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Hertfordshire Family Justice Board

Invitation from the HFJB and the Designated Family Judge His Honour Judge David Vavrecka

Hertfordshire Family Forum

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at 6pm for 6.30pm until 8pm

(refreshments provided)

Paws for Thought – Pets in Family Law

His Honour Judge Vavrecka on behalf of The Hertfordshire Family Justice Board is delighted to welcome speakers Christina Warner of 33 Bedford Row Chambers and Adrian Barnett-Thoung-Holland of Coram Chambers.

Christina Warner is an award-winning barrister and family & animal protection specialist from 33 Bedford Row chambers. Christina is the founder of Ruby’s Law, a pioneering reform proposal seeking to ensure pets are explicitly recognised and protected within domestic abuse proceedings. Her speech explores the emerging concept of multispecies legal justice, examining how current family law frameworks can better address the use of harm or threats to animals in patterns of coercive control, and the practical implications for practitioners handling non molestation and occupation orders in domestic abuse cases.

Adrian Barnett-Thoung-Holland is a barrister and private FDR evaluator at Coram Chambers, practising exclusively in financial remedies and divorce, and appearing regularly at all levels of court including the Court of Appeal. Adrian will explore how pets are currently treated as “chattels” within financial remedy proceedings and why that legal classification often sits uneasily with their emotional and practical role within families. Adrian will consider the limitations of the existing approach, the tensions between strict property principles and welfare arguments, and the challenges faced by practitioners and judges alike. He will also look comparatively at how other jurisdictions address pet ownership on separation, before offering thoughtful ideas on potential reform or alternative approaches that better reflect modern family life.

The event will take place on Tuesday 2nd June 6pm until 8pm at the University of Hertfordshire’s School of Law at the De Havilland Campus, St Albans Road West, Hatfield, AL10 9EU in Lecture Theatre N001. A map of the campus is available on their website. This will be a captivating and interactive seminar, and we are thrilled to welcome our speakers Christina Warner and Adrian Barnett-Thoung-Holland.

The Hertfordshire Family Justice Board Chair of Training Danielle Peters of Crane and Staples Solicitors LLP welcomes you to what will be an unmissable and informative event. The meeting is open to all with a professional or academic interest in the subject and I should be grateful if you could pass on this invitation to any colleagues who may be interested and who has not received a personal invitation.

In the event of any enquiries, please contact Danielle Peters ([email protected]) or Saffron Foley ([email protected])

Contact:

Geraldine Poulain

[email protected]

Location:

AL10 9EU