Anna Mould

Anna has a busy care practice and accepts instructions from any party. Anna has represented Local Authorities and parents in care cases from emergency hearings to final hearings, as both sole and junior counsel.

Anna has worked in-house at a Local Authority and is a skilled drafter and can accept instructions for drafting thresholds, schedules of allegations, and schedules of evidence. Recently, she was instructed to review extensive mobile phone evidence which became crucial evidence in a sexual abuse fact finding hearing.

Some of Anna’s recent cases include:

• Represented a local authority in a 3-day final hearing with serious concerns of neglect and physical chastisement in the home;
• Represented a separately represented child in care and DOLs proceedings in the High Court with issues concerning chronic neglect;
• Represented the Local Authority in a final hearing in a case concerning significant parental alienation; and
• Represented a Father at multiple Interim Care Order hearings, resulting in the Local Authority changing their care plan to ensure that his newborn baby was not separated from the parents.

Anna has represented both applicants and respondents in private child law cases in applications for contact, residence, parental alienation, and relocation. Anna is quickly building a reputation for her calm and personable approach with clients. Anna is able to manage parties’ expectations, while being alive to the stress of proceedings, and clients appreciate her thorough and robust advice. Anna is particularly skilled at negotiation and regularly concludes proceedings at an early stage. Anna has represented clients at all stages of proceedings, from FHDRAs to Final Hearings.

Anna also has experience drafting advice on appeal and grounds of appeal.

Anna also completed Advocates’ pupil pro bono pledge and appeared pro bono for Not Beyond Redemption, representing a mother who had recently been released from prison in a private law dispute.

Some of Anna’s recent cases include:

• Represented a Mother in proceedings with concerns regarding FGM;
• Represented grandparents in a final hearing for contact with their grandchild;
• Acted for a Father in a case involving jurisdictional issues;
• Represented an appellant Mother in an appeal hearing; and
• Represented a Father in a Prohibited Steps Order hearing preventing the mother from the removing the child from the jurisdiction and negotiated an order in his favour.

Anna is building her DOLS practice and has represented the Local Authority in applications for Deprivation of Liberty in the High Court for children and young people. Anna is keen to build her practice in this area.

Notable cases include:

• Represented the Local Authority in the COP for an application for a DOL for a young person with significant mental health needs;
• Represented the Local Authority in the High Court in lengthy DOLS and care proceedings regarding a 10-year-old boy with a complex care package; and
• Represented a separately represented child in the High Court in DOLS and care proceedings for a young person with complex physical needs and emotional needs.

Anna regularly represents clients in making or responding to applications for Non-Molestation, Occupation Orders, and Transfer of Tenancy, from ex parte hearings to final hearings. Anna ensures that clients are dealt with appropriately and has an impressive record of achieving final orders at the return hearing, reducing the need for a final hearing, and has had an application for a non-molestation order dismissed when acting for a respondent.