TEAM: DANIEL

DANIEL HOOKER : SOLICITOR

Phone: (01634) 852700

Address: 5 High Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1BE

Daniel was initially called to the Bar in November 2008 having completed the Bar Vocational Course in London and subsequently cross qualified as a solicitor, being admitted to the roll of solicitors in June 2015. Daniel has since become an accredited member of the Law Society Children’s Panel and is able to act for children and young people involved in proceedings.

Daniel has extensive experience in Family Law and can offer a range of services including Divorce, Finances, Child Arrangements Orders, Injunctions, cohabitation disputes and Public Law care proceedings.

In Employment Law, Daniel is able to offer services for both Employers and Employees and has experience with a range of employment matters including the drafting or contracts and employment documents, constructive/unfair dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination and settlement agreements.

Daniel endeavours wherever possible to undertake his own advocacy from start to finish, including contested hearings, to provide his clients with continuity without the worry of a new person representing them in Court. As a former barrister Daniel is at ease and confident in the court room.

Family Cases of interest;

Public law

- Daniel acted for a father in care proceedings concerning the death of a 4 month old child from a head injury. Daniel acted as Junior Counsel in a 6 week fact finding hearing before the High Court which included 13 different experts. Publication of the Judgment is awaited.

- Medway Council v W (Fact Finding: Familial Sexual Abuse allegations and Local Authority's Approach) [2014] EWFC B190 (1 October 2014) – Daniel acted for a Mother in Care Proceedings in relation to allegations of sexual abuse by a family member. The Court was extremely critical of the Social Worker’s approach to the case.

- Medway Council v W (2) (Welfare Hearing) [2015] EWFC B233 (18 March 2015) – The welfare disposal hearing of the above case.

- Kent County Council v B,W and S [2017] EWFC B5 - Daniel acted for a mother in care proceedings who was accused of shaking her daughter and a solicitor was accused to a relationship with a party.

- Daniel represented a child in Public Law Proceedings and acted as junior counsel in a multi-day fact finding hearing in relation to Fictitious/Fabricated Illnesses.

Private law

- Appeal from the Magistrates Court regarding the test to be applied and procedure to be followed in relation to an application for an Enforcement Order which was wrongly summarily dismissed.

- Daniel acted on behalf of the children in relation to a private law dispute where the children were found to have been deliberately alienated from their father by their mother.

- Daniel has acted on behalf of both children and parents in various cases concerning allegations of sexual abuse.

Divorce and Finances

- Acting for a Wife in Matrimonial Proceedings involving a proceeds of crime application made by the Crown against the property due to the Husband’s criminal activity.

- Successfully obtained a clean break order in a matrimonial case where the Judge indicated long term periodical payments was likely and there was a 1 year old child.

Employment cases of interest;

- Successfully pursued a redundancy payment for an employee whose employment should have been transferred under Transfer of Undertakings but was dismissed instead.

- Pursued a redundancy payment against a company that was in administration and being wound up.