Details
Maria joined Hill Dickinson from Cafcass Legal. Prior to joining Cafcass Legal, Maria worked in a central London Borough for a number of years as a lawyer, working her way up to senior lawyer and in-house advocate. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor she was a social worker and therefore has extensive public sector experience. She also has considerable expertise in serious medical treatment cases, complex family proceedings and safeguarding as well as having higher rights of audience (civil), enabling her to undertake her own advocacy, regularly appearing before Judges in the Family Division of the High Court on complex matters and the Court of Protection.
Maria advises on all aspects of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, Children Act 1989 and matters involving the invocation of the Court’s Inherent Jurisdiction. She has extensive experience of advising in connection with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (specifically international surrogacy), international relocation and child-abduction proceedings, complex care proceedings, DoLs authorisations and reporting restrictions.
Maria has additionally previously represented Local Authorities and children in a number of complex unreported Care Proceedings and Special Guardianship cases, both whilst at Cafcass and as a senior lawyer in-house Local Authority lawyer, including on safeguarding, data protection, costs, protocols and professional conduct matters.
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Experience
- Serious medical treatment
- NR, Re (A Child: Withholding CPR) [2024] EWHC 61 (Fam)
- An NHS Foundation Trust -v- Kwame & Ors [2023] EWHC 134 (Fam)
- Archie Battersbee – Barts Health NHS Trust -v- Holly Dance & Ors [2022] EWHC 2098 (Fam)
- Barts Health NHS Trust -v- Hollie Dance & Ors [2022] EWCA Civ 935
- Hollie Dance & Anor. -v- Barts Health NHS Trust & Anor [2022] EWCA Civ 1055
- Pippa Knight – Parfitt -v- Guy’s and St Thomas’ Children’s NHS Foundation Trust & Anor [2021] EWCA Civ 362
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ -v- Knight [2021] EWHC 25
- Midrar Namiq – Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust -v- Namiq & Anor [2020] EWHC 180 (Fam)
- Medical Treatment
- An NHS Trust -v- C NHS Trust & Ors [2019] EWHC 3033 (Fam)
- Administrative Law
- Article 39 -v- Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWHC 1398 (Fam)
- International surrogacy and associated proceeding
- A -v- B & Ors (Wardship; Parental Order; s10(9) Leave Application [2023] EWHC 1680 (Fam)
- W & Anor VY & Anor [2023] EWFC 119
- Y & Anor. -v- V & Ors [2022] EWFC 120 [2022] EWFC 120
- Re Z (No 2 Welfare) [2021] EWHC 3840 (Fam)
- Wrongful retention/Child Abduction
- S (1980 Hague Convention; Habitual Residence; Article 13, Re [2023] EWHC 2717 (Fam)
- A Father -v- A Mother & Ors [2022] EWHC 739 (Fam)
- A (Hague Convention: Wrongful Retention) 2021 EWHC 1204 (Fam)
- Adoption and Special Guardianship
- Z (Adoption), Re [2020] EWFC 60
See also:
- Re A (Parental Responsibility) [2023] EWCA Civ 689
- SR & Anor -v- AE [2023] EWFC 127
- Re RR Costs, s.91(14), Welfare [2021] EWFC 100
- G (Notice to Parents: Duty of Local Authority under s22(4) CA 1989) High Court (Family Division) [2018] EWHC 3939 (Fam)
- Serious medical treatment
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Affiliations
- Member of Resolution
- Member of the Child Abduction Lawyers Associate (CALA)
- Member of Hill Dickinson LLP’s Neurodiversity Committee
Maria Stanley's Expertise
Healthcare law
