Sabuhi Chaudhry

Specialist Family Law Barrister (1993 call) and Collaborative Lawyer

Sabuhi Chaudhry is a dedicated family practitioner. Her practise encompasses Finance and Private Law Children Work. In the Public Law Domain she is often instructed to represent guardians.

Sabuhi has an established a sound following amongst solicitors and is regarded as a practitioner who is able to provide robust advice and advocacy, if required, whilst continuing to be personable and down to earth in her manner. She prides herself on approaching her cases with a commitment to preparation and client care.

Sabuhi has practised exclusively as a Barrister within the field of family law from her first day of call and has considerable experience in the field.  Her pupilage was spent in two specialist family sets (1 Garden Court and 1 Mitre Court Buildings – now known as 1 Hare Court Chambers.) The first 10 years of her practice at the bar were at Hardwick Building and thereafter 6 years at 2 Gray’s Inn Square Chambers. She joined Coram in 2008.

Finance and Divorce

Sabuhi’s experience in Family property and Finance, Divorce and Nullity is wide ranging and encompasses small, medium and big money cases. She has particular expertise in cases involving:

• Contested Nullity and divorce proceedings
• Declarations as to marital status
• Maintenance pending suit, Financial provision and Property Adjustment Orders including pension sharing and attachment orders
• Variation applications
• Restraining future disposals and dealing with property
• Avoiding Disposition Orders
• Financial Relief after overseas proceedings
• Cases with complicating factors such as an international dimension, businesses, companies and cases with significant debts or insolvency issues
• Applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989;

Child Law

Sabuhi has extensive experience in all aspects of private children law representing parents and children including:

• All forms of Section 8 Children Act 1989 applications,( including matters involving allegations of physical or sexual abuse; cultural, religious or racial issues,)
• Cases involving a foreign element (including applications for leave to remove from the Jurisdiction)
• Cases where psychiatric or other medical evidence relating either to parents or children is required.
• Special Guardianship applications

In respect of Public Law proceedings, Sabuhi has considerable experience working for all parties, in particular Guardians.

Domestic violence

Sabuhi has extensive experience in cases involving domestic violence and fact finding hearings (both for the alleged perpetrators and the alleged victim). She has been involved in numerous difficult and protracted fact finding hearings including those with an alleged criminal element or concurrent criminal proceedings.

Interesting recorded cases:

Re K (Specific Issue Order) [1999] 2 FLR 280

Specific issue order – Telling child of father’s existence – Mother’s implacable hostility – Balance of interests

Re S (Change of Name: Cultural Factors) [2001] 2 FLR 1005 Name change – Divorced Muslim mother and Sikh father – Child bearing Sikh names – Hindrance to child’s acceptance by Muslim community

Abbassi v Abbassi [2006] EWCA Civ 355 (CA)  [2006] 2 FLR 415   Talak divorce – Recognition of foreign divorce – Deferral of issue to Pakistani courts for determination – Proper exercise of judicial discretion

Publications:

"Caught in the Crossfire” – The Courts approach to religious and cultural issues in Children Act 1989 cases

Languages

Fluent Punjabi

Conversational Urdu and Hindi

Scholarships

Thomas Moore Bursary and also The Megarry scholarship from Lincolns Inn.