Emma was made Partner at Goodman Ray in October 2023.

Emma is a child law specialist.  She joined Goodman Ray in November 2014 as a senior member of our care and children team. Emma qualified in 1999 and has over 20 years experience representing parents and children in a range of Children Act matters.

Emma specialises in complex care proceedings and has represented many parents dealing with allegations of physical and emotional harm, non accidental injury, sexual abuse, domestic violence and fabricated illness.

Emma also specialises in representing parents in relation to child arrangements orders, formerly known as residence and contact disputes. She specialises in cases where there are allegations of parental alienation, implacable hostility and emotional harm through parental conflict such  that social services may become involved. She also has considerable experience representing parents in relation to allegations of coercive control, gaslighting and sexual abuse.

DIRECTORIES

Emma is ranked in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500:

• “She is incredibly dedicated to her clients and provides them with careful, well thought-out advice for navigating difficult litigation.”
• “A clever advocate who thinks outside the box and works hard for her clients.”
• “She’s a skilled advocate who is very responsive, very good at communicating and very detailed. She’s a very good advocate for children clients in particular.”

Chambers and Partners 2022

• ‘Emma Sherrington – tenacious advocate for her clients;  she is a pleasure to work with; always brings new ideas and is a creative lawyer’.

Legal 500 2022

• “She is very technical and really impressive. She has a really varied caseload and she’s able to pick things up very quickly. She’s also skilled at getting to what she needs to know.” 
• “Her strengths include her dedication to the client – she’s extremely helpful and passionate for her clients. She also goes the extra mile.” 
• “She is passionate about her cases and really fights her client’s corner. She’s a great litigator.”

Chambers and Partners 2021

 

• “She is an incredibly dedicated children lawyer who is also very good at strategy. She’s always thinking one step ahead so the client has the best outcome long-term.”

Chambers and Partners 2020

• ‘You want Emma Sherrington on your side – she is tenacious in fighting for her client’s interests and manages the most difficult cases within the firm.

Legal 500 2020

REPORTED CASES:

• J (A Child) [2014] EWCA Civ 875
• Re E (A Child) [2014] EWHC 6 (Fam)
• IA (A Child) [2013] EWHC 2499 (Fam)
• LB of Islington v Al Alas and Wray [2012] EWHC 865 (Fam)
• Z and another v C and another [2011] EWHC 3181 (Fam)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

• Law Society Children Panel