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Christie O’Connell

Christie O’Connell

Call: 2022

Contact:

Christie O’Connell

Practice

Christie is a family law specialist accepting instructions across the spectrum of private family law, including financial remedies, private children work, child maintenance appeals, TLATA, and applications under the Family Law Act 1996. She has experience representing clients from first to final hearing at all levels up to and including the High Court.

Christie is a contributor to the Financial Remedies Journal, and the Family Law Journal, writing about recent cases of interest and developments in the law.

During her time in Chambers, she has spent time seconded at Mishcon-de-Reya, and Katz Partners. In the Autumn of 2025, she will intern in Los Angeles at specialist surrogacy firm, Vorzimer Masserman, supported by a scholarship from Inner Temple.

In addition to her work in chambers, she continues to regularly undertake pro bono work with Advocate, and the Islington Legal Advice Clinic. In 2024, she received a nomination for Young Pro Bono Barrister of the year and was featured in the inaugural Pro Bono Recognition List of England and Wales.

Financial Remedies
Christie accepts instructions across the full breadth of family finance proceedings, including matrimonial finance, maintenance pending suit, LSPO, enforcement, variations, and applications under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. She has experience appearing in the High Court in her own right and accepts instructions in both court and Private FDRs.

Christie has experience in acting for LGBTQIA+ clients and accepts instructions in cohabitation and civil partnership proceedings. She also acts for interested third parties such as parties’ parents.

Private Law Children
Christie accepts instructions in all aspects of private law children proceedings, including contact disputes, internal and international relocation, issues with parental responsibility, and allegations of abuse and alienation.

Christie has a particular interest in surrogacy law, having appeared for the intended parents in Re Z, an international surrogacy case which addressed public policy issues within international surrogacy arrangements. In 2024, Mrs Justice Theis DBE described her written and oral advocacy in this complex area of law as being “of the highest standard” and thanked her for her “careful preparation” of the case ([2024] EWFC 304). Christie welcomes instructions in this growing area of law.

Re Z (Foreign Surrogacy) [2024] EWFC 304

Memberships 

  • The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • Inner Temple LGBTQIA+ Society
  • Family Law Bar Association
  • Resolution

 

Positions

  • President of the Inner Temple Junior Barristers Association
  • Inner Temple Retention & Return to Practice Working Group committee
  • Freebar committee (the Bar’s LGBTQIA+ network)

Qualifications

  • BPP Law School: LLM & BPTC (Distinction)
  • King’s College London: BA Religion & Politics (First Class Honours)
  • University of Sydney: Study Abroad Programme (First Class Honours)

 

Scholarships, Awards and Prizes

  • Sir Joseph Priestly Award – Inner Temple – Funding to undertake an internship in Los Angeles in Autumn 2025.
  • Jarman Advocacy Prize – Inner Temple – Awarded to the best advocate in the 2022/23 cohort of Inner Temple Pupils
  • Major Bar Course Scholarship – Inner Temple
  • Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award – Inner Temple
  • Top of the year for the Cross Examination Bar Exam – BPP Law School
  • Major GDL Scholarship – Inner Temple
  • Career Commitment Scholarship – BPP Law School
  • Broadening Horizons Award – King’s College London

Outside of work Christie enjoys playing and watching football. She is an avid theatre-goer and enjoys travelling and road trips in her Renault Kangoo Micro Camper.