Dafydd Paxton

Year of Call: 2010

Clerks: James Watson / Lee Fifield

Dafydd joined Chambers in February 2018, from Unity Street Chambers in Bristol and is a specialist family law practitioner. Prior to qualifying as a barrister, he was a canoe slalom athlete, competing internationally for Wales and Great Britain.

Dafydd has a practice which covers all areas of family law, including private and public law children matters, cohabitation disputes and financial remedy proceedings. He is regularly instructed in cases involving serious allegations, including sexual abuse and domestic violence. 

Children

Dafydd regularly represents parents in private law matters concerning child arrangements, specific issue orders and prohibited steps orders. He has often acted in cases involving intractable contact disputes, allegations of parental alienation, applications to relocate children within the UK and abroad, and cases featuring allegations of physical and sexual assault.

Possessing a calm and reassuring manner, Dafydd is able to put nervous and vulnerable clients at their ease in what can be an intimidating environment.

Dafydd has a busy public law practice and regularly represents local authorities, parents and guardians in care proceedings. Dafydd is often instructed in serious and complex cases involving allegations of non-accidental injury and sexual abuse. He has considerable experience of representing vulnerable clients, including those with learning difficulties, mental health issues and serious addiction problems.

Court of Protection and Secure Accommodation

Dafydd is regularly instructed in proceedings in the Court of Protection, often involving the lawfulness of the deprivation of liberty. He has also acted in a number of cases in the High Court, where the inherent jurisdiction has been invoked. He also acts in cases involving applications for children to be placed in secure accommodation.

Family Finance

Dafydd has considerable experience in dealing with financial remedy proceedings, including cases involving large assets. He has been complimented on his assiduous case preparation and proactive approach to negotiation.

Dafydd acts in cases where unmarried couples have separated and need to resolve their finances under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA). He is adept at presenting this complex area of law to clients in plain, understandable terms.

Notable cases

Re: G [2019]: Dafydd represented a local authority in public law proceedings concerning a child whose carer was terminally ill. The case began in the Family Court and was eventually resolved by an application to the High Court under the inherent jurisdiction.

AA v AM [2020]: Dafydd represented a vulnerable mother in private law proceedings where both parents were refugees. Following a multi-day finding of fact hearing, the court found proven all the mother’s allegations of marital rape, harassment and serious physical assault of her and the children. 

Re: I [2020]: Dafydd represented a father in care proceedings who faced allegations of rape, where he argued that he suffered from a rare sleep disorder and was unaware of his actions. Following a lengthy finding of fact hearing that included complex expert evidence, the allegations against him were not found to be proven.

Re: C [2020]: Dafydd represented a parent in care proceedings, who was in the pool of potential perpetrators concerning significant injuries to an infant. Both parents were exonerated following a two-week fact-find and findings made against an intervener.

M v M [2020]: Dafydd represented a wife in extremely acrimonious financial remedy proceedings, with significant litigation obstruction on the part of the husband, who had concealed foreign property assets. The wife obtained a very favourable settlement, following a contested final hearing.