Julia Cheetham KC

Year of Call: 1990, Lincoln's Inn (Bursar)

Kings Counsel: 2015

Julia cheetham
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Julia's practice involves complex proceedings relating to children and young people including care proceedings, adoption, wardship and judicial review.

Julia specialises in cases involving complex medical evidence relating to the death or serious injury of children including head injury, sexual abuse and abnormal illness behaviour. She appears in the High Court and Court of Protection in serious cases involving medical treatment and complex packages of care and withdrawal of life sustaining treatment.

Cases where one parent has killed another or where a child has been unlawfully killed are a particular area of specialism and Julia has represented parents, children and local authorities in such cases many of which have involved high profile criminal cases and/or serious case reviews.

Julia has wide experience in dealing with public law cases with an international element both within the European Union and the British Overseas Territories. She has an interest in disability and Human Rights Issues, in particular, those relating to Deaf and learning disabled parents. She frequently advises in relation to capacity issues and issues arising for young people who lack capacity.

Julia has recently been involved in the leading case relating to the electronic tagging of parents in care proceedings.

Julia regularly gives seminars to professionals working within the field of child protection including safeguarding training, court craft and expert witness training.

"Julia Cheetham is one of the leading family silks in the north but her reputation extends far beyond."

Chambers & Partners, 2025

Notable Cases

  • A Local Authority and Others v X (Need for a finding of fact hearing) [2023] EWFC 121

    Family

  • Derbyshire County Council v Marsden [2023] EWHC 1892 (Fam)

    Family

  • Re BR and Others (Transparency Order: Findings of Fact Hearing) [2023] EWFC Fam

    Family

  • Re G (Child:Post Mortem Report: Delays) [2022] EWFC 55

    Family

  • A Local Authority v A, B and D [2022] EWFC 23

    Family

  • Derby CC v CK and Others (Compliance with DOL Practice Guidance) [2021] EWHC 2931 (Fam)

    Family

  • I-A (Revocation of Adoption Order) [2021] EWCA Civ 1222

    Family

  • Wigan BC v Y (Refusal to Authorise Deprivation of Liberty) [2021] EWHC 1982 (Fam)

    Family

  • D (A Child) [2021] EWCA Civ 797

    Family

  • A Borough Council v E (Unavailability of Regulated Placement) [2021] EWHC 183

    Family

  • Lancashire County Council v TP and Others [2019] EWFC 30

    Family

  • P (Sexual Abuse: Finding of Fact Hearing) [2019] EWFC 27

    Family

  • AA and 25 Others (Children) [2019] EWFC 64

    Family

  • Re M (Children) [2018] EWCA Civ 607

    Family

  • Y (A Child) (No 2) Re [2017] EWHC 967

    Family

  • Re X and Y (Children) [2016] EWHC 2271

    Family

Appointments

  • Recorder 2008 (Public Law Family, Private Law Family and Civil)

Professional Associations

  • Northern Circuit
  • Family Law Bar Association

Education

  • Wilmslow High School
  • Nottingham University LLB (Hons)