Mariam El-sobky (‘Mia’) is a highly experienced family practitioner conducting cases in all United Kingdom court tiers including the High Court on a regular basis. She undertakes complex family law matters involving highly contentious disputes between carers and parents and serious sexual and physical abuse. Mia has also represented parents in complex Family Law Act matters involving Occupation Orders, Non Molestation Orders and Children Act issues. She brings her considerable experience as a criminal barrister to cases involving alleged alienation and those involving safeguarding issues and criminal allegations.
Mia is a specialist in Family (Children & Divorce). She can also be instructed in matters of general common law, small claims, Crime, civil recovery and motoring matters. Mia represents clients in private law children applications including Child Arrangements Orders, Prohibited Steps Order and Specific Issue order applications including leave to remove from the jurisdiction, internal relocation and change of surname.
My approach
Mia is extremely thorough with a forensic eye for detail. She will work closely with you to ensure you get the very best chance of the outcome you desire, and will guide you expertly through the court process. She will give you an honest if not brutal assessment of your case minimising your exposure to the highest possible degree to adverse outcomes; using her intimate knowledge of the practical innerworkings of the legal system to your advantage. Whilst based in London she can travel to other parts of the country if required.
My work
Mia has been instructed in cases representing Local Authorities, parents and guardians, grandparents and other kinship carers. She has been instructed in a wide range of complex cases including those involving allegations of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, chronic neglect and domestic violence, cases where there are concurrent care and criminal proceedings, issues relating to the Court of Protection & cross-border family law. She has represented clients and Local Authorities in a variety of proceedings including personal welfare applications, deprivation of liberty applications (including emergency applications) and applications involving teenagers; as well as same-sex relationships.
Mia has throughout her career had a particular interest in domestic abuse within relationships, often representing those suffering from insidious and hidden forms of abuse in particular section 76 of the Serious Crime Act (2015) (post separation abuse). She has expertise in cases that have an international dimension and has been instructed in cases involving unaccompanied minors, parents and children with immigration status issues, international abduction & deprivation of liberty cases; specifically, removal of children from the jurisdiction to non-convention countries. She draws on a wealth of expertise in cases with an international element, including foreign adoption / international IVF and child abduction; and the potential transfer of proceedings under Article 15 of Brussels II Revised, temporary removal and access rights under the Hague Convention 1996, allegations of non-accidental injury, factitious or induced illness, domestic violence, chronic neglect, interfamilial sexual abuse, and alcohol and drug abuse. She regularly works with parents, grandparents and other kinship carers with learning difficulties, mental health difficulties and substance misuse issues, and works hard to make sure they are able to fully engage in the proceedings.
About me
Mia has been a Barrister for more than 20 years and has been described as a courtroom warrior. She is as comfortable in the courtroom as she is outside of it. Previously, she spent around 15 years with the CPS in a senior Litigative front line criminal role having had a particular interest in women’s rights, International human rights law and civil liberties; and particularly so as a single mother herself - the rights of the family. For the first 15 years of her career, Mia practised predominantly in criminal prosecution. She has conducted criminal trials across the full range of offences and at all levels. Additionally, due to her family experience, she has expertise in dealing with public interest immunity hearings and third party disclosure applications from family proceedings in the criminal courts; and has experience of appellate work in the court of appeal.
What my clients say
“i would like to highly recommend Mia. Her advise and continuous amazing support throughout a sensitive family court matter. A High professional service. Thank you So So So much. A review can not express how thankful and grateful I really am.”
Tom, Interim
Placement, Child Arrangements, Social Services, Chelmsford, October 2021
“Thanks Mia for all your help! You achieved us a better outcome than expected and kept us up to date throughout the process. Excellent service!”
OccupationOrder, Bristol Family Court December 2021
“I cannot thank you enough your closing submission was amazing you actually told the court what was going on without mincing your words I’ve never had that before. I feel that my legal representation all the way through this have just agreed with each other and not spoken up enough to highlight my very real worries about this mans behaviour towards myself and Scarlett. I honestly think your submission made a huge difference as I could see the judge was picking up on a lot of what you had brought up and did highlight that he has abused me in the past and that must not go unnoticed. She was also very against the idea that I was alienating. We have a care order with the same guardian for 12 months and she wants us to attend family therapy which I’m not crazy about but will do if I have to”
Mother, Child Arrangements 2021, London
“I cannot thank you enough for giving up your time today to help us, you really are an angel in disguise and we can never repay you for what you have done, you are one in a million and our children are very lucky we have had your help”
Mother, Lay Client , Children Act, PA, Herts
Professional & academic
Mia read law at Northumbria University, completed her BVC in Bristol and her Masters degree in London. She was called to the Bar in 2001.