Sam Wysocki

Family and Civil Barrister

Year of Call
2020

sam.wysocki@walnuthouse.co.uk

Sam joined Walnut House as a pupil in 2020 and was made a tenant at Walnut House in October 2021. Sam is developing a diverse and varied practice. He prides himself on being approachable with clients and offering pragmatic advice. Prior to commencing pupillage, Sam worked as a paralegal in the family department of a regional law firm.

Family Law

Overview

Sam frequently acts for all parties in care proceedings. He has represented clients in interim removal hearings and in multi-day final hearings including the cross-examination of expert witnesses. He has also represented the local authority and parents in secure accommodation / DOLS hearings.

Sam regularly represents parents, Guardians and wider family members in private law children disputes. He has appeared and represented clients accused of domestic and sexual abuse at fact finding hearings and has secured orders which ensure the safety of vulnerable children and their main carer from an abusive partner, including restrictions on the exercise of parental responsibility.

Sam regularly represents parents who cannot agree on their child arrangements at all stages of the court process. He advocates for a collaborative approach to resolving conflict by identifying the key issues and negotiating an outcome which enables the parents to move forward together for the benefit of their children.

Sam also represents parties who are accused of breaching family court orders in committal proceedings.

Re P – Representation of a parent in a contested interim separation hearing where separation was sought on the ground that the resident parent had alienated the children from their other parent.

Re L – representation of a parent accused of multiple breaches of an undertaking. Made successful legal submissions that the undertaking was unenforceable.

Re W – representation of the primary carer in proceedings brought by the children’s other parent who had been convicted of a serious offence of domestic abuse. Successfully sought an order for no direct or indirect contact, restrictions placed on the other parent’s parental responsibility, and a change of surname.

Re S – representation of parent in private children proceedings who was accused of a campaign of sexual abuse including poisoning by the other parent. The allegations were unanimously dismissed at a finding of fact hearing.

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Civil Law

Overview

Sam’s practice also includes the regular advice and representation of local authorities and defendants in quasi-criminal jurisdictions including: Firearms appeals (including with public interest immunity considerations), SHPOs and SROs, ASB Injunctions, Appeals against CPNs, Dog Control Orders, and POCA / Forfeiture proceedings. Sam is happy to offer assistance including with procedural issues and drafting of applications.

Sam also accepts instructions in the civil courts and has represented and/or advised parties in the County Court and in the High Court.

Police v B – successfully applied for account forfeiture (POCA) in relation to thousands of pounds of payments received by the Defendant in an apparent romance fraud.

Y v D – successfully applied to set aside default judgment on behalf of a defendant despite said defendant showing a limited engagement in the proceedings.

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Biographical and Other Information

Awards
2020 – Lincoln’s Inn, Buchanan Prize; 2019-20
Awards
2019-20: BPTC (Outstanding)
Awards
2019 – Lincoln’s Inn – Droop Scholar
Awards
2018 – Ashurst Prize for Outstanding law student (University of Exeter)
Education
2015-2018 – LLB – University of Exeter (First Class Honours)

Civil Law team members

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Mark Treneer

Year Of Call : 1987

The main focus is in ancillary relief (financial remedies) for husbands, wives and children, especially where there are trust and/or business assets and farms. Mark cuts through volume of paper to the core and critical issues and is focussed and blunt with his clients and the Court alike.

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Lara Spencer

Year Of Call : 2000; Head of Civil

Lara has represented both Claimants and Defendants in a variety of matters for over 20 years and has appeared before most Courts and many different Tribunals. She has also given numerous talks and seminars in civil litigation to CPD providers and assisted in writing civil litigation material for online CPD providers. Lara is authorised to conduct all areas of litigation. She is a member of the Professional Negligence Bar Association and the Personal Injury Bar Association. Many of Lara’s cases are high value. As such, she often appears against KCs. Although based in Exeter, Lara undertakes court work throughout England and Wales. Lara’s wide common law practice affords her with a thorough understanding of the processes and tactics of civil law and litigation, and enables her to provide specialist, pragmatic and practical advice. Similarly, her early experience at the criminal bar, during which time she prosecuted and defended in the Magistrates Court and Crown Courts, and her continued work there in planning and environmental matters, provides her with a continued specialist knowledge and experience of criminal law and practice.

lara.spencer@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Emma Smith

Year Of Call : 2005

Emma is a practitioner who accepts instructions in both civil and family law. Personable and approachable to clients, Emma has a practical and down-to-earth style both in conference and in court.

emma.smith@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Felicity Payne

Year Of Call : 2010

Felicity is a common law barrister with an established and varied practice in all aspects of criminal and civil law. Felicity is thorough, practical and robust in her approach, whilst remaining personable.

felicity.payne@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Laura Searle

Year Of Call : 2011; Head of Family / Deputy HoC

Laura is a family barrister with a busy and varied practice acting and advising in public and private law proceedings, applications for injunctive relief and financial remedy proceedings. She is a personable and approachable advocate who prides herself on going the extra mile for her clients. She has studied and worked internationally in France, Brussels, Luxembourg and New Zealand and is a Denning and Eastham Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn

laura.searle@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Evie Dean

Year Of Call : 2019

Evie accepts instructions in both criminal and family law. She regularly appears in the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts where she prosecutes and defends in all stages of proceedings. She also acts for parents in both private and care proceedings from application stage through to contested interim and final hearings.

Since joining Walnut House after successfully completing a twelve-month pupillage in chambers, Evie has continued to enjoy a busy and varied practice. She has been complimented on her pragmatic and personable manner with her clients.

evie.dean@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Sam Wysocki

Year Of Call : 2020

Sam has developed a diverse practice across Chambers’ family and civil teams, representing clients throughout the South West. He prides himself on his attention to detail, being approachable and offering pragmatic advice.
Sam completed his pupillage and accepted tenancy from Walnut House in October 2021. Furthermore, Sam successfully obtained his public access qualification in October 2022.

sam.wysocki@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Zoe Kuyken

Year Of Call : 2021

Zoe joined chambers after successfully completing a 12 month pupillage in 2022.

Zoe accepts instructions in criminal and family law.

zoe.kuyken@walnuthouse.co.uk View Profile

Azzam Bhatti

Year Of Call : 2017

Azzam has a mixed Civil, Criminal and Family practice at Walnut House.

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Mark Treneer (1987)
Lara Spencer (2000; Head of Civil)
Emma Smith (2005)
Felicity Payne (2010)
Laura Searle (2011; Head of Family / Deputy HoC)
Evie Dean (2019)
Sam Wysocki (2020)
Zoe Kuyken (2021)
Azzam Bhatti (2017)