Year of Call
2021Areas of practice
Children law (public), Children law (private), Family finances, Injunctions / Domestic Abuse
“I just wanted to thank you so much for your representation yesterday. I think you are an amazing young man and you are definitely in the right profession! You are kind, professional, articulate and [it's] a pleasure to be in your company. ”
Client
Biography
Reiss is a barrister specialising in family law, particularly proceedings involving children. He is committed to a career in this area having worked in family law for several years already, acting for children, parents and local authorities.
During pupillage, Reiss gained experience of a very wide range of family law applications and hearings including public and private children law, financial dispute resolution and domestic abuse cases. He is empathetic and collaborative, but also firm when required and always willing to fight for his clients. He has received good feedback from judges, solicitors and clients on his written and oral advocacy.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Reiss worked as a paralegal at a large firm of family law solicitors where he developed both his legal experience and his skills at dealing with clients in stressful and emotional circumstances. He quickly built up a caseload of exclusively private and public law children matters, commonly assisting clients who are/were victims of domestic abuse and also those accused of the same. Reiss has been involved in all aspects of the preparation of cases and is keenly aware of the role of solicitors in family cases and the pressures which that involves, and is therefore in a very good position to provide effective support.
Reiss has experience of advising clients on the law, their prospects and possible outcomes; taking their instructions; drafting their statements; preparing a variety of court documents; attending advocates meetings and conferences with clients. He has negotiated successful resolutions to private children disputes and represented clients throughout the Public Law Outline (PLO) process. He has received excellent feedback from clients, solicitors and judges including "Our client’s feedback [was that] he was very happy with the representation made by Reiss yesterday".
Reiss has presented the law and procedures surrounding domestic abuse, Legal Aid and Family Court proceedings to those supporting victims of domestic abuse in the community, receiving positive feedback from attendees.
He is committed to pro bono work, and volunteered for the University of Nottingham Pro Bono Society, leading one of its Projects and ultimately being elected President in his final year. During a year abroad based in Texas, Reiss co-authored a report to the United Nations about the human rights implications of school shootings in the USA and worked on death row cases. He has also acted as a mentor to numerous law students.
Children law (public)
Reiss has a strong interest in public law children proceedings and has gained a lot of experience during pupillage in this type of work. He has represented clients in hearings at all stages of the process up to and including final hearings. He is involved in a number of cases which are proceeding to fact finding hearings, and is energised by the challenge of the advocacy involved.
Reiss has represented local authorities and parents, and accepts instructions from any party involved in care proceedings.
He is committed to this area of work and actively welcomes instructions in care cases.
Children law (private)
Reiss has experience of a wide range of private children law hearings acquired both prior to pupillage and during pupillage itself. This includes First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointments/FHDRAs, Dispute Resolution Appointments, directions hearings, pre-trial reviews and final hearings. He is also briefed in a number of fact finding hearings.
Reiss has acted in several contested removal hearings and also in a case heard at the RCJ before the Presiding Judge for Wales which was a passport renewal application incorporating Polish law.
Domestic Abuse / Injunctions
During pupillage, Reiss has acted in lots of Non-Molestation Order and Occupation Order cases, both together and separately. He has a calm and empathetic manner and is a very good choice for these types of applications. He is often able to act on short notice and is very good at quickly discerning the most important aspects of the evidence in order to present applications effectively. Reiss has experience of acting in both interim applications, return dates and final hearings.
Instruct
To instruct Reiss, please contact Jay Dorton.
Education
- Law with American Law (LLB)(Hons) University of Nottingham. Reiss spent his 3rd year as a student attorney at the University of Texas working on pro bono cases.
- Bar Practice Course with a Masters in Pro Bono (Very Competent in the BPC and a Distinction in the Masters)
Memberships
- Family Law Bar Association
Prizes
- Azlan Shah Prize from University of Nottingham School of Law for outstanding contribution to the life, work and wellbeing of the School as a multicultural community
- Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program Award from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law for commitment to pro bono activities
- Pro Bono Achievement Award from the University of Nottingham School of Law