Natalie Wood

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Overview

Natalie is Head of the 2KBW Family Team.

Natalie is an experienced barrister with extensive knowledge in Family Law and Civil matters.

Natalie regularly represents local authorities, parents, extended family members and children through their Children’s Guardian. Natalie’s broad range of experience encompasses cases involving non-accidental injuries, serious physical injuries including burns and fractures, emotional abuse, FII and chronic neglect. Natalie is regularly instructed to deal with Findings of Fact hearings in complex sexual abuse and domestic violence cases.

Natalie deals sensitively with vulnerable clients including those with mental health issues, drug and alcohol dependencies and learning disabilities.

In private law children proceedings, Natalie’s practice involves applications for live with and spend time with child arrangements orders, prohibited steps orders, specific issue orders and both internal and external relocation.

Natalie has vast experience of acting in financial remedies cases, particularly in matters with an international dimension and she also undertakes civil work across a number of common law fields.

Natalie is a thorough and effective advocate in court and is also known for her approachable style and practical advice.

Private law

Natalie is instructed on all aspects of private law proceedings. These include applications for child arrangements orders where there are significant and complex safeguarding and welfare issues such as allegations of domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, sexual abuse, emotional harm and parental conflict. Natalie is skilled in dealing with cases necessitating fact-finding hearings and those involving r16.4 guardians. Natalie provides robust and pragmatic advice with a clear focus on dispute resolution and achieving workable arrangements for parents and children going forwards.

Re E – Representation of a Consultant Radiologist father in child arrangements proceedings in which the child had been brought by the Mother to England from overseas without consent and subsequently repeatedly internally relocated.
Re K – Representation of a father in a child arrangements proceedings involving mother’s allegations of rape and domestic abuse in which PD12J and recent authorities were applied and a progression of contact secured.
Re H – Representation of a father in an application for contact with a biological daughter involving allegations from a 14 year old step-daughter of multiple rapes / sexual abuse over a decade.
Re K – Representation of a mother in a final hearing in a highly acrimonious children case where the social worker, psychologist and Children’s Guardian differed in recommendations on change of residence from mother to father.

Public law

Natalie regularly receives instructions in public law care proceedings to act on behalf of local authorities, parents, extended family members and children’s guardians. These cases span a wide variety of issues including non-accidental injuries, sexual abuse, substance misuse, mental health and chronic neglect.

Natalie is experienced in dealing sensitively with vulnerable clients enabling them to actively participate in and understand the proceedings.

Re N – Representation of a mother in care proceedings in which mother was in the pool of potential perpetrators in respect of non-accidental injuries comprising 14 rib fractures to a four month old baby.
Re M – Representation of a father in care proceedings concerning father’s psychological functioning in an extremely low range at a level associated with a learning disability and ADHD.
Re M-J – Representation of a mother in care proceedings in which the mother experienced post-natal psychosis and subsequently presented with fluctuating mental health leading to issues in respect of the mother’s capacity and in which reunification of the children to the family was ultimately secured.
Re D – Representation of a local authority in care proceedings concerning a parent with Borderline Personality Disorder in which the 21 month old child remained in the Mother’s care at the time of the final hearing and in which care and placement orders were secured.

Financial remedies / finance

Natalie is instructed in the full range of financial applications arising from the breakdown of relationships between married and unmarried couples including applications for financial remedies orders under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, applications under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 and applications for financial provision for children under Schedule 1 Children Act 1989.

Re H – Representation of the applicant wife in a complex matter concerning the enforcement of a financial remedies order in which a number of properties with third party beneficial interests had been included in the original settlement. The case also involved allegations of sham documents and lack of capacity issues.
Re K – Representation of an applicant wife in enforcement proceedings concerning a financial remedies order made 20 years earlier. The challenging facts included three versions of the final order, each of which had different implications on enforceability.
Re W – Representation of an intervenor asserting a beneficial interest in property owned by his son and daughter-in-law which was subject to financial remedy proceedings.
Re R – Representation of a respondent Husband concerning allegations of hidden assets abroad and fraudulent manipulation of evidence.

Civil

In civil law, Natalie benefits from previous employment at the Treasury Solicitor and in a private firm of solicitors, dealing with a range of matters from personal injury and contract disputes to property disputes. Natalie understands the pressures of timescales and is able to provide thorough written advice and pleadings in a timely fashion.

Rea and others v Rea [2022] EWCA Civ 195
Represented the testatrix in a chancery appeal in the High Court regarding whether a will should be entered into probate where the estate was left to one of four siblings. The case concerned whether the trial had been conducted fairly. The case was reported in the national press.
Re C – Advised by way of direct access the perpetrator of historic sexual abuse towards his biological daughter in respect of her civil claim for personal injuries, such advice addressing limitation, the pre-action protocol, ADR, liability and quantum.

“Deputy Master’s error in preventing a litigant in person’s cross-examination renders civil trial unfair”

Rea and others v Rea [2022] EWCA Civ 195

Lexis Nexis Case Analysis

BVC – Inns of Court School of Law
Post Graduate Diploma in Law – University of Bristol
LLB (Hons) University of the West of England

Family Law Bar Association
Member of the Western Circuit

Natalie Wood is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public under the Direct Access scheme.

Natalie holds a position as a School Governor in a primary school with a diverse demographic with specific oversight of safeguarding policies and procedures.