Direct Access Barrister
Lucy Chapman
Direct Access Barrister
Lucy Chapman
An engaging, creative and tenacious advocate, Lucy combines meticulous case preparation and strategy with a down to earth manner and impeccable client care.
Lucy specialises in professional discipline and regulation, particularly with regard to the healthcare professions, and family law, having previously practised in employment and criminal law. Lucy benefits from several years’ experience in her previous career for a local authority, representing employees in workplace employment, discrimination and health and safety matters, and negotiating with the employer as a representative for UNISON. Lucy’s unique background and multidisciplinary practice allow her to holistically advise clients.
Lucy provides exceptional client care and views her cases with a tactical eye. She is approachable, adaptable and well-liked by clients. Lucy not only effectively advocates for and fearlessly defends her clients’ interests, but supports them through the distressing court process.
Lucy has been involved in legally and factually complex matters and those involving discrete points of law. She is able to handle complex hearings with ease. Lucy’s examination of witnesses is a particular strength. She is skilled at handling sensitive subject matter, having a family law practice which involves the most serious allegations of sexual assault and rape of adults and children.
Area of Law
Family
Lucy has a busy family law practice, predominantly in private children and Family Law Act work. She is able to assist clients at short notice with what can be very emotive and distressing issues. Lucy provides exceptional client care and views her cases with a tactical eye. She has a background working with significantly vulnerable clients and children, and is approachable, adaptable and well-liked by clients.
Lucy is experienced in handling complex private children and domestic abuse fact finding and final hearings, including those featuring serious allegations of rape and sexual assault of both adults and children, parental “alienation” and influence, often encompassing multi-jurisdictional matters. Lucy has advised on and undertaken appeals.
Having a multidisciplinary practice which has included criminal work, Lucy is able to effectively cross examine witnesses, having performed forensic case analysis. Having previous experience of immigration matters and housing law, Lucy is often able to identify factors which support a client’s case, such as evidence that allegations made against them by an ex-partner appear to be made to have been made in order to secure social housing or immigration status.
Lucy is regularly instructed to represent police services in the Family Court.
Healthcare
Lucy has particular experience in professional discipline and regulation of healthcare professionals. She has been involved in proceedings involving the NMC, GPhC, UKCP and others, and can represent professionals before all the healthcare tribunals.
Lucy acts for healthcare and medical professionals and for regulators.
Details of Lucy's experience in this area is under 'professional discipline' below and on her chambers' website: https://greatjames.co.uk/members/lucy-chapman/
Professional Discipline
Lucy has an impressive track record defending professionals in regulatory proceedings and obtaining the best possible outcome. Cases she has been involved in are on her chambers' website: https://greatjames.co.uk/members/lucy-chapman/
Lucy's detailed case analysis, robust advocacy and down-to-earth manner have made her a particularly popular choice of counsel with the Royal College of Nursing, acting in defence of nurses and midwives. Lucy is engaged by the RCN to provide training to its legal team.
Lucy acts for and against regulators, undertaking an advocacy secondment with the NMC in 2022, presenting cases daily on their behalf which gave her valuable insight into one of the UK's largest regulators.
Lucy's career prior to the Bar is a strength. As a workplace advocate for UNISON the union for six years prior to becoming a barrister, Lucy represented workers from a wide variety of professions and is able to quickly become accustomed to jargon, workplace terminology, policies and procedures to effectively represent her clients. She has particular experience of practices relating to public services.
Lucy is available to chair and advise disciplinary panels. She is a co-opted Legally Qualified Chair for the GPhC and as Legal Advisor to its Fitness to Practise Committee.
What sort of work do I do?
Lucy advises and represents clients in professional discipline matters. She appears before tribunals and in the High Court, across the spectrum of proceedings including fitness to practise hearings (misconduct, competence/deficient performance, conviction, language and health matters); interim order applications, reviews, and other matters; fraudulent entry cases; restoration/registration appeals; and substantive order reviews. She has been involved in proceedings regulatory proceedings with the NMC, GPhC, UKCP and others, being able to accept instructs directly from the public to represent them before their regulator. Lucy is experienced dealing with serious misconduct including allegations of sexual assault, harm to patients, dishonesty and bullying and discrimination.
Lucy advises clients and appears in the Family Court in private matters between individuals involving children and/or domestic abuse. Lucy is instructed by clients seeking to agree contact and living arrangements for their children, including moves abroad, or to limit contact with the other parent due to risk of harm. Lucy represents clients either facing allegations of domestic abuse to former partners or children, or clients seeking the protection of the court having been victims of abuse, such as non-molestation and occupation order proceedings. Lucy can draft position statements and attend court on your behalf in suitable cases.
Who do I work for?
Lucy can be instructed by:
• Private individuals seeking advice on family law matters involving children or domestic abuse, and/or seeking representation in the Family Court - applicants or respondents to proceedings involving children or domestic abuse
• Registered professionals (e.g. medical and healthcare professionals, social workers, solicitors, sports people etc) facing disciplinary action or restriction by their regulator (e.g. NMC, GPhC, HCPC, etc) including interim order applications, final/substantive hearings into misconduct and other fitness to practise matters, reviews of existing orders) or wishing to appeal regulatory findings against them
• Businesses
• Trade unions/professional membership organisations
• Regulators/registration bodies