing care proceedings to a conclusion within 26 weeks
  • Provided timely advice on the fast-paced duty telephone line and mailbox
  • Key Achievements
  • Successfully representing the Council at trial on an urgent basis when the barrister booked suddenly fell ill
  • Christine nwaokolo
  • Skills

Education

Legal Practice Course -

University of Law
08/2007 - 06/2008

LLB - Law and America Legal Studies

Birmingham City University
09/2003 - 06/2006

A-Levels - Media Studies B, Sociology B, English Literature C

Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College
London
09/2001 - 07/2003

GCSEs - Including English, Mathematics and Science

Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College
London
09/1996 - 06/2001

Skills

Advocacy

Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

Excellent verbal and written skills

Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office packages

interpersonal skills, teamwork skills

Ability to summarise complex information in a succint and logical manner

Ability to deal with conflicting tasks

Excellent communication and negotiation skills



Admitted to the roll of Solicitors 2011

Higher Rights of Audience 2017

Child Panel Member Accreditation 2018

Member of the Children Lawyers Association

Member of Solicitors and Advocate of Higher Rights


Affiliations

Independent chair for Nursing and Midwifery Fitness to Practice

February 2022 - present


Lay Foster Panel Member - Five Rivers December 2021 - present


School Governor - Lovelace Primary School. Committee member of Quality of Education and Behaviour December 2021 - present


January 2021 - October 2022, JUSTICE working party - Improving Access to Justice for Separating Families


September 2011 - May 2021 Honorary Family Law Adviser for the Citizen Advice Bureau


April 2018 to April 2021 - Lay Panel Member for the East Sussex School Admissions Appeal


August 2018 to August 2020 - Committee member of the Hastings



Timeline

Senior Associate

Owen White and Catlin Solicitors LLP
11.2020 - Current

Child Care Solicitor-Advocate Responsibilities

Elaine Parkes Solicitors
05.2018 - 11.2020

Senior Social Care Solicitor

London Borough of Lewisham
06.2017 - 05.2018

Social Care Solicitor

London Borough of Tower Hamlets
07.2016 - 06.2017

Legal Practice Course -

University of Law
08/2007 - 06/2008

LLB - Law and America Legal Studies

Birmingham City University
09/2003 - 06/2006

A-Levels - Media Studies B, Sociology B, English Literature C

Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College
09/2001 - 07/2003

GCSEs - Including English, Mathematics and Science

Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College
09/1996 - 06/2001

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Christine Nwaokolo