Ruth Kirby
Ruth Kirby
Experience
Year of Call: 1994
Education
University College Cork, Ireland BCL
London School of Economics, LLM Employment and Personal Injuries
London Metropolitan University, CPE Constitutional and Land Law
Inns of Court School of Law, BL
BL (Irl) Kings Inns, Dublin 2004.
Qualified Collaborative Lawyer
Qualified Family and Commercial Mediator
Languages
Working knowledge of French and Irish
Profile
Ruth has practised exclusively in family law for 15 years, the bulk of her practice now being in the Family Division, including Court of Protection work. She is fully committed to each client whether they are direct access, privately paying parents resisting applications for leave to remove or publicly funded parents or local authorities in care proceedings. Avoiding court proceedings for clients is a particular skill, complemented by her dispute resolution skills.
Ruth is a Family Law practitioner, dealing with all aspects of private and public famliy law including care proceedings and adoption; domestic and international abduction.
Having dual jurisdictional qualifications, she also acts as an expert witness in Irish Family Law and has rights of audience before the Irish courts.
Ruth has lectured in commercial and academic institutes as well as in house chambers’ seminars and for the Family Law Bar Association. Her academic lecturing has included 5 years as a part time lecturer in human rights law at the University of London.
Ruth worked for 3 years with Industrial Relations Services as a legal journalist specialising in Employment and Health & Safety Law
Ruth has contributed to Sky News on family law and practice related topics and has participated in training DVDs made by Legal Network TV. She wrote the article "Treatment of same sex couples in English Family Law" Family Law May 2007.
Outside of work Ruth enjoys tennis, spinning, film, wine, music, family and watching rugby.
Professional Memberships
Affiliate Member of Resolution
FLBA
ALC
Cases
J v J (Relinquishment of Jurisdiction) (2011)
[2012] 1 FLR 1259 : [2012] Fam Law 399; [2011] EWHC 3255 (Fam)
C (Care: Contact)
[2012] 2 FCR 325; [2011] EWCA Civ 1774
H v H (Jurisdiction to grant Wardship)
[2012] 1 FLR 23; [2011] EWCA Civ 796
A v P (Habitual Residence)
[2012] 1 FLR 125; [2011] EWHC 1530 (Fam)
M (A Child) [2010]
[2010] EWCA Civ 1295
Re J (A Child) (2010)
[2010] EWCA Civ 946
Re C (Children) (2009)
[2009] EWCA Civ 959; (2010) 1 FLR 895
Re Stedman [2009]
[2009] EWHC 935 (Fam); [2009] 2 FLR 852
Re H (Abduction) [2009]
[2009] 2 FLR 1513; [2009] EWHC 1735 (Fam)
Susan Wilkinson V (1) Celia Kitzinger (2) Attorney-General (Respondents) & Lord Chancellor (Intervener) (2006)
[2006] EWHC 2022 (Fam); (2007) 1 FLR 295 : (2006) HRLR 36 : (2007) UKHRR 164 : Times, August 21, 2006
Re U (Care Proceedings: Criminal Conviction: Refusal to give Evidence) (2006)
[2006] EWHC 372 (Fam); (2006) 2 FLR 690
Re K sub nom A Local Authority v N & Ors (2005)
[2005] EWHC 2956 (Fam); (2007) 1 FLR 399
Re S (Children) (2004)
[2004] EWCA Civ 1397; (2005) 1 FLR 469
