Rebecca Cross

Overview

Rebecca is a family law specialist with an established practice in family finance matters and private law children’s cases. Noted as having an approachable, professional and highly likeable manner with clients, solicitors and judges alike, she is considered a tenacious and incisive advocate with maturity beyond her year of Call. She is regularly instructed in complex disputes, often appearing against senior barristers of leading family chambers and has been instructed to appear against King’s Counsel in both children and matrimonial finance matters.

Rebecca is sensitive toward the particular challenges which are posed in family litigation whilst maintaining a tactically-driven approach. She has experience cross-examining sensitive witnesses, both with and without the assistance of the Official Solicitor. Rebecca welcomes instruction at an early stage in proceedings in order to work in partnership with her solicitors so that her clients have the benefit of their full legal team.

Rebecca is a junior civil counsel member of the Attorney General’s Panel and accredited by the Bar Council to question vulnerable witnesses.

Rebecca is the co-author of the book ‘A Practical Guide to Practice Direction 12J and Domestic Abuse in Private Law Children Proceedings’ published by Law Brief Publishing in December 2021. The link to the book can be found by clicking here.

Rebecca regularly speaks on all aspects of her specialisms to solicitors and other professionals, and is a contributor to legal publications. Rebecca is an Advocate Panel Member (formerly The Bar Pro Bono Unit). She is a member of the Complaints Panel and assistant to Chambers’ librarian.

Reported Cases

Re V and T (Placement application; disabled child) [2022] EWFC 125

Rebecca Cross represented  parents with learning difficulties whose child has significant physical and developmental needs. The local authority’s application for a final care order and placement order was successfully resisted.

To read this reported case please click here.

K v L Re M, N [2019] EWFC B50

In private children proceedings Rebecca represented the children, instructed by the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), in a case spanning 27 months. The case concerned a finding of parental alienation by one expert of two, and the impact of domestic violence on child arrangements. The court heavily criticised one of the expert witnesses. The proceedings were described by as “about as acrimonious as they get”. To read this reported case, please click here.

Awards/Scholarships

James Crouch (major) Scholar, Gray’s Inn

1st Place, No. 1 High Pavement Plea in Mitigation Competition

3rd Place, Nottingham Law School 50th anniversary essay competition (judged by Lord Saville)

2022 Advanced International Advocacy Course scholar (Keble College, Oxford)

Further Information

Prior to joining the Bar, Rebecca worked in Westminster as a Parliamentary Assistant to a Member of Parliament and thereafter two peers in the House of Lords, working on a wide variety of policy areas including the Armed Forces Bill and the Syrian refugee crisis.

Rebecca was nominated by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to represent the UK at the 8th Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Victoria, British Colombia in November 2016, an annual event that is held in a different Commonwealth region each year.

Recommendations

Legal 500 2023: “Rebecca is a skilled and persuasive advocate. She is totally dedicated to her clients and achieves fantastic results through her calm and sensible approach. Her preparation is impeccable, with meticulous attention to detail.”

Legal 500 2022: “Rebecca is pragmatic in her approach, realistic, prepared to argue the client’s case strenuously and has a good manner with clients. She’s bright and I think is one to watch for the future in terms of financial remedy as she develops her practice area and takes on bigger cases.”

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