“She was one of the most helpful advocates I have come across in my time sitting in Private Family Law… her performance was up there with the most helpful and insightful that I have encountered.”
Judge (Recorder)
About
Pollyanna specialises in financial remedies, private children law and international private children law. Pollyanna is known for her diligent preparation, pragmatic approach and polished advocacy.
Pollyanna is regularly instructed in complex cases. She has appeared in the high court both led and in her own right, including against leading counsel.
Pollyanna was recently seconded as a consultant barrister at a leading family law firm where she advised and assisted on complex and high value cases.
Pollyanna is on the Attorney General off-panel / “junior junior” list and has previously been nominated to undertake advocacy / panel work for the Government Legal Department.
Experience
Matrimonial Proceedings and Financial Remedies
Pollyanna accepts instructions in all aspects of financial remedies proceedings, including Schedule 1 proceedings.
Pollyanna has been instructed to advise and represent clients in cases involving a range of issues such as litigation capacity, applications for notice to show cause, set-aside applications under s.37 MCA 1973, enforcement of financial orders, and cases involving intervenors (including advising potential intervenors).
During her secondment, Pollyanna advised in a number of complex and high-value cases.
Pollyanna has been instructed to advise and represent clients in cases concerning the validity of overseas marriages and divorces, and the validity of religious marriages in England and Wales.
Private Children
Pollyanna represents parents at all stages of private children proceedings. She is regularly instructed on complex matters and regularly appears in cases involving multi-day fact-finding hearings, cases where Local Authorities are involved with the family and relocation applications.
Pollyanna is building significant experience in cases involving intractable contact disputes and/or allegations of parental alienation. Pollyanna has successfully represented parents at contested hearings concerning interim transfer of residence following findings of alienation. Pollyanna is also regularly instructed on behalf of the child in cases where these issues are prevalent, including in Re GB (Part 25 Application: Parental Alienation) [2023] EWFC 150.
Pollyanna accepts instructions in cases with an international element, including disputes involving abduction, pre-emptive applications for port alerts and passport orders, and relocation.
Pollyanna accepts instructions on behalf of the child through their Guardian.
Other Experience
Before commencing pupillage, Pollyanna worked as a paralegal for a busy London solicitor’s firm specialising in financial remedies and private children law.
During her legal studies Pollyanna was a director of the School Exclusion Project. She provided pro bono representation for parents at appeal hearings. Pollyanna also taught debating to inmates of London Prisons through the Gray’s Inn initiative, Vocalise.
Pollyanna has undertaken two secondments at leading family law firms, where she has gained considerable experience consulting on a range of complex and high value cases.
Practice Areas
Private Law Children
International Children
Alternative Families
Financial Remedies
Education and Professional Memberships
Professional Memberships
Family Law Bar Association
Gray’s Inn
Education
University of Cambridge, Gonville & Caius College: BA (Hons) Music
City Law School: Post-Graduate Diploma in Law
City Law School: Bar Practice Training Course
Awards
Mooting
Winner of both the team prize and optional individual advocacy prize in the Human Rights Lawyers Association Judicial Review Competition (2019)
University
Compton Wills Prize (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge)
H.L. Perry Prize (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge)
Testimonials
“…Today, I sat as a Recorder… and had Miss Furness in front of me throughout the day. She was one of the most helpful advocates I have come across in my time sitting in Private Family Law. She was helpful, measured and clear thinking… As I say her performance was up there with the most helpful and insightful that I have encountered.”
Judge (Recorder)
“She has been brilliant for the two hearings she has represented me… My experience as a single father throughout the wider process and with several other agencies has been eye-opening to say the least; her reassurance in both taking the case and the even-handed way in which she approached it gave me hope when I needed it. In terms of managing the case, I thought that Pollyanna struck a great balance between being able to empathise and understand and being able to step up and take charge when required.”
Lay client
“I have… been really impressed with her level of preparation, thought and care that has gone into this case.”
Instructing solicitor
