Josie Gabriel

Josie is a Paralegal who works within our Child Care Proceedings team.

She joined Simpson Millar in November 2022. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge in Law. She supports the solicitors in her team on a variety of cases. She has experience speaking to multiple clients and taking instructions. She finds it rewarding to help clients engage with the support they need to stay in their children’s lives, and achieving the right outcome for every child.

On a day-to-day basis, she performs a range of tasks to keep clients informed about the progress of their cases and to make sure procedures are carried out efficiently. For example, she drafts letters to clients, applications and briefs for other professionals. She has also backed counsel in court hearings and arranged intermediary and psychological assessments. These assessments determine whether someone might need additional support in order to participate in their hearing, including whether they would benefit from having an intermediary present. Josie can also support people by arranging interpreters where necessary.

Josie is experienced with representing clients at PLO meetings (Public Law Outline). These are meetings in which the Local Authority expresses concerns they have about a child. Parents then have an opportunity to address the Local Authority’s concerns and improve their parenting, to avoid the Local Authority initiating care proceedings.