Care Proceedings

Helina Nnawuchi

Legal Advisor, Care Proceedings

London

Areas of Expertise:

Care Proceedings

Helina Nnawuchi is a Legal Advisor in our Child Care Proceedings department and is based in our London office.

Professional Biography

Helina completed her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of East London in 2015, earning a Second Class Upper Division. She later achieved her Master of Laws (LLM) in Legal Practice with Distinction from BPP University in Cambridge in 2021. Helina was also awarded a scholarship to support her LLM studies, recognising her five years of dedicated work in the legal sector, where she assisted clients with their legal matters and gained valuable hands-on experience following her undergraduate degree.

Helina began her legal career as a Paralegal at a Hertfordshire-based firm, where she focused on divorce and financial matters. She subsequently moved to a London firm, specialising in Care Proceedings and working alongside Senior Associates and Directors on cases involving children at risk of significant harm. This experience laid a strong foundation for her career in children matters. In October 2024, Helina joined Simpson Millar, bringing extensive knowledge from her prior role at a London-based local authority, where she managed complex care proceedings and provided legal support in cases involving vulnerable children and families.

Helina’s current role involves representing parents and family members in Care Proceedings and related Public Law Outline (PLO) matters. She advises clients at all stages of proceedings, from initial hearings to final resolutions, often conducting her own advocacy in court. She also provides specialised advice on matters such as Special Guardianship Assessments, offering clear guidance to families navigating difficult and emotional circumstances. Helina works closely with clients, local authorities, and other professionals to ensure that the best possible outcomes are achieved for children and their families. Her role also involves challenging unlawful practices by local authorities through judicial reviews and ensuring her clients’ rights are protected throughout the legal process.

Helina’s expertise lies in representing clients in Public Law children cases, including Care Proceedings and PLO matters, as well as in Private Law children cases such as Child Arrangement Orders. She has significant experience in cases involving domestic abuse, risk of significant harm, and contested care plans.

Case Studies / Notable Cases

One of Helina’s notable cases involved representing a father in Care Proceedings concerning significant and unexplained injuries to his child. The case required detailed analysis of complex medical evidence, including reports from paediatric and radiology experts. Despite the challenges of conflicting information and the absence of a definitive explanation, Helina successfully advocated for the family, and the injured child was reunited with their parents following a favourable outcome at the fact-finding hearing.
Helina represented a father in Care Proceedings that began during the mother’s pregnancy and involved serious allegations of domestic violence. The case became increasingly complex due to concurrent criminal proceedings, with both parents being convicted of murder. Despite these challenges, Helina diligently pursued the father’s preferred outcome for the child’s placement within his extended family. After presenting a successful application for an independent assessment, the child was ultimately placed with family friends, securing a positive resolution.
Helina acted for a father seeking to discharge Care Orders for his two children, who had been placed with their maternal grandmother. The case exposed significant failings by the local authority, including a lack of support for the children’s transition to the father’s care and inadequate provision for the grandmother. Helina successfully challenged the authority’s inaction, ensuring the children were reunited with their father and securing financial assistance for the family.

Helina is passionate about advocating for families and ensuring that children’s welfare is prioritised in legal proceedings. She takes pride in supporting parents and family members through challenging situations, helping them navigate the complexities of Care Proceedings with clarity and compassion. Helina is committed to securing the best possible outcomes for her clients, using her legal expertise to give families a voice and ensure their rights are upheld.

Her dedication to helping vulnerable clients is reflected in her meticulous approach to every case, always striving to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the families she represents.

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